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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

about landlord popping round all the time?

164 replies

Thesandmanishere · 22/09/2021 16:25

We just rented a lovely place and signed a year's contract. The house was previously lived in by the landlord so has been very well maintained.

I'm sure she's very nice but she keeps popping round unannounced and it's starting to irritate me. It's never ostensibly because she wants to check up on us but it obviously actually is. For example she didn't redirect any of her post so she keeps coming round to collect it. She had a parcel delivered here this morning which she came to collect.

I really don't like it as I want to feel that this is "our home" while we pay rent here - I've lived in rentals before and never seen hide nor hair of the landlord other than when there's been a problem to resolve. But I also don't want to piss her off or be unreasonable.

AIBU or should she not be doing this?

OP posts:
SergeantCatFlap · 22/09/2021 17:15

Put all her mail in a big waterproof box outside - and tell her pickup date is once a week only.

Ionlydomassiveones · 22/09/2021 17:17

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

Original poster
Thesandmanishere · 22/09/2021 17:18

She's about a 25 minute drive away, so not round the corner but not miles away.

OP posts:
Pompom2367 · 22/09/2021 17:18

Op she's massively overstepping email or text so you have evidence of the discussion

LaetitiaASD · 22/09/2021 17:18

@Thesandmanishere

OK I think I need to pull up my big girl pants here and be assertive.

The thing is, we are honestly really good tenants. We take good care of everything, we keep the place clean, we pay our rent on time.

Irrelevant - if you're bad tenants that her bad luck, still wouldn't give her the right to invade your privacy to the point of harrassment.
LaetitiaASD · 22/09/2021 17:19

@Thesandmanishere

I just feel like she obviously (having lived here before) feels like this is still "her home". I mean obviously it is, but you know what I mean!
It is not her home, it's your home.
CornishTiger · 22/09/2021 17:19

@Thesandmanishere in order to avoid conflict id send her a message saying each time she comes around It is disruptive for your son as he is aware she is the landlord and he’s wondering if you will have to move again.

Could she please set up redirection of the post so that you can have quiet enjoyment of the property.

Wombat96 · 22/09/2021 17:20

Not read the full thread but I'm a landlord. Tenants are entitled to quiet enjoyment of the property. That means exclusive use of the property without being bothered, landlord should not set foot in the place without appropriate notice.

Is there an agent?

LaetitiaASD · 22/09/2021 17:21

@Thesandmanishere

I'm seriously concerned she would let herself in if she came round and we weren't here.
Change the locks now. Please.
Wombat96 · 22/09/2021 17:23

Now read the OPs posts, bang out of order.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 22/09/2021 17:23

You have 2 issues and the biggest is that you are living in what used to be her home. In my experience that makes a landlord very much more invested in the property.

The other is that she is self managing. You could go back to the agent and ask them to have a word with her, they will have met landlords like her before and will tell her where she stands. She is being intrusive and us very much depriving you of your quiet enjoyment.

You could ask the agent about new rentals for the end of your tenancy, making it clear that it is her actions that are making you want to leave.

Sadly, again in my experience, she won't stop and will have all sorts of reasons to explain that she is being reasonable and professional. But she isn't and you will have to deal with that as your current reality.

Good luck getting her to back of even a little bit.

inkhopper · 22/09/2021 17:25

Say something. I had this and it was awful. Wish I had said something in retrospect.

nachocheese · 22/09/2021 17:26

It's really super easy to change the lock barrels in a door. And just keep the current ones and you can put them back in as and when you move out.

Rosesareyellow · 22/09/2021 17:26

It’s not ok and I would tell her so. In a polite but firm manner. She doesn’t live there so she should redirect her mail. She’s not an acquaintance or friend so shouldn’t be regularly popping round like this, it’s unprofessional. If she’s not happy with that I wouldn’t answer the door next time quite frankly - she can make a 25 minute trip for nothing. If she really doesn’t take the hint I personally would find somewhere new to live.

crimsonlake · 22/09/2021 17:30

I went through something similar, but different in the fact someone offered to let me stay temporarily in her second home whilst I was looking for somewhere to live after selling my property.
When she first discussed it with me she was keen to emphasise she basically would be happy for someone to be living in the house as she did not like leaving it empty whilst she was living with her partner. I must stress she was being very generous as she would not take any rent from me.
The day I moved in, with just a couple of bags to tide me over I was astonished to walk in to a house that looked as if it was comppletely lived in. Every surface was covered in personal items as if she had just popped out. She had cleared one drawer for me. She called around later that day announced I could stay for 3 months...no mention of such a timescale previously.
So it began, she started calling around once or twice a week for post. I could never relax as I never knew when she would turn up. Worse was the thought she would turn up when I was in work and so I always had to make sure the place was spotless.
There were umpteen dentist appointments, etc, basically any reason she could think of to pop round, yet she now lived a couple of hours away.
I felt like a visitor and always on the alert, she still controlled the central heating via hive, so I could not even put it on if I felt chilly.
All that coupled with the stress of having to find a property to purchase asap was not woth living there rent free in the end.
Basically she could not deal with someone else living in her home and I am sure she regretted the offer.

Nocutenamesleft · 22/09/2021 17:30

She’s actually only allowed to come round once a year for inspections

You do not have to allow her in. Only for the gas. Electric. Or inspections. It repairs.

Inspection is only allowed to happened once a year.

It’s harassment otherwise.

FleasInMyKnees · 22/09/2021 17:31

I would try and remain business like and professional. Speak to the agent, say you are concerned and would like her post directed to her house and that you will be changing the locks as you worry about someone coming In when you're out. You could say you like your privacy and that you dont wish to have visitors without notice. If she gets shitty then get back to them and look for somewhere else. Does it say anything in your contract about this.

Nocutenamesleft · 22/09/2021 17:31

There is a law that is

The right to a quiet enjoyment of life. That protects Tennant’s.

Nocutenamesleft · 22/09/2021 17:36

legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/quiet+enjoyment

mellicauli · 22/09/2021 17:37

My bet is that she hasn't got her post redirected because she has got a domestic mortgage not a more expensive landlord's one. Probably hasn't got any landlord's insurance so she's worried about anything happening.

This is your leverage: say that you'll have to be returning the items to sender as "not resident at this address" if she doesn't sort out redirection herself.

Then I would also ask to see copies of the gas safety certificate, the electrical safety certificate and the proof of deposit protection. You won't see her for dust, I bet.

TemptedToSleepInTheShed · 22/09/2021 17:42

It’s her house and I’m afraid she can do as she pleases while you’re living in her house. Do you have a plan for buying your own?

onelittlefrog · 22/09/2021 17:42

She has to leave you to have quiet enjoyment of the property without intrusion.

She can't just pop round. Most contracts state that the landlord has to give 24 hours notice.

You're not unreasonable to tell her to get her mail redirected, either. She doesn't live there.

onelittlefrog · 22/09/2021 17:43

@TemptedToSleepInTheShed

It’s her house and I’m afraid she can do as she pleases while you’re living in her house. Do you have a plan for buying your own?
This is just wrong. Tenants have legal rights.
Whentheydontmeanwhattheysay · 22/09/2021 17:45

@Thesandmanishere

I'm seriously concerned she would let herself in if she came round and we weren't here.
Change the barrel in the locks. As long as they are changed back before you move it’s fine. I would not be happy living there!
ApolloandDaphne · 22/09/2021 17:45

Gosh I would hate that. You need to be clear that she has to stop coming round.

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