To just think this is shit and unfair

[causeimunderyourspell]

So following on from my previous post where we had a bolt out of the blue from our landlord selling our house, less than 3 months after we moved in. Our contract ends in August and obviously won't be renewed. Anyway apparently they have lots of people who want to view the property and are asking about availability.

Aibu in thinking this just fucking sucks. We'll just have random strangers traipsing in and out of our house, mooching in the cupboards and just generally getting in the way until someone buys it, which is unlikely to be quick as the photos are misleading and it needs a lot of work doing to it.

I have 2 young DC so keeping the place tidy in the week is not always possible. I don't mind so much in the day as we're not there but it's tending to be after work times so what the hell am I supposed to do?! I can't get out as we'll be getting our dc bathed and ready for bed!! Would it be unreasonable to ask that they only do viewings in the day while we're not there or daytime at the weekend?

Well if a flat suddenly becomes unfurnished then the tenant can deduct money from the rent they pay.

wintry : A tenant can also have all the fights in the world, but the landlord really holds all the trump cards as they can make life very unpleasant for tenants if so desired whether it's by withholding deposits, removing items or disruptive 'maintenance'.

Ah, you mean by breaking the law? No. You know this is false if you are a LL. But you remind me that I'd like to see a licensing system (like a driving license) whereby LLs breaking the law (or attempting to) are a awarded points leading to license removal (= full ban on renting property for 5 years). The UK needs to update tenancy protection laws to bring them in line with so many countries like Germany that do it better than us (with benefits shared between both tenants and decent LLs btw), but until that day comes your posts remind me that we can't simply rely on integrity and basic competence because some people are thick nasty cunts fall slightly short of these expectations.

Good luck OP, the law is on your side.

It's not a question of stealing- it's using legitimate business practices to your advantage. I.e. a 'furnished' flat can suddenly become 'unfurnished' within an afternoon

Those are not legitimate business practices. They are illegal. You are relying on tenant not knowing their rights but a quick trip to CAB or a neighbor putting them straight would see You in court wintry and quite rightly so.

wintry
The fine is up to £30k

As if wintry is really a landlord 😂😂😂

I certainly wouldn't entertain any of my tenants refusing viewings.

😂😂😂

You wouldn’t get any say in the matter. If tenants say no you can’t do a single thing about it.

removing items or disruptive 'maintenance'.

How exactly? Tenants can change locks and you have no right to enter without permission.

@Zibbidoo

Oh yes I can use various strategies. In one case, I delivered a shipping container to an uncooperative tenant's garden and she'd changed her tune by lunchtime.

If you let people come for viewings you certainly don’t have to tidy up or do anything you wouldn’t normally do. I viewed a flat which had tenants with a baby living in it. They weren’t in at the time (the estate agent did the viewing) and the place was a bit of a tip. You don’t have to go out of your way to accommodate the owners. They could always wait until after you’ve moved out to market the property.

Really? Tell us more wintry

Will update you if/when I get a response today!

I think wintry is just being pointlessly idiotic so I'm not going to acknowledge any of the bull she's spouting.

If @Wintry really is a landlord then we desperately need regulations which prevent people like her from letting out properties.

UPDATE

So they have responded saying they won't release the deposit early as that's there to cover any damages which can't be assessed until after we've left.

They've said they will speak to our landlord re rent reduction but that they haven't included the reason of us enabling viewings as that's already 'covered in our tenancy agreement' I.e; it states we must allow access for viewings with 24 hours notice (which I know is not worth the paper it is written on)

Wintry, you sound like the type of lanlord tenants would hope to avoid!

Also your EA is using your deposit as ransom to ensure you rent from them again. Funny that they can process it quickly in order for you to rent another of their properties but not if you leave and rent elsewhere.
In your situation I would think about what you want to get from this, eg deposit back in full now in order for you to find another property and say until this is agreed there will be no more viewings

Sorry just read your update. Contract or not you can refuse viewings. I would advise you to get the advise of shelter and then quote them in your next correspondence, so your EA knows that you won’t be walked over

Half term, isn't it ?

Wintry your creative writings would be best utilised on your English GCSE paper. Hop to it.

OP, I think t might be worth speaking to Shelter because I would have thought you should be able to stay in the property for a year at least, unless it was let as a short term let?

What is the term on your tenancy agreement?

cause that 24 hour clause is bollocks. While you are paying rent it is your home and as others have said you are entitled to peaceful enjoyment of the property. You do not have to allow viewings despite what they say. They are relying on you to roll over and not question.

We (stupidly) allowed viewings. The way the LA / LL treated us even after we moved has contributed to a decline in my MH.

If I had my time again I would tell them to shove it and allow no viewings at all. Actually I would have stayed until the baliffs arrived and not put myself or family through 3 house moves this year.

Basically there is a 6 month 'break clause' and they are using that. So August is the 6 month point. I don't think they have broken any laws (yet!) but I'm just praying they will help us out in some way!!

I also find it a bit suspicious that they can process it for a new property through them, but not to just give us the money back??

I assume you want a reference from your LL?

Well a reference will be from the EA. We've never missed or been late with rent, the property is in better condition than when we moved in and we were more than polite with our request for the deposit back/rent reduction.

Bearing in mind also, that referencing is part of the application process for moving. If they give us a shit reference, the new EA would say no and they'd be stuck with us in this house. So it wouldn't do them any favours to be dicks about it!

If the estate agents are planning to play it that way, you're going to need to prepare to secure the house when you're out - because they're going to let themselves in.

I think if Wintry tried any of those stunts on me (both a renter and a landlord) they might find that criminal actions (like breaking and entering to remove furniture) result in legal repercussions.

I would also support a licensing scheme - just like you can be barred from being a pet owner or a company director, it should be realistically possible to have a person barred from being a landlord.

How much money have you paid in agency fees etc ?

It might be worth posting this in Legal as I think it's so unfair that you've paid fees and are now being checked out after 6 months. Is the break clause for both parties?

I remembered we paid around £500 in agency fees, credit checks etc.

What have you done to improve the property?

This all sounds so unfair. It's crazy that the LL benefits from this and you get screwed.