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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not let landlord in?

45 replies

Tizzlebizzle · 14/08/2018 23:33

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?

OP posts:

CuriousaboutSamphire · 15/08/2018 08:32

I work in the industry & quarterly is excessive! And you will know that it is what is taught by ARLA as the standard inspection frequency!

I work for large firms and one man bands, they all carry out inspections at the behest of the LL. So if an agent wants biannual and the LL wants quarterly then the LL should get their way!

Forgottencoffee · 15/08/2018 08:33

I’d ask again about changing the frequency but ask the LL directly. From experience, your LL probably didn’t even know about the request. Or if they did, once they’ve seen the house for themselves they may be willing to renegotiate.

CSIblonde · 15/08/2018 08:33

Quarterly checks are usual & legal. (my landlord never bothers tho'). Visits for no reason by Landlord are not legal. You have a legal right to 'quiet enjoyment' of your home. I'd quote this right & refuse if it's pure noseyness & not repairs related. Otherwise, you've set a precedent for more un necessary visits.

Mummyoflittledragon · 15/08/2018 08:34

I’m a ll. this ll sounds unprofessional and anal. They should have got the non essential work done prior to you moving in. You’re basically paying him rent to do this. . Dh and I had this problem when we lived abroad assuming lls would respect us. Lesson learned.

Tbh I’d let them in. I have 6 monthly inspections with my properties. The issue is some tenants do not flag up a situation with a property until a property inspection so either damage can occur or they can live with something awkward or inconvenient for several months. In both case, I would have resolved the situation had I been aware.

I’d take the opportunity to try to put his mind at ease that you love the house, are taking care of it and get switched to 6 monthly. I’d also make clear that 5 visits in 11 months plus all of the work is too much. If you’ve always paid your rent on time and the house looks cleanish and in good order you should be a tenant they want to hold on to.

CSIblonde · 15/08/2018 08:46

Mangoo
I got round massive fee for 'new' yearly contract by telling them I was fine just going to rolling month to month shorthold tenancy which kicks in if you don't do a new set length one. Still here 2yrs later. I knew the cost of ready printed forms is pennies & take 5mins to 'process' (job in Lettings years ago).

Snoopychildminder · 15/08/2018 08:49

I’ve got to say I am almost jealous of your situation OP- we rent our property and the agency are beyond useless. It’s actually offensive how little they care about arranging maintenance, especially when you consider how much rent we pay

Thishatisnotmine · 15/08/2018 09:14

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

@tizzlebizzle
That is not incompenent, that is illegal. A Gas Safe registered engineer should not be signing off someone elses work. You need to raise this with your landlord you have no have idea whether the gas work is safe. With dc do not take this risk.

WindyWednesday · 15/08/2018 09:22

It’s a difficult one.

I’m a landlord and frequently find out the agent is doing inspections and not reporting faults to me.

I’d like to visit and ask the tennant if they are happy with the agent, if they are being treated properly. Also do a check myself for repairs. I find the repair list is lengthy at the end of a tenancy and would prefer to fix the issues as they crop up. Also because an annoying repair that isn’t fixed isn’t nice for the tenant to live with, but if I don’t know I can’t repair it.

MoreProsecco · 15/08/2018 09:32

I'm a LL & was a long-term renter, so I see both sides.

Our previous LL lived abroad & requested to see the house on a trip home - no problems there for us.

And the letting agency I use do quarterly inspections of the property I rent out - mainly as the tenants aren't keeping the place clean & it's now damaging the fabric of the flat (mould, filthy bathroom/cooker etc) so I am considering serving them not is.

As a self-managing LL in the past, there were loads of issues at the end of a long tenancy when I had reduced back the inspections - the tenants damaged things or didn't bother reporting.

Want2bSupermum · 15/08/2018 12:39

Quarterly inspections are ridiculous though OP. Also don't assume the LL is behind the unnecessary work done to your home. Agents play LLs and tenants off each other all the time. They also make a massive fee when they bring in people to do work.

MirandaWest · 15/08/2018 12:47

When I rented through a letting agency, when I got a letter through to tell me when the next inspection was, I would be told how I had to present the house to its best advantage (or something very similar) and it definitely did have to be at showhome standard. And the one time I wasn’t there when they did the inspection they looked inside my cupboards because they then sent a letter saying the inside of them wasn’t acceptable.
So some letting agents treat inspections in different ways and quarterly inspections like that would have finished me off.

Tomatoesrock · 15/08/2018 12:50

Quarterly is excessive. I can understand wanting to check your property is in good hands, though at the same time it is the tenants home. I would be uncomfortable with this many visits. DSIS rents property's she visits once a year, she put a mark on one homes windows 2.5 years ago and they have never been washed although they got new blinds when they moved I would allow this time if it has been awhile otherwise refuse today and have him reschedule a time and date that suites you. Preferably not holidays my home is usually clean and looks like a volcano exploded lately with DC off.

Tomatoesrock · 15/08/2018 12:51

If already 4, definitely refuse. Sorry I have dyslexia and always miss parts of OP.

Ignoramusgiganticus · 15/08/2018 13:44

You might find that once the LL has met you and has reassured himself that you are decent tenants, that he might get the agency to back off. We certainly have reduced inspections once we'd ascertained that our tenants were looking after the place. In fact we don't do them at all now as we are confident that our tenant will tell us whenever there is an issue that needs addressing.

The agency sounds crap. Maybe they are telling him some of these cosmetic things are essential. The LL certainly needs to know that they got a gas engineer to sign off something that another one wouldn't. That's decidedly dodgy.

Original poster

Tizzlebizzle · 15/08/2018 20:13

Thanks everyone. I think my irritation with the agency is colouring my judgement so I will let the landlord come round. Like a PP said he might want our view on the agency if he feels they are ripping him off. It will be a good chance to tell him about the gas safety as I imagine he might be liable if something did go wrong?

Someone mentioned extortionate charges for renewing a tenancy. We decided we didn't want to renew as they could only offer us 6 months further so asked to go to a rolling contract while we look for somewhere else. This will kick in from September but the agency still wrote to us asking for £65 renewal fee!!! We haven't paid it as what are they charging for? The contract is just becoming periodic- they haven't even had to print a new one!!!

OP posts:

Mummyoflittledragon · 15/08/2018 20:31

The ll is also often charged a renewal fee. It depends how it works and may take it from both. It is normal to charge to go onto periodic unfortunately. When I have long term tenants I always put them on periodic unless they insist not to save future renewal fees.

Is your gas safety certificate now sorted? I would try and negotiate not paying that renewal charge for the inconvenience of not having legally required certification.

Nomorechickens · 15/08/2018 20:45

I would be worried about your gas safety. Ask the landlord to get it checked again. Check that the person that signed the certificate is on the Gas Safe Register.

Ignoramusgiganticus · 16/08/2018 01:34

Maybe you can negotiate a longer tenancy directly with the ll. He might not mind. It might have just been the agency stipulating no more than 6 months as they want the repeated renewal fees.

esk1mo · 16/08/2018 01:51

the landlord chose to rent out his house - why does he want to pop in just because he’s passing by?! its your home, not his.

i had a landlord like this previously. he lived round the corner and apparenty just HAD to cycle past our ground floor flat every day to work. we’d get random emails all the time about things he had spotted when passing by. we ended up just keeping to blinds shut permenantly.

i moved 5-10 mins walk away and whenever i walk past i notice the new tenants always have the blinds shut...

CSIblonde · 16/08/2018 01:53

MirandaWest
Going in cupboards! Not on. I'm always there if I get inspections & they are in & out in 5mins, never inside cupboards etc. In 20years renting never had an agent do that or list show home reqs. (but I'm told I'm bit scary when in 'profeshnial' situations & mostly they're 12, so maybe they don't dare). That's taking the mick: I'd move. Current LL hasn't checked in 2years but saw all 3flats internal pics & did 1 initial visit when he bought them.

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