AIBU to refuse access to my bedroom?

[SecretChocolateStash]

My landlord and I arranged mutually agreed a time today for a gas engineer to come to do the gas safety check which is due.
This was arranged several weeks ago.

The day before yesterday he emailed to say the EPC (energy rating) needs doing too so he will send someone at the same time.

I’ve had a google and it seems that this epc inspection involves the assessor checking windows lights and radiators in every room of the house, plus the loft and for cavity wall insolation.

The gas engineer would only need to be in the downstairs to check on the gas meter and boiler so I hadn’t especially worried about cleaning and tidying as the downstairs of my house is usually tidy enough for unexpected guests. (That’s the rule I try to live by)

However, the upstairs isn’t guest ready.
The bathroom and guest room/office are fine and I could quickly have a wizz around DS’s room to make it presentable but the master bedroom is a bit of a dumping ground and I have piles of washing (clean to be ironed) and boxes of clothes and shoes to go to the charity shop and stuff in bags to go to the tip.
Really it looks a mess and I really don’t feel up to sorting it out and making it look presentable just for a check that I wasn’t expecting.

Wibu to say I would prefer to rearrange but if the do want to do it today they can do every room except the master bedroom?

@SecretChocolateStash

I think I’m going to email him and just say I can’t move the bed in one of the bedrooms so if the inspector can do the certificate without full access to everything it’s fine but otherwise it will need to be done in the new year.

I really think it’s fine! Most houses will have the odd issue like this, it’s no problem. Just say that’s fine, and stay out of the way.

1. They’re not guests, they’re workmen and they don’t care what state your house is in.

But:

1. I am pretty sure the EPC only needs doing when the tenant changes and if it has expired. If it has expired while you’re in-situ, they don’t need to do it until our move out.

Yep:

www.lettingaproperty.com/landlord/blog/energy-performance-certificates-10-years/

So, for example, the EPC is dated 1 May 2008, the most recent tenancy started 1 February 2018, at which point the EPC was still valid. It has, however, now expired. If the tenancy is going to continue beyond the expiry of the EPC with the tenant still in situ, then a new EPC is not required as the property is not being marketed for sale or for let.

They’re reading the meter not having a snooze. They honestly won’t care. Don’t worry about it.

Is it also the EICR that they are doing? EPC is for the efficiency of the house and the EICR is for the safety and this is the new law that's come in. You may find that they both need to be done.

I'm a landlord and I'll be very upset if the electrical certificate couldn't be done because your place is untidy. It doesn't matter, the electrician isn't going to care and long as he can have access to sockets and switches.
We are required by law to have the certificate and it may take two visits if anything needs sorting out.
It's also quite expensive to have it done.
It takes about 2 hours.
We landlords need to be up to date with certificates to keep tenants safe.

I know how you feel. I'd be the exact same, I don't do well with change haha.
They won't care, well done for letting them come. You'd only be extending the worrying by putting them off.

@MaskingForIt
That’s what I thought the rules were,
the current epc certificate was done in 04/2003, they are valid for 10 years so it expired In April of 2013.
I read online that the rules had changed so that all rental properties have to have a valid certificate that meets a certain rating on the epc scale.
I assumed that was why he wanted to do it, because knowing my landlord there is no way he would be paying for one if it wasn’t a legal requirement.

It’s definitely the epc he said in the email....

“I’m going to send an energy efficiency inspector to come some time in the afternoon to do a EPC certificate on the house.”

It’s just about the energy efficiency rating of the house, it’s nothing to do with safety or anything.

They don't care and they will need to go in to all rooms.

Okay, the only reason why I ask is because that is a longer process and more invasive than the EPC. He will also need a valid EICR on the property due to new regs. We have had to get it it done recently in our rented property.

I have sympathy because I'd feel uncomfortable someone seeing my mess but you know hes just there to do a job he will have seen worse he won't care.... just get it over with. You really don't need to tidy up, just make sure the radiator is clear.

@anotherwinkywinkybumbum

Okay, the only reason why I ask is because that is a longer process and more invasive than the EPC. He will also need a valid EICR on the property due to new regs. We have had to get it it done recently in our rented property.

How often do they need to be done? I’ve lived here 8 years and one has definitely never been done in the time I have lived here.

Do they just need access to sockets and light switches?

I believe it is 5 years and all landlords need to be up to date by April 2021.

Yes, all switches, sockets, wiring, anything fixed to the house, but not appliances. For example, he needed access to our loft as we have spotlights and that's where he could access the wiring for these.

If it doesn't pass, your landlord will have 28 days to make good.

I had one of these earlier this year. He did mostly a cursory look around the rooms, took some measurements around the windows presumable for the thickness of the walls, checked the boiler for make/model and came out into the garden to look at the roof from ground level. It took less than 5 minutes.

We’ve had the EICR done already - they need access to the fuse box as well (we needed some remedial work to bring it up to new standards).

I just read the information about it on the gov website.
That’s definitely something that will need doing too and we’ve definitely not got one of those.

At least now I know about it I can prepare myself for that one and plan how I can make sockets accessible.

Now I’m wondering if the LL has confused the two and meant that one.

blog.openrent.co.uk/epc-rules-2018-time-running-out-for-landlords/

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/repairs_and_inspections_access_to_your_rented_home

It says to be done before April. The EPC. Just in case it falls below an E. in which case the sitting tenant needs to be notified for work to be done to get it to the higher rating.

I was wondering if there had been confusion. I also thought it best to give you info as if you're anything like me, forewarned is forearmed!

@MakeWorkYourNewFavourite

Someone has just come around to fix my boiler. I thought he'd just be going near the boiler. He is now balancing the system, which involves going in every room of the house and pissing around with the radiators. I asked him to come back next week, but he clearly thinks I'm nuts. I haven't cleaned my house in weeks. I've just been so so busy. And some rooms are massive dumping grounds! Absolute tips. Covered in cat hair. He's still in the house. I want to die. He's also a friend of a friend, so now everyone will know what a dirty, dirty bitch I am. Bloody hell! On the plus side, he doesn't want to charge me because I run a cat rescue. I don't know what to make of that. I think he thinks I'm mental and feels sorry for me. But, the heating is on!

Sorry, can't help but laugh at the "so now everyone will know what a dirty, dirty bitch I am" part.

My word, I have a dirty, dirty mind. At least no one can see that, thank goodness.

this is absolutely ridiculous tbh - you don't need to tidy up ffs

Who cares, let them see the mess. They will have seen much much worse.