3 monthly inspections including taking photos is a bit much?

[randomuntrainedcuntowner]

We are in a rented property that is being managed by an estate agent. Our landlady lives downstairs. I have nothing to hide and I keep the place tidy, but they (the management company) insist on inspecting the property every 3 months. They just send us a letter informing us they are going to do this, so will just enter when we are out unless we respond otherwise. I have been able to rearrange before due to working night shifts etc, but I just find it excessively intrusive.

Today we were in as I am off work, and it turns out they take multiple photos of the place. Dd summed it up (she is 7) when she said, unprompted, that she doesn't like people taking pictures of her room - when I told her the come every 3 months usually when we are out, she said it feels like something is sneaking around our house when we are out - of it feels wrong to a usually friendly and outgoing 7 year old, surely I anbu?

I feel like they may object if we ask for it to be stepped down a bit seeing as we have been good tenants for over a year and always keep the place clean and tidy, and I suspect they do this to justify whatever fee they charge the landlady. What does everyone else think?

We have the same here in Australia. They always take photos too. It's normal here.

I see it as protection for us too.

Though I do thnk that once a tenant has been in a property for a year, they should be stepped down to every 6 months.

I'd change the locks.

Does your insurance cover random people having a key to your home?

And as a renter and a parent, it's important that you impress on your child that the house is your home...but you don't own it so the agents are there to make sure that it's always in tip top condition for you....frame it as the agent looking out for you guys and not as them waiting for you to do something wrong.

It's just always at the most inconvenient times. I am supposed to be studying for an exam atm but I have had to deep clean the house. I know they will say that it is not necessary, but I feel so judged and under scrutiny that I want it to be spotless.

Jen it' will probably be in OP's contract. An agent isn't "random people" and she can't change the locks...she could be home if she chose...but she isn't generally.

My agent would also come in and do it without me present and that's in my contract.

My way of coping with that whole "God I have to scrub everywhere!" is to make sure it's always in good enough condition...I think "Would I mind if the agent popped over now?" and if the answer's yes, then it's time to do some damage limitation!

Then when an inspections due, there's not so much to catch up on.

I'd have a little chat with the people who know about renting and what your landlord is and is not allowed to do to make sure that you actually have to accommodate this.

It turns out they don't actually have a key, because on previous occasions they have had to get the landlady to let them in.

I have told dd that as we don't own the house, they are making sure we are keeping it nice for the landlady. However we/she talk to the landlady on a daily basis to say hello so no wonder she finds it odd.

Every 3 months!!! Poor you. The coming in when you aren't there sounds creepy and also surely the point of these inspections is not just to check that you aren't running a dope farm but for you the tennants to commuicate if there are any issues or problems that need sorting. How crazy!!

It doesn’t matter what’s in your contract. The agent cannot enter the property without your permission so if you tell them a date and time don’t suit and that they need to rearrange then they have to do it. They can’t just turn up on that date and walk in while you’re not there.

Can you talk directly to your landlady and say you find it intrusive and would she object to it being every six months? Personally I think it's interrupting your right to 'quiet enjoyment'- our landlords inspected our property every year, aside from occasions where something broke/we needed them to facilitate a repair.

You have the legal right to change your locks, and refuse them access for inspections, despite what people may say and despite what your contract may say- the issue is they might just refuse to renew. However, if you know your landlady to say hello to that might be the easiest way to go about it.

@ajaslipstick actually as an inhabitant of your home you can change the locks and you can also refuse access for inspections legally. If you research, the tenant has a lot of rights. However as a tenant we have always been subjected to 3 monthly inspections and I have allowed them. I hate them and they are intrusive. I was very very unwell for a period and we ended up with a lot of stuff stored and the agents were so evil. She made me cry. It's supposed to be to check the property but they always commented on my recycling etc and made me feel awful.
I figured it was better not to make a fuss as they were always so difficult about everything.
We've now moved and these agents are far more respectful.
Could you try to negotiate 6 monthly?

It's not my land lady - it's the company.

I am friendly with the landlady, she has said before that she was thinking of ditching them as she is paying them a lot every month for no good reason - she initially used them as if we had turned out to be high maintenance tenants from hell and only living downstairs, she would be able to minimise interaction. However she has said she is very happy with us, however her husband has since had a stroke so I think she kept the company on in case there are any maintenance issues as she now has to care for him.

I have thought about asking her if she could ask the company to do fewer inspections, but thought that might make me look like I have something to hide. I just hate the intrusion! I wish I could afford to buy, but I can't right now. 😕

They probably visit that frequently to justify the charges.

It's just things like we have been decluttering so in one corner of my bedroom they is a neat pile of things that I am taking to the charity shop, I hate that that might be photographed - the place otherwise is clean and well looked after

Is the provision for three-monthly inspections in your contract (there was in mine but letting agents were too lazy to bother)? If so, you're probably going to have to suck it up but by law they have to give 24 hours notice and I believe you have the right to be there. If you're based in the UK, Shelter would probably be able to advise you on your precise rights.

Could you ask the landlady to have a word with them?

Exactly @TestingTestingWonTooFree - I can understand doing frequent inspections to start with to make sure you are not breeding animals, growing dope, hoarding like mr trebus, but when it is established you're not, I think they should leave you alone a bit...

It doesn't help that the woman who does them generally just has a bit of an attitude to her and really gets mine and dps back up generally... 😡

Speak to your landlady. It's a service they promote for the landlord but in our case the landlord was overseas. They completely ripped him off and used dreadful maintenance companies that did the most awful jobs. I'm sure your landlady would be much better off managing the property herself. But I'm certain if she requested 6 monthly visits they would oblige.

To be fair they do give us notice, and have always been accomodating to rearrange. Just hate it though. Perhaps I am being unreasonable...

I wish we could speak to our landlord. We don;'t even know his address. He had never used an agent before his last tenant who didn't pay for months and messed the place up.

Can't blame him for getting an agent but it's annoying because we'd good tenants and he's wasting his money really.

Refuse.

Usually only photos are taken of maintenance issues.

You can refuse access. You have the right to quite enjoyment of the property regardless of what the contract says.

I have previously emailed agents advising them that they are not to enter the property unless I give expressed consent to be there, that we have installed a non fixed security camera and any attempt to access the property without correct permission will result in us reporting to the policy for breaking and entering.

Doubt it would hold up in court but it deterred them from entering without consent.

When i used to do midterm inspections, within reason, i couldnt give a shit about cleanliness. It was all about preventative maintenance and ensuring the property was in good condition for the tenant. Little things they didnt want to ring in about would be dealt with. Most of my tenants appreciated it

Our agent said they would move to 6 monthly but then we got a letter for another quarterly inspection. When I emailed they said the owner had asked to keep them going. Our home is spotless and we are good tenants but unlikely to remain due to these inspections. Their loss.

@araiwa - when we have reported maintenance issues though she has got shitty about it, eg. Windows that are James shut were just "old sash windows", however they did send someone to fix it eventually (we were very nice when reporting it - we just wanted to be able to open the windows on a sweltering day - and the inspection had been sold to us as a chance to highlight maintenance issues, so we did, politely)

*jammed not James!