Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To refuse viewings during tenancy

295 replies

Folle · 30/10/2019 15:36

I gave a month's notice to end the current tenancy. I just received an email from the estate agent saying 'I have booked a viewing for 6pm tomorrow - will you be there to facilitate access or should we bring keys?"
This is a hugely stressful time for me and I simply cannot deal with strangers traipsing through the house.
Can I refuse to have viewings during the rest of my tenancy?

OP posts:
Cherrysoup · 30/10/2019 20:05

My friend had an estate agent visit for inspection while she was out and found a camera fitted in her bedroom the next day.

That’s horrific!! 😱 I’d hope my tenants would be co-operative, but by law, I can’t go in unless for emergency repairs and I certainly wouldn’t push it. I hope the agent buggers off with the quoting of the against the law tenancy agreement. If the OP allows viewings that are convenient to her, fine. Otherwise, it’s tough.

thecatneuterer · 30/10/2019 20:07

Yes, it is the norm to allow viewings.No it isn’t. (Wonders how many times this will go round grin )

Well in my 30 odd years of being an LL and having had literally hundreds of tenants, only two have not allowed viewings. This is only one person's experience, granted, but it's utterly normal in my world (or maybe I just have a knack of choosing nice, reasonable tenants).

JacquesHammer · 30/10/2019 20:11

and neither is the landlord knowing their right a bad landlord 🤷

Except the landlord doesn’t have the right to enforce viewings, that’s the point

BoneyBackJefferson · 30/10/2019 20:15

Newbie1981
You expect the landlord to have the house sitting empty?

I would expect the LL to want to repair, clean and decorate the property before the next tenant moves in.

But I know of far too many LLs that take money from the deposit and expect the new tenant to deal with the crap.

IWorkAtTheCheescakeFactory · 30/10/2019 20:18

As a viewer it’s far better to see the property when it’s vacant. You can see the state of walls/doors/floors/windows/storage cupboards/kitchen units etc without pulling furniture out, you can check the heating, the water/electrics etc. It’s far easier to spot any damage that would need to be repaired before you moved in.

scittlescatter · 30/10/2019 20:21

iWork I wonder if you live in an area where the rental market is slow, and therefore landlords struggle to fill properties, therefore having a gap. I live in London and there is a huge demand for rental properties. It is the norm for many people, your experiences do not change that. Regardless, refusing all access is a shitty thing to do.

Itsarainyday555 · 30/10/2019 20:22

OP, if @IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory and others can't support their advice with external links I would treat their advice with extreme caution

Quaffy · 30/10/2019 20:26

Except the landlord doesn’t have the right to enforce viewings, that’s the point

They have the right to write an honest reference which mentions the tenant did not allow reasonable viewings

Itsarainyday555 · 30/10/2019 20:31

@JaquesHammer "Except the landlord doesn’t have the right to enforce viewings, that’s the point" except when it's in the contract,right...

JacquesHammer · 30/10/2019 20:31

They have the right to write an honest reference which mentions the tenant did not allow reasonable viewings

I wouldn’t see that as a negative! Merely a tenant knowing their rights.

IWorkAtTheCheescakeFactory · 30/10/2019 20:32

Regardless, refusing all access is a shitty thing to do.

It’s really not. Its perfectly reasonable.

ThatMuppetShow · 30/10/2019 20:32

As a viewer it’s far better to see the property when it’s vacant.

that's debatable. It's easy to hide problems with a quick lick of paint, you've sometimes got a better idea when it's lived-in.

JacquesHammer · 30/10/2019 20:33

except when it's in the contract,right

This has been covered. Whatever is in the contract doesn’t negate the law. Clauses that do so are not legally enforceable.

ThatMuppetShow · 30/10/2019 20:34

They have the right to write an honest reference which mentions the tenant did not allow reasonable viewings

I wouldn’t see that as a negative! Merely a tenant knowing their rights.

Of course it's a negative, so I wouldn't be able to write a positive reference - or I wouldn't be honest.

Cant' have it both ways!

IWorkAtTheCheescakeFactory · 30/10/2019 20:35

Whatever is in the contract doesn’t negate the law. Clauses that do so are not legally enforceable.

Rainy chooses not to believe this.

It's easy to hide problems with a quick lick of paint, you've sometimes got a better idea when it's lived-in.

How so? Everything is covered by furniture and belongings.

StCharlotte · 30/10/2019 20:38

As a viewer it’s far better to see the property when it’s vacant. You can see the state of walls/doors/floors/windows/storage cupboards/kitchen units etc without pulling furniture out, you can check the heating, the water/electrics etc. It’s far easier to spot any damage that would need to be repaired before you moved in.

That's very true. But in my experience (and I have LOTS Halloween Angry) of viewing flats and houses, empty rooms often look smaller which can be offputting.

JacquesHammer · 30/10/2019 20:39

Of course it's a negative, so I wouldn't be able to write a positive reference - or I wouldn't be honest

You did of course see the bit where I said I wouldn’t see it as a negative.

BigChocFrenzy · 30/10/2019 20:39

No need to allow viewings and imo an LL is a CF to expect / demand them.
At most a very polite request, with rent reduction for the inconvenience and an offer to pay for a professional to tidy & clean
and accept any refusal with good grace.

I've never seen why I should ask my tennts to donate their some of their limited leisure time & work - staying in and extra tidying & cleaning up - for free

I wasn't doing them a favour by letting them live in my flats - they paid me rent to do so

JacquesHammer · 30/10/2019 20:41

I've never seen why I should ask my tennts to donate their some of their limited leisure time & work - staying in and extra tidying & cleaning up - for free

I wasn't doing them a favour by letting them live in my flats - they paid me rent to do so

Agree totally with this

thecatneuterer · 30/10/2019 20:45

I've never seen why I should ask my tennts to donate their some of their limited leisure time & work - staying in and extra tidying & cleaning up - for free

I completely agree. But they don't need to be there and they don't need to clean.

ThatMuppetShow · 30/10/2019 20:46

I've never seen why I should ask my tennts to donate their some of their limited leisure time & work - staying in and extra tidying & cleaning up - for free

who's asking them for any of that?

I thought the EA was doing the viewings - no one expect tenants to do extra tidying either.

I have never done extra-tidying for viewings, why would I? Mind you, I am not a slob but still.

ThatMuppetShow · 30/10/2019 20:47

You did of course see the bit where I said I wouldn’t see it as a negative.

and you saw my reply where I said that I would?

BigChocFrenzy · 30/10/2019 20:50

"refusing all access is a shitty thing to do."

No more than the tenant standing on any of their other rights
I'm happy with a tenant who knows their rights, because I know my responsibilities and I fulfill them

There seem to be a lot of amateur LLs on MN tonight
I always assumed void periods without rent in my financial planning

ThatMuppetShow · 30/10/2019 20:51

it's MN, the fact that someone claims to be a landlord and do this and that doesn't mean it has any relevance with the real world. Grin

WaningGibbous · 30/10/2019 20:53

Socket house is why viewing an empty house is a great idea www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/65826048

I've also been the tenant in an flat that was being sold - the estate agents was only round the corner and they thought nothing of popping in unannounced and if we were out leaving the lights on, doors unlocked or just barging in mid-may or mid-shower. The owner hadn't told them she was now renting it out was the excuse but we told them repeatedly and tbh it should have been obvious it was occupied.

Swipe left for the next trending thread