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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would a fussy landlord put you off renting somewhere?

118 replies

mondaze10 · 02/10/2018 08:52

I'm in love with a house and we're currently waiting for the landlord to 'approve' us. It's a one off house that most people wouldn't ever get a chance to live in, it's absolutely stunning and I feel lucky to even be able to 'apply' so to speak.

Anyway, the landlords are very particular and I don't know if it's worth it...

They vet who can live there (standard procedure but turn down a lot of people like they turned down a family that they thought the children would be too 'playful' with footballs etc). They live up the lane behind the house so not far from the back garden. The agent has hinted that it's all very community so it seems as though they wouldn't be your normal 'silent' landlords but ones that would very much want to know you, and they'd have to drive past the house everytime they left their own house.

Would that put you off?

OP posts:
Lovethetimeyouhave · 02/10/2018 08:53

Just them being so close would put me off, only because l like privacy and would feel they're watching every minute

BoomBoomsCousin · 02/10/2018 08:53

It would be in the negative column, but not a deal breaker on its own.. any chance of talking to previous tenants?

dustarr73 · 02/10/2018 08:53

Yes.You just know they are going to be annoying.In and out of the house checking up on you.
Too much hassle and stress.Avoid it

Pringlemunchers · 02/10/2018 08:54

Yes it would me . Definitely.

Pringlemunchers · 02/10/2018 08:54

I would feel like they are too emotionally invested and would be judging my every move.

Alaaya · 02/10/2018 08:55

Yes. I've had landlords like that before and they can be very difficult.

Gardai · 02/10/2018 08:55

That would scare the shit out of me tbh

It’s a question of whether they are the type of people that can’t ‘let go’ of the rented property and will be nosey and interfering. It depends upon how much you value your privacy and autonomy.

BeUpStanding · 02/10/2018 08:56

Yes it would really put me off

covetingthepreciousthings · 02/10/2018 09:00

I'm more interested in what this 'one off' house looks like!

I think it would put me off to be honest, sounds like they'd be checking up a lot.. or at least walking / driving past having a nosy.

BewarePregnancyHormones · 02/10/2018 09:02

Yes. I am a VERY private person though.
Our landlords are actually people we would call friends and we knew before we moved in here but they still don't infringe on our privacy.

Original poster
mondaze10 · 02/10/2018 09:03

That was what I thought but there is nothing even close to as nice on the market at the moment and we can't buy for another year or two!

Coveting - it's a Georgian detached house with an outhouse and lovely gardens etc! Massive bedrooms just one that wouldn't come up for rent or sale very often!

OP posts:
LeftRightCentre · 02/10/2018 09:04

YES! Landlords like this usually see the entire business transaction as their doing you a favour by deigning to allow you to pay them market rent to live in their property. They don't see it as your home that you're paying money to hire out, but you as a sort of tiresome burden they have to put up with in their house. It doesn't go well.

SelinaMyers · 02/10/2018 09:05

Will you ever feel at home? I’ve just left a place with very fussy landlords and I never felt truly relaxed and that was after 2 and a half years.

ShirleyPhallus · 02/10/2018 09:05

The only thing that I would do to avoid is to make sure the contract is water tight with regards to the number of times they can visit

Also make sure you have a very thorough inventory process and in the likely event they try and rip off your deposit don’t be afraid to go through third party dispute resolution

PoshPenny · 02/10/2018 09:08

Can you find out how long the previous tenants lasted there? It wouldn't be my choice though. You get similar set ups very often with horse livery and it can be a total nightmare however clean and tidy you might be if the owner turns out to be way over on the OCD spectrum...

Tinklewinkle · 02/10/2018 09:10

Yes, it would massively put me off

Years ago DH and I rented a house with overly involved landlords who lived very close.

They’d constantly pick and moan about everything - from whether we took the bins in quickly enough for their liking on bin day to whether we opened the curtains at a ‘reasonable time’

It was only the 2 of us and we worked full time so not at home much but if we ever dared to have friends round they’d moan about ‘strangers’ in their house, if they saw a car on the drive they didn’t recognise they’d want to know who it was, they’d manufacture excuses to come round and check up on us and would complain if the house wasn’t up to their show home standards - stuff like a couple of plates and mugs left to dry on the draining board.

Never again, lovely house but we moved out as soon as the contract was up. I don’t think anyone has lasted more than a year, even now I see it up for rent every year or so

Harleyisme · 02/10/2018 09:14

We had a similar problem a few years back we rented a mid terrace house landlord didn't live near but his uncle lived a few doors down and hia brother across the road. His uncle would make comments like gosh you have your heating on alot or you are always up early. Now if he was my neighbour i would get it but he wasn't he was afew doors away we moved veru quickly and wouldn't rent from a fussy landlord again.

AssignedNorthernAtBirth · 02/10/2018 09:17

Yes, unless the property was a particularly good gig. You can ensure contracts are strict about visits, do inventories etc, and should do if you take the place, but that doesn't mean they can't manage to be a nuisance.

megcustard · 02/10/2018 09:18

Yes it would put me off.

You would constantly feel on edge.

MrsReacher1 · 02/10/2018 09:19

I agree with everything others have said -but we rented for a year from a landlord like that and it gave us the chance to live in the most fabulous house in a really prestigious and beautiful location - and it was worth it.

I'll never live anywhere like that again - and it was utterly marvellous!

If the Landlords are nice and the community is a good one it could be a plus.

missbattenburg · 02/10/2018 09:19

I lived in a similar set up. I rented a cottage in the large, open rounds of a much bigger house - my landlords lived in the house.

They vetted me over a cup of coffee and I later learned they had specifically ruled out families etc because they bought their house for peace and quiet and so wanted a tenant who would fit in with that.

They did tend to know what was going on - e.g. if I was away they would sort the bins for me and if I had visitors they would spot a strange car on my driveway etc. They would not call by unannounced but it was quite usual for them to let themselves in (with prior agreement) to sort out a problem while I was at work.

I am a really private person and so thought I would hate it but I stayed there for five years and it was, by far, the most lovely place I ever lived. I'd be there now but I wanted to buy my own place.

I found them to be a lovely couple and we remained friendly long after I moved out. I tried to stay relaxed about the 'nosiness' because as someone who lived alone it wasn't such a terrible thing to have someone nearby keeping a lookout for trouble. Also, they loved long holidays so there was often several weeks of the year when they were away and I would walk around the grounds to check all was well (requested by them) and pretend I was lady of the manor Grin

LeftRightCentre · 02/10/2018 09:22

They vet who can live there (standard procedure but turn down a lot of people like they turned down a family that they thought the children would be too 'playful' with footballs etc).

Unless your kids are total introverted teens who hang out with their mates they're not looking for a family that lives a normal sort of life.

Minnie881 · 02/10/2018 09:23

We used to live in a rented house where the landlady owned the entire cul de sac and lived in one of the cottages. To be honest it didn't put us off, I loved our chats and talks about the shared garden etc. It depends what kind of person you are, if you are happy to be friendly and be a 'community' person then I'd say go for it. If you are someone who doesn't enjoy speaking to neighbours/ stopping for a hello every now and then, then it's probably not for you..

On an aside would it be worth going for something less unique/popular that I assume would be cheaper? (In order to buy sooner?)

MrsLettuce · 02/10/2018 09:24

I would also be put off. The combination of fussiness, being so close and the agents thinly vieled warning about the sort of landlords they are. No. No chance.

SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace · 02/10/2018 09:26

This sounds like the plot of the book 'The girl before' by JP Delaney. Run for the wind!

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