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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel discriminated against a tenant?

56 replies

christina1988 · 25/07/2018 12:14

We rent a lovely flat in a nice apartment block and I'm not sure about the legal term but all the owners kind of own a share in the land it's built on (freehold?). There is a service charge and there is a committee of residents who meet and decide on the budget, make decisions about the aesthetics of the place and so on.

There was a notice put on the communal notice board that they are looking for new committee members and that interested parties should contact Mrs M. in flat 10.

I went to her to express my interest and got a really snooty reply that the "commitee is not for tenants, but only for owners", and she then went on to say that she became an outright owner before she was 30, her husband is a doctor, blah blah blah.... and even something along the lines of 'I'm my opinion, only those who own land should be allowed to vote [in general elections!] because they have nothing to lose'. She said that tenants are transitory in nature and asked 'how can one truly be proud of something that isn't theirs?' and that it would not make sense to have tenants on the committee as they'll 'probably have done a moonlight flit within six months'.

I feel absolutely belittled, as though I don't belong in my own home and that I'm not an owner occupier but someone younger than me is... :( I actually had a lie down and a little cry after this morning's exchange.

OP posts:
pinkyredrose · 25/07/2018 12:16

She was a total bitch but you can't be on the freehold as a tenant, it's for the owners of the property only.

Original poster
christina1988 · 25/07/2018 12:18

Sorry it was: "only those who own land should be allowed to vote [in elections], because those who don't have nothing to lose"

OP posts:
dinosaurkisses · 25/07/2018 12:20

I’m not sure on the legalities of the committee issue, but I just want to point of that her comments were not the words of a normal, polite person.

Honestly, she might own a flat (or her mortgage lender does...) but she sounds batshit. I would thank my lucky stars that as a tenant you have the freedom to up sticks and leave rather than be stuck living next to someone with absolutely zero social grace!

mimibunz · 25/07/2018 12:22

She was completely out of line!! I'm so sorry OP. She's a wretched creature.

pinkdelight · 25/07/2018 12:22

Does she mean vote in elections on the committee? That might make sense but if she has some wider fixation with only landowners having rights then she seems pretty bonkers. She's right about the committee being for the owners, but she didn't have to be so rude about it.

RiddleyW · 25/07/2018 12:25

She's utterly insane but right on the committee probably. I used to live in a flat where we owned the lease on our flat and then a share of the freehold.

Shampooeeee · 25/07/2018 12:25

She was a knob but it’s right that tennants don’t get to vote in committee meetings. Those voting should be in for the long haul, tennants tend to change too frequently.

BlueBug45 · 25/07/2018 12:26

OP she is right that committees like that are for owners who have a share of the freehold but all she needs to do is say that. Who gives a fuck how she has come to own her flat?

Oh and if she is on the committee you really don't want to be on it, plus it explains why they are struggling to get members.

Jazzie234 · 25/07/2018 12:28

The comments she made were elitist, cruel and unnecessary, but she's right about the fact that the committee is only for owners, not tenants.

Lifeisabeach09 · 25/07/2018 12:29

She belongs in the 1800s.
Her husband is a doctor but what has she accomplished?!
She's a snob!

aintnothinbutagstring · 25/07/2018 12:30

I have been a tenant in a flat and now we own a flat, just so you can see I've been both sides.

She was a cow, its neither here nor there whether she bought before 30 or the occupation of her husband, good for her. But since it is your landlord that owns the property and guessing pays and communicates with the buildings maintenance company (not sure how this is done if freehold), but it is he/she that should be on the committee, not you as they have a vested interest in the property.

I know that tenants care about their homes and the building, we did about our rented flat. But if something goes wrong, you speak to your landlord, you don't have to deal with the buildings maintenance yourself. For example, if theres an issue with the communal bins not being emptied, the tenants in our block will not do anything, they'll just keep adding to the problem. Its usually left to the owners to contact the maintenance and have a private company collect the excess waste. So I see where she's coming from to an extent.

I wouldn't take it personally, be glad that you don't have to be responsible for what goes on with the building, thats one of the perks of renting and one of the headaches of ownership!

RoboticSealpup · 25/07/2018 12:31

She was extremely rude and mean to you, but you should feel sorry for her. She must be extremely insecure to say those things. Seriously, who cares what her husband's job is?

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 25/07/2018 12:32

While her comments were rude and unacceptable, she is right in that tenants shouldn’t be on the committee for the simple reason that they are not permanent.

araiwa · 25/07/2018 12:32

Shes right.

As a tenant, why on earth would you think you can be part of the owners committee?

Original poster
christina1988 · 25/07/2018 12:43

Yes I see your point I just wanted to help because it's a lovely flat, but she was so nasty.

OP posts:
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 25/07/2018 12:48

shes a bitch but no you shouldnt be able to vote on how money you arent directly liable for is allocated against. She though be grateful the building has caring tenants like you.
If she mentions she became a home owner before 30 just respond with "yes homes were sooo much cheaper then"

Lazypuppy · 25/07/2018 12:49

She was nasty, but yes only owners will be able to get involved

ConciseandNice · 25/07/2018 12:49

Her attitude was incredibly snotty and unpleasant and even saying her husband’s occupation marks her out as being utterly classless and tacky. Nobody with any decency does this. What has she achieved? If I were you I would ask your landlord (as leaseholder- it’ll be a leasehold if it is a flat on shared ground, for instance a 99 year leasehold) to make you a proxy for them so that you can be on the committee and have voting rights. There will be possibility to do this and something in the bye-laws. I’m sorry that she was so abysmal. Don’t let her get to you. She is obviously a person of small brain and smaller personality.

Original poster
christina1988 · 25/07/2018 12:53

in terms of what she's achieved she's a housewife even though they don't have any children!! And she has a cleaning lady twice a week (she pays the woman who cleans the communal stairs and landings to do her flat) so I'm not exactly sure what she has done or what she does!! :D

OP posts:
ConciseandNice · 25/07/2018 12:55

Hah! People who are housewives with nothing to do are the best. I’m thinking she must be quite insecure and unfulfilled.

specialsubject · 25/07/2018 12:55

she actually belongs before 1928 when women who had no property could not vote. That restriction was lifted in 1918 for men, which is why it has gone quiet on the centenary of women's suffrage celebrations.

doesn't solve your problem but you could tell her to go build a time machine.

araiwa · 25/07/2018 13:00

As neither a tenant or owner in your building, i am being discriminated against as i cant be on the owners committee either Angry

Poloshot · 25/07/2018 13:15

She didn't put it very well but I do agree with her

ChoccoBiccy66 · 25/07/2018 13:18

My mum told me there was no point in us buying nice things for our house because as we’re only renting, it’s not actually our home.

HolyPieter · 25/07/2018 13:25

She was a little rude but YABU.

You may well be living somewhere else in a couple of months.