I honestly don't know whether I'm being unreasonable or not. My partner and I are landlords of a flat and a shop. This morning I received an email from our remaining tenant (there were three but two have moved out) complaining about some building rubble that has been left in the yard. We are currently having work completed on the shop and some rubble bags have been left in the yard in order for someone to take them away for us.
The tenant has sent me an email complaining about the building waste as she isn't due to leave the property until the 30th and she wants to have friends around and these few rubble bags is causing her an inconvenience.
I know about the building waste because it was my partner who put it there.
The yard is shared usage between the flat and shop but because the shop has been empty they've had sole usage.
The bags are in a corner out of her way and does not stop her using the yard.
I'm angry because we consider ourselves to be good landlords. Examples of such include allowing them to move in a week early without charge at the start of the their tenancy. To help them source furniture, we reduced the deposit amount so they could afford furniture.
As soon as she signed, she started with the complaints and ridiculous demands. I mentioned in passing that the flat was being decorated prior to her moving in. She then sent me links to various "artwork" (posters) that she had as she wanted us to choose complimentary colours (we painted everywhere white). In October, she complained that the house was cold when the heating wasn't on. She also complained that the drain was blocked (she'd blocked it with food waste), she complained that we'd painted incorrectly and that we'd left the paint "upset) so she had paint all over her expensive coat (it wasn't paint, it was dust). When there were mice in the shop and we put down traps (they could hear them in the flat), she complained that when we said that we would not be pulling up floorboards to get rid of any decaying mice. She complained about the boiler not working (she hadn't switched it on). When the boiler did break down, we had a new one installed within three days. She complained because again it was not switched on and she wanted the gas engineer to press the power button.
There have been so many ridiculous complaints but we were looking forward to the end of this month as they are all moving out. I received an email from her on Wednesday along with a picture of the door to the utility cupboard which the tenants have somehow managed to snap in half. The door is about 3/4 of an inch for reference.
I am currently in hospital with pancreatitis and gallstones. I'm really not well, I'm missing my seven week old and things are just generally stressful.
The email from her has really struck a nerve because I can't believe how unaware she is of her poor behaviour. I've emailed her back and told her that it's shared usage so we can put rubble bags in there. She did the same type of thing last year when we had a builder out. She claimed that he had piled rubble outside of the front door of the flat so she was struggling to get in. I called our builder and asked if he'd remove any rubbish that was in her way. He facetimed me and showed me the entrance. The closest rubble was about 8 ft away and there was no obstruction.
I also said that I'm stunned that she would send such an email considering the damage she has caused to the property. I said that I've done my best to accommodate her despite her sometimes ridiculous requests but that I don't want her to contact me again unless it's an absolute emergency.
The email is professional but I'm not sure if I was unreasonable for responding in the way I did.
I know that landlords get slated on here and it's the right call in a lot of cases but as a rule before our tenants move in, I even send a link to Shelter's page on landlord's responsibilities and I send our tenants a link to the local tenant's union so they know who to go to should we treat them badly.
I know this is long but I'm just so angry with her. It's particularly frustrating as she can be really snotty with me but when she sees my partner she's very "girly", twirls her hair etc. and tells him I exaggerate the problems or that there isn't a problem at all.
Rant over.