DD and locked room in rented house share

[gameofscrabble]

DD and four friends moving into second year uni house. When they went to view the house the landlord mentioned that he also offered the house to rent as a five bedroom if they were interested, as there is one box room with a single bed that he accepts much less rent on. DD and co said no because there was only four of them so accepted the house as a four bed arrangement. They didn’t see inside the room at the viewing as LL said they didn’t need to if they weren’t a group of 5.

Fast forward to moving in and the spare room door is still locked. LL reiterated what he’d said previously - that the girls had no need to see in there as they were a group of 4. I can completely understand this is probably because he doesn’t want them letting mates stay in the room all the time. But DD and friends have said they feel weird having no idea what’s in the room and they’d like to at least see inside.

Is the LL allowed to keep the door locked? 100% ready to be told that he is well within his rights to do so, we’re clueless when it comes to renting rules etc

strawberrisc Hmm she’s already faced her fair share of hardship, I think I can let her off for being a bit nosy about a room in her house

Loving the references. Maybe she’ll use this as inspiration to write a book

Thank you CuriousaboutSamphire

In a lot of cases that room room would be used by the landlord to store things and to prove that it’s not a bedroom for council tax purposes. I don’t see an issue with it.

I know someone who rents out an Airbnb with a locked room.

@gameofscrabble I don't think for one minute that being curious about a locked room means she doesn't know about the real world. If anything, I'd say it's great that she already has a sense of caution and scepticism!

When I was a student, we lived in a student house with a lot of free "pets" (mice and cockroaches). Complaining to the landlord never even crossed our minds, from Day 1 we were spending ££££ trying to get rid of them ourselves. Now I look back at it and think, what planet were we on?! Your daughter sounds much more clued up than my housemates and I were at the same age!

What can they see through the key hole? If it’s locked, there must be one?

Why not ask the landlord if they can see the room as they have another friend looking for accommodation and they’d like to see the room. Once they ascertain it’s nothing sinister then their “other friend” can simply decide it’s too small.

Dh is a landlord for students who rent entire property but each signs their own tendency agreement

He would also leave it locked in this situation

Are people not signing individual tenancy agreements? By signing together you put yourself in a much more dodgy situation if there’s damage or if someone refuses to pay! It makes you all liable for everything and not just the individual. One of Dah student tenants damaged his room badly causing £100s worth of damage and left 7 months into a 12 month tenancy - DH was able to take his parents to court for the full amount as they’d signed guarantor but the others were unaffected as it should be. If not on individual tenancy he could have met all their deposits and all would have bee n liable

@Sunshine1239 what would happen in that instance if there was damage to the common areas eg living space? Does the bill get split equally or pro rata according to the rent they pay? Just curious as a family member (not own DC) May be in that position shortly.

Maybe he keeps personal items in there and wants it locked.

Oh OP There isn't a spirit clock there is there ?

Only in a movie Spirit Trap, there was a locked room and all sorts went down . I jest of course but it reminded me of said movie.

@gameofscrabble it's not her house so she has no rights to know what's in there

@mamaraah and @gameofscrabble if it is a joint and several tenancy for the whole property (and it certainly sounds like it from descriptions of the contract) then they have the right to access the whole property and the landlord does not have the right to withhold access to one room unless that is explicitly stated in the contract.

Landlord is being reasonable!

If LL isn't charging for the room it means he can use it for storage which is more convenient than finding somewhere else to put his tins of paint,, etc. I think this is completely normal

Damage to the common areas would be split amongst all tennants as all liable for shared areas but individually responsible for room and year long payment

I’m dh property there is no pro rata as all rooms cost same

Reality is that damage would be minimal eg this years tennants just moved out and broke the brand new hob. Dh has ordered and had fitted a new one and the cost will be taken equally out of all their deposits

Why would anyone object to the landlord doing this? He/she could be using it to store spare furniture in or just, sensibly, keeping it locked in case someone was invited to "use it for a few days" and ends up staying months. They are renting a 4 bedroom house as there are 4 of them. Its a box room - how curious can they actually be to get one of their parents to pots on an internet forum for advice about it!

As for those commenting on them renting the "whole property", most well drawn up joint and several leases will specify the number of rooms ie "four bedrooms and all common areas including living room, kitchen, hallway". I repeat. They are renting 4 bedrooms and there is a clear reason for keeping the boxroom locked.

Holiday lets always seem to have a locked room which we always try to get into. Can they not use a selfie stick and take a photo of the window (assuming it's not on the ground floor)?

bellainthemiddle What a lovely thing to say, thank you so much As you said, it’s interesting that curiosity over a locked room = no hobbies, dramatic, knows nothing about life but oh well

QualCheckBot Oh DD didn’t ask me to post here, she messaged asking if LL was allowed to do this and I had no clue so thought I’d post here for info

I think the initial curiosity has passed now anyway!

I agree with pps if they are renting a room each, which is often the case with student accommodation, then there is no reason for them to have access to a room that none of them is paying rent for.

If however, they are renting the house as a whole then the landlord has no right to just shut off a room unless they agreed to this in their contract and they are paying marginally less than they would if they had access to all five bedrooms.

I let out a four bedroom house as a whole building. It is currently let to a couple with two children. I imagine the couple share the master bedroom and the children have a room each, which leave an empty bedroom.

They quite rightly, would be pretty miffed if I declared that they couldn't have access to one of the rooms and it was going to be kept permanently locked.

Someone needs to check their contract.

Make sure they are extremely diligent in checking for film and recording equipment in the rooms/bathrooms.

@gameofscrabble No, I don't get that either! I'd think it's healthy to have an imagination and sense of curiosity, but then maybe I'm also over dramatic and lacking in hobbies ;)

Oops I didn't notice the bit about them accepting the rental as a four bedroom.

Then yes, they have no right to have access to, or see what's in the fifth bedroom.

Need to work on my skim reading skills.

Dionne - I don't get how that would work... screwing the hinges off with a kitchen knife. Aren't the hinge screws on your typical internal door inaccessible when the door is locked shut?

Does the room have a window? Maybe they could get a ladder and have a look in through that.

At that age I'd have already picked the lock by now ;)