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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to wonder how often other tenants see their landlord?

196 replies

Specksofwhiteallaround · 31/01/2020 17:15

I am absolutely sick of the sight of mine but Dh insists it’s the same for all people who rent and I’m curious if he’s right as it’s not my experience of renting. So as not to drip feed we do have cats, but they knew this and agreed to rent to us. The cats have caused damage to the bottom of the stair carpet and a radiator but I have absolutely no problem paying to rectify this when/if we leave.

My annoyance is that in the three years since we’ve lived here we’ve had almost 3 monthly house inspections. Every time she comes she finds fault with something and I just don’t think any of it is that big a deal. Some examples are that a tree in the garden wasn’t pruned to her satisfaction so we had to buy a lot of expensive equipment to make that better, we don’t get to the weeds quickly enough, she wants us to have a window cleaner come every week and insisted I buy a rug to put under our computer chair which makes it unusable...
She has another house around the corner and checks how often and how long my bathroom window is open and it’s never enough.

The last straw for me is that we informed her about a plumping issue at the last inspection in mid December which has been steadily getting worse while she organised a plumber. Yesterday she turned up unannounced at the door to lecture me about what the problem was (she was wrong, it emerged yesterday that the problem has been caused by a pretty major leak in one of the outside pipes not us.) and let me know a plumber would be there the next morning. While at the door she also took me to task for not cleaning the gas cupboard in the porch. Not five minutes later she’s back with a man from the water board in tow and wants access to the house, apparently the fact it was 11am and I hadn’t washed up dishes from that morning didn’t escape her notice and today she’s messaged informing me of a house inspection this Wednesday. Oh and will I go out and inform the people from the water board that she wants them to come and fit new taps in the kitchen they’re outside fixing the leak...

I have terrible social anxiety anyway but lately It’s getting so bad I don’t feel I can leave the house some days and I’m just so anxious about everything all the time and it’s draining, I feel like I’m constantly waiting for her to turn up at the door or text or ring about more cleaning issues. I’ve not had this level of landlord interference before in my life, it’s like she expects us to keep this a show home and it’s just not feasible.
Sorry this is so long, I guess I needed a good rant Blush I really hope my dh is wrong and this isn’t the norm because I wouldn’t wish this stress on anyone.

OP posts:
OneForMeToo · 31/01/2020 17:17

I’ve never met my actual landlord and I’ve had 3/4 inspections in 9 years.

JorisBonson · 31/01/2020 17:17

My last rental I lived in for 4 years and never saw them once. In fact, in my 18 years renting I maybe saw 1 or two landlords occasionally.

AnyFucker · 31/01/2020 17:18

No, that is not the norm

She is breaking your contract with respect you having "quiet enjoyment" of the property and you should complain at the intrusion

Dogsaresomucheasier · 31/01/2020 17:18

Not normal! Three months is normal for a new tenancy but ours always moved to annual after that.

Dhalandchips · 31/01/2020 17:19

Christ, I thought mine was batshit. Yours takes it to a whole new level! She really shouldn't be doing this. Perhaps have a word with the CAB.

Finfintytint · 31/01/2020 17:20

That seems excessive and you are not being allowed to enjoy your home.
Just tell her you expect notice for any visit and start looking for somewhere else. Although I appreciate renting with pets is tricky.

Reginabambina · 31/01/2020 17:20

This is really weird but then again I’ve literally never had an inspection.

Lifecanonlygetbetter · 31/01/2020 17:21

We are landlords. I might request quarterly checks in a situation where I had rented to someone with pets, but the rest is ridiculous, unless they think that you will not allow tradespeople into the house. I’d have a chat with Shelter. With our last tenant we did a yearly check, but threatened to go in when she was not there unless she sorted out the boiler service. We paid for it, she worked shifts and was always awkward about sorting it out directly with the plumber which she had asked to do.

Shayisgreat · 31/01/2020 17:21

Yeah that's excessive. Do you have a lease agreement? Most places are twice in first year and then annually after that.

Pushpushpoosh · 31/01/2020 17:21

We see the lady who rents our house whenever she gets in touch to say there's a problem, hardly ever. ..

Coffeeonadrip · 31/01/2020 17:22

Been here 4 years, only saw the landlords once when we were viewing the house. The first two years we had the agency come to do inspection every 6 months bit nothing after that. The inspections were about the building and to check the fire alarms, not furniture or cleanliness at all

Yabadee · 31/01/2020 17:22

No that’s not right at all OP.

I’ve never met my actual landlord but we get inspections from the agency every 6 months. No one ever just shows up, everything is planned in advance when it suits me.

DivaRainbow · 31/01/2020 17:23

Your DP is definitely wrong. We have been renting our house for about 4 years and our landlord only calls to our house whenever we something fixed. Your landlord sounds crazy

Waxonwaxoff0 · 31/01/2020 17:23

Never. A third party from the agency they use comes to do an inspection every 6 months and that's it. I've never even met my landlord nor had any contact with them.

TheoneandObi · 31/01/2020 17:24

I'm a landlord and the least I see if my tenants the better! I respond very quickly if there's a problem, and use that as an opportunity to have a quick gander in the area where there's a problem.
The garden is a constant worry - the tenants don't cut the grass often enough and weeds take hold. It drives me nuts. But even that isn't enough to tempt me round on extra inspections!

Paddingtonthebear · 31/01/2020 17:24

Once since we moved in 16 months ago and that was only because his parcel was delivered here by mistake. He hasn’t done an inspection either, we have offered 🤷‍♀️

MrsMoastyToasty · 31/01/2020 17:25

Water board officials don't do internal plumbing. They're water engineers, not plumbers. (I used to dispatch water employees as a job).

SexIsAProtectedCharacteristic · 31/01/2020 17:26

The last place we rented was quarterly inspections for the whole 3 years we were there. However they were never interested in cleanliness or any of those minor issues that don't affect the fabric of the property, would never have gone round looking in cupboards. What your landlord is doing is verging on harassment. However it might be difficult to raise this without them giving you notice in return if she's that sort of person. Could you get advice from Shelter? I believe their advice line is good.

leckford · 31/01/2020 17:26

I think what you have written is ridiculous, the landlord should not make such unimportant complaints, especially about he the tree pruning. She should not be coming around so often and complaining about such minor issues.

HirplesWithHaggis · 31/01/2020 17:26

Another one agreeeing such frequent inspections are excessive. We've rented this house for over 14 years, had two dogs when we moved in and two cats now, and have never had an inspection. Something needs fixed, we tell them, they send a tradesman round to fix it.

Paddingtonthebear · 31/01/2020 17:29

And I used to work in lettings. Landlords cannot turn up and ask for access unannounced, they have to give you at least 24 hours notice and even then you can decline. You are entitled by law to quiet enjoyment of your home whilst you are renting. It’s your home whilst you are living there.

Are you renting directly from her? Do you have a proper tenancy agreement in place? This level of interference and dictation on how you live is not normal and I’d be looking for somewhere else to live if I were you. You can address it with her but she sounds the type to take offence and end up trying to get you out. I would cut losses and move on.

3 month inspections are required by some letting agents / landlords by the way. If it’s in the tenancy they can enforce it.

victoriashleigh · 31/01/2020 17:32

Previous place we had inspections every 6 months without fail. Wasn’t too bad though as it wasn’t the landlord, it was someone from the letting agency. They were here for literally 2/3 minutes, few quick photos, ask if we have any problems, go.

New place we did have an inspection 3 months in (but same as before, agency here for about 3 minutes!) but not sure how often they will be.

I do feel for you as it’s worse when it’s the actual landlord coming into your home, our new landlord insists on fixing everything himself and I do feel like he’s having a good look around judge. He also blamed the tap he installed himself being leaky because we “moved it too much” (?) Hmm

ScabbyHorse · 31/01/2020 17:33

My landlady inspects around every 9 months and I thought that was bad enough. She is also quite picky and it is not a nice feeling so you have my sympathy.

EdersonsSmileyTattoo · 31/01/2020 17:34

We have a yearly inspection by the letting agent but we see our landlord if and when there are any jobs that need doing.

Other than that we get left alone, he lets us do what we want decorating wise or in the garden.

BobbyBlueCat · 31/01/2020 17:36

It was written in our contract that we would have an inspection every 3 months, which happened. I've lived in a few different rentals before buying and this was stadard with them all.

But anything in between those was only to fix things that had gone wrong and always with the notice given to us that they would be coming.