To not let landlord in?

[Tizzlebizzle]

We rent via an agency and in 11 months have had 4 "quarterly" inspections. We've also facilitated numerous non-essential workmen visits as well as the essential ones. Now we've been asked to let the owner pop round as he happens to be local. There seems to be no particular reason for the visit other than just to check up on us again. I got in at 8 and have spent 2 hours tidying because the kids are on holiday and it looks like a tornado passed through downstairs. We're not slovenly, we're professionals with a normal home but I feel like a student being kept tabs on and not able to relax in my own house.

Do I need to grant him access?

You are entitled to peaceful enjoyment of your property. Check your tenancy agreement - it may specify the circumstances a ll can request entry. And they should always give you 24 hours notice, but i do not think you have to let them in. Contact shelter for the proper facts. This is just me rambling off the top of my head.

Shelter

It looks like you have a responsibility to allow access for repairs. What is reasonable access for them checking the state of the property may vary. You certainly don’t have to grant them access just because they’re passing and want a nosy. But you should call or email the helpline tomorrow morning really, if it’s getting to a point where it’s stressing you out.

No absolutely not. Quarterly inspections are also ridiculous and you don’t have to agree to that either.

Have you ever met the owner before? If he is visiting relatives in the area perhaps rather than checking up on you - he wants to see that you are happy with the agents service as he is no doubt paying a reasonable sum in fees to them. I‘d be happier saying yes to the owner than non essential workmen - are they performing preventative measures of some sort, and the agent employs them for a day to view all properties on the books to pre-empt more costly emergencies from arising by looking for faults or issues in ‘their’ properties ? Do they accompany these tradespeople or are you expected to let them roam free, or worse still lose income to accommodate these visits? I would let the owner visit and be there to find out if he knows this is going on tbh.

Owner or workman can enter IN AN EMERGENCY TO CARRY OUT REPAIRS. Otherwise, one annual inspection is normal. You should allow the annual gas certificate safety check, it’s for your benefit. I would not allow any other visits. You have the right to refuse entry and the right, as mentioned, to quiet enjoyment.

I ask for the gas engineer to do the annual gas certificate check, that’s it.

Do communicate with your landlord and tell him you have rights, you do not agree to 4 checks per year, it’s well over the top.

This is the thing, it's like we can never have peaceful enjoyment because the agents are so annoying. They say we don't have to be there when the workmen come but they won't attend with them so we do only allow it when one of us is in as don't like the idea of a random person in my home when I'm not there.

Some of the work has been essential but most of it was cosmetic and we'd said we didn't want it doing but they insisted at the request of the landlord.

They are incompetent too. The plumber wouldn't sign off the gas safety so instead of fixing the issue they found one who would!!

Been in the same situation before. Unfortunately unlike a PP has said, if the quarterly inspections are included in your original contract then they are mandatory, honestly I spent hours trying to argue with my previous agency about this and how ridiculous it was.

You do however have the right to refuse entry to the landlord, even though it is his property it's not his home to just pop in when he feels like it. I'd email the agency and be polite but direct, that it won't be convenient for you him to attend your property and there is no need for him to do so and leave it at that, there's really not much they can do then as then they'll be in violation of your tenancy agreement.

I got my Letting Agent to check with my tenants to see if I could pop round when I was in the UK, to drop off a box of chocolates for them, and to put a face to the name, as I hadn't met them yet.

I have quarterly inspections written into the contract, but purely to check for structural issues and any problems. I couldn't care less if there are unwashed dishes in the sink, as I do that myself. I do want to know however if there are any issues with my house that can be nipped in the bud before they cause problems for the tenant or me. The sooner any problems are sorted, the better, and not all tenants are good at flagging things up.

Why do you care if the place is messy?

I'd let them because you don't want a landlord who is a complete pain in the arse and 'works to rule' do you? This swings both ways.

Thank god we sold our properties.

I'm a landlord who lives abroad and manages my places myself. Tenants speak with me as and when needed. I don't bother with an annual inspection because each place has to have an annual gas safety check or go through the whole HMO inspections, which are insane but better now I have one person do everything.

I'm not bothered by mess. I do worry about a home that isn't clean and I always want to see the exterior in a somewhat tidy state because of potential rodent problems. Mess means it's a home which is being used. Totally normal.

When I visit I'm looking for maintenance issues. You would be shocked at how many people don't report things. Drives me nuts.

I'm also a landlord who lives abroad but unlike the previous poster, I do use an agency.

HOWEVER, I suspected all was at it should not be so when I was visiting the UK I asked if the tenants would mind me popping around for a chat. A chat, not an inspection.

Well, the state of some of the upkeep was dreadful (not the tenants responsibility.....things like gardening etc which WE were paying for). Other things had been left neglected by the agents because the tenants didn't understand how to use things (a hot tub being one example). I went ballistic with the agent - they basically were happy to take my money and to leave me as looking like a bad landlord!!

joinus surely anyone cares if their home is messy when some e co.es round?

I also feel that as we are already accommodating the agent so much this feels like an extra inspection we could do without.

Finally, nothing is in our contract apart from the usual terms re access so the quartey inspections were something we only found out about after we'd signed.

Someone comes

I’d let him in this time for the sake of keeping peace but perhaps mention to him all the inspections you’ve been having. Maybe ask if he’d be willing to reduce the number to once a year?

I worked for a letting agent in the inspections department and we had LLs change the number of visits all the time. We had some who insisted on fortnightly visits (which we refused to do) and others that didn’t want any at all.

I would let them come on the basis that it replaces the next quarterly inspection due, but take the opportunity to discuss with the LL all your issues - inspections are invasive could they be 6 monthly instead. The fact that the boiler needs to be inspected again and repaired as it was completed in a fraudulent manner previously. The fact that unnecessary work is being done which is also invasive. Have it written down so you can check that you have covered the complaints. Advise that you will follow up by confirming all the point discussed in writing for his consideration and response.

I do inspections for agents and landlords and no, messy isn't a problem. It's 'lived in clutter' and you have every right to live in it! The extremely tidy homes get a much harder look as they sometimes cover up something the LL needs to know about - like the unauthorised dog!!!

Quarterly inspections aren't all that uncommon, it's your home but it is also the LLs investment and, like any house owner, he wants to be sure there are no small niggling things that could turn into bigger things. He isn't checking up on YOU he is checking up on the house. The first questions I ask are "Is there anything you would like the LL / LA to know? Any niggling things, ongoing issues you would like written in the report?"

As for no urgent repairs you can most definitely say no! And tell the agent that you do not give permission or grant access for anyone to enter the house to do them. You can report then to whichever scheme they belong to. LLs should do any and all cosmetic stuff after you have moved out, between tenancies, much as that bothers some of them!

I also do most inspections when the tenants are out, most of the workmen I see do the same. Agents hold keys to reduce the impact on tenants, though tenants do see it as intrusive, I don't think there is a happy medium, someone will always be put out.

And yes, I rented for most of my adult life, so I do know how it feels from both sides!

You don't have to let a landlord, their agent or workmen in regardless of what is written in the contract about inspections, repairs and viewings as your right of quiet enjoyment overrides their right of entry. It isn't a good idea to do this unless you have a good reason to e.g. workman threatens you, and if you refuse to allow them in in an emergency to do work they can get a court order to force entry.

In the case of an owner of a rental property managed by an estate/letting agent it is commonsense to let them in as lots of agents are simply shit. You can then have a chat with the owner about your issues with the agent e.g. doing cosmetic work that isn't needed, poor workmanship and show them some of the work they have (over)paid for. You can also ask the landlord for a direct mobile phone number in case you have an emergency like water leaking and the estate/letting agent is unresponsive.

this is why you should always change the licks when moving... yes it's legal as long as you put the barrel back when moving out.

quarterly inspections are unteasonable. max twice a year plus gas safe and repairs I have asked for/emergency repairs.
I would always be there for those. after all there is all my stuff lying around and I don't trust strangers not to nick or damage my valuables.

I hate our letting agents!! Honest to God I don't see the point of them.

They are appalling. We had quite a substantial leak coming from the bathroom and through the ceiling in the kitchen which I informed them of in August last year. It was finally fixed in May this year and only because I found the Llords address in the tenancy agreement and wrote a letter to them myself.

They continuously send emails to the wrong address or tell me they've tried to reach me by phone only to discover they've dialled my old number AGAIN. I correct them every time but it makes no difference.

I arrange everything through the landlord now. They come and sort repairs, they do the gardening, they even dropped off some good strength mould killer when we had problems with that. Honestly I don't know why on earth they are still paying the agents to just hand over rent to them every month (minus their fees for doing sweet FA of course).

And we have to pay £150 to them every year for their wonderful service and for 'renewing' our tenancy. Which is essentially printing off the old one and sending it to us.

I get that they need a key for emergencies etc but I'd rather be there when someone I don't know is in my home.

DH says we should let the landlord in so we don't look difficult. However most of the non-essential work was at the landlord's behest not the agency and 6 months ago we asked to go to biannual inspections and were told no as the landlord wanted to keep them monthly even though they could see we were treating it as well as we'd treat our own house.

quarterly inspections are unteasonable. max twice a year plus gas safe and repairs I have asked for/emergency repairs.

That sounds good, but isn't the law, or enforceable. Quarterly inspections are the frequency all landlords and associations say is the gold standard, it is what all landlord training schemes, ARLA etc, teach.

It's one of those areas where tenants and landlords always seem to come to loggerheads. Neither are wholly right,nor wholly wrong.

The landlord wanted to keep them monthly Monthly? Did you mean quarterly?

Sorry yes quarterly! Even I would put my foot down at monthly!!

I live in a rental and see my landlords once every couple of years. When we first moved in we had quarterly inspections until they got to know us. 9 years on they come for a coffee if they’re in the area.

I also rent a house out and we have a new tenant so it’s quarterly inspections for now.

I work in the industry & quarterly is excessive! If the LL is around I can see why they’ve asked as they won’t get to see the property often. We sometimes take a chance to see if we can get in, but understand if it’s a no. Majority of big firms will carry out 6 monthly inspections at the most.

You should never changed the locks if renting, Management keys are there in the event of an emergency, a good agent will always try to contact a resident before using i.e there’s a leak as they can get in trouble if they don’t.