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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Frustrated with tenants?

462 replies

thankunextex · 25/03/2019 10:13

I’m trying to view a house and the tenants have refused to let me view it both times. Appointments been booked in advance and then they say it’s not a good time an hour before.

I get it if you don’t want to actually leave the property (not sure if that’s the situation or not) but I’m just being messed around now.

OP posts:
mum23cs · 26/03/2019 17:38

My tenants contract states they have to allow entry for viewings once the notice period has started. Majority of standard contracts between landlord/agent and tenant have this. Chances are they are trying to delay the sale which may cause problems for you further down the line. Feel sorry for the landlord, it's annoying when tenants are intentionally awkward!

bubblegumunicorn · 26/03/2019 17:41

I applaud the estate agents I lived in a flat that caused serious health conditions that are still ongoing and I said i didnt feel up to the viewing and they barged in anyway! 🤦‍♀️🙈

ILoveMaxiBondi · 26/03/2019 17:42

My tenants contract states they have to allow entry for viewings once the notice period has started.

That’s a bit of a chocolate teapot really. Waste of time having it written in when it’s unenforceable. They don’t have to allow entry for viewings at all.

mum23cs · 26/03/2019 17:44

Chocolate tea pot? So glad you know what your talking about.. hahaha

ILoveMaxiBondi · 26/03/2019 17:46

Yes. It means it’s useless. Because it is unenforceable. As a landlord you should know this.

mum23cs · 26/03/2019 17:48

Where did you study law? ..

ILoveMaxiBondi · 26/03/2019 17:53

Grin it’s actually pretty well known by anyone who is bothered enough to find out. (Landlords should occupy that group)

londonrach · 26/03/2019 17:54

@mum23. Doesnt matter whats written in the contract legally the tenant does not have to allow access ever for a viewing. End of story. Luckily most tenants now know this. They have a right to quiet enjoyment in their home which overules any contract containing this illegal part. So yes as useless as a chocolate tea pot

CalmDownPacino · 26/03/2019 17:55

Another landlord who thinks meaningless clauses in tendencies can override law. Worrying.

pennwood · 26/03/2019 18:04

The current owner/landlord only has to give the tenant 24 hours notice of entering the property with his keys if they keep refusing to allow viewings. They should have a lease that states that. The Estate Agent & LL needs to be informed as nobody would want to purchase a property without viewing.

ruby69 · 26/03/2019 18:04

If you want to buy to live there then only complete the purchase when these tenants have gone. If it’s to rent then even if these tenants are proven to have always paid their rent on time then still don’t buy it on the assumption that they will continue to do so.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 26/03/2019 18:05

-Apply to authorised body to become a landlord
-Undertake appropriate training/course to learn legalities about being a LL, what you can and can’t do/put in a contract/responsibilities
-Have your property inspected for fitness including all relevant certificates.
-be approved to be a landlord
-register on official scheme that provides updates on changes to laws and business relevant information
-have property annually inspected.

That’s what I think needs to happen.

SunnyInGrimsby · 26/03/2019 18:05

The law favours tenants over landlords; any landlord who has endured tenants who won't leave, won't pay or wreck the place must endure months of hell and loss of income.

Often it just isn't worth it and the result is that many small, very fair and hard working landlords are selling up.

This means less stock for tenants to choose from and higher rents.

I do understand that some landlords are terrible but there are equally some awful tenants about.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 26/03/2019 18:05

The current owner/landlord only has to give the tenant 24 hours notice of entering the property with his keys if they keep refusing to allow viewings. They should have a lease that states that.

Grin

Nope.

lyralalala · 26/03/2019 18:12

My tenants contract states they have to allow entry for viewings once the notice period has started. Majority of standard contracts between landlord/agent and tenant have this. Chances are they are trying to delay the sale which may cause problems for you further down the line. Feel sorry for the landlord, it's annoying when tenants are intentionally awkward!

The current owner/landlord only has to give the tenant 24 hours notice of entering the property with his keys if they keep refusing to allow viewings. They should have a lease that states that.

The 24 hour entrance is for emergency repairs only.

For anything else that clause is no more enforcable than one that says the tenant must make the LL dinner every Tuesday night.

You can write anything into a contract, but only legally enforcable things are worth the paper they are written on.

mum23cs · 26/03/2019 18:12

@ilovemaxibondi ..tenants have had 'compensation' reductions for breach of contract with regards to refusal of reasonable entry (especially when they signed a contract with those terms) from the UK deposit schemes.

JessicaWakefieldSVH · 26/03/2019 18:14

The law favours tenants over landlords

That’s a very sweeping statement and is not true. There are many many disadvantages for tenants, only recently have laws come into place to protect tenants who have enforced repairs from revenge evictions, for instance. Of course there should be laws to protect tenants! They’re not designed to favour any one side, but to protect both and avoid as much as possible, any issues or confusions regarding tenancy for either party. Like there are consumer laws to make things fair too. Deposits are a safety net for landlords, as is landlords insurance.

lyralalala · 26/03/2019 18:19

England needs to follow Scotland with regard to registration. To be a LL in Scotland you have to be a "fit and proper" person.

Your local authority then checks to ensure you are a suitable person to let property. To establish that you are “fit and proper”, it takes account of any evidence that you have:

• Committed some serious offences (including fraud, dishonesty, violence, drugs, firearms and sexual)
• Practiced unlawful discrimination in connection to any business
• Contravened any law relating to housing, or landlord and tenant law, and your actions (or your failure to act) in relation to any antisocial behaviour affecting a property you already let.

These checks are designed to remove bad landlords from the private letting system.

There's then a legal obligation on the standard of the property and the fittings. The council can get involved if you don't keep up the safety standards and registrations can be lost.

I also think there should a simple booklet produced that outlines the basics of renting. Rights, myths busted (that 24 hour one would be a good start) and where tenants and LL's can turn in problems. I think it should then be a legal requirement to give that out with a lease. That way there is no excuse for a LL and tenant not to read it and have a bit of knowledge

HeyPesto55 · 26/03/2019 18:20

Another landlord bashing thread Hmm There are good ones out there, you know. But on mumsnet, you always have to be a full time landlord to pass the test. Otherwise you are grabby and/or naive.
And in my 15 year renting experience, there was absolutely no correlation between landlord 'status' and quality?

ILoveMaxiBondi · 26/03/2019 18:20

tenants have had 'compensation' reductions for breach of contract with regards to refusal of reasonable entry (especially when they signed a contract with those terms) from the UK deposit schemes.

Really? Can you link to your source? Deposit is to pay for damage caused by the tenant that hasn’t been put right when the leave. It isn’t for “compensation”. Deposit schemes don’t make judgements on refusal of reasonable entry. They require proof of damage done and that it wasn’t damaged before tenant took possession. Then make a judgment on cost to repair.

EL8888 · 26/03/2019 18:21

They may well be peeved but that’s just one of those things. I would tread carefully if l was you! The first property l bought had tenants in it and were unhappy about the sale. They moved out once it was sold to us but were sly by keeping a set of keys and kept on letting themselves in. My then fiancé wouldn’t allow me to call the police unfortunately

ChocOrCheese · 26/03/2019 18:26

If tenants won't play ball there is little the landlord can do and nothing the estate agents can do. Wait until they've vacated or look elsewhere.

icanbewhatiwant · 26/03/2019 18:33

Gosh I’m shocked at people saying the EA’s have just let themselves in to rented properties unannounced. Really? I’m a landlady (I lost my father 18 years ago, so invested in a property to rent out)
I have a key to my property. I would never use it, even if they were on holiday. It’s intrusive. Why would you do that? Ok maybe in some extreme circumstances, but just to view it 😳

caringcarer · 26/03/2019 18:39

I bought a house with tenants in situ. They did not want to let me look around. I won them around by promising much needed maintenance work, new windows and front door, a fridge freezer as they only had a fridge before. They stayed 3 years and left on good terms. Check how long they have left on lease.

HarrysOwl · 26/03/2019 18:43

The tenants in the OP's example have behaved unreasonably.

They haven't simply refused access, they agree to a time/date allowing OP to organise the time/date/travel and then they cancel last minute.

That's just being immature and cuntish.