Letting Agents Are Twats

[WheelieBinPrincess]

Ok yeah I bet they have a job to do, they’re humans too and all that.

But Christ.

Moving out of our rented London flat next month as we’ve managed to buy a flat after the years of saving. Great. So notice given to the landlord (who I’ve never clapped eyes on but is generally an ok sort with regards to repairs etc)

Now we have the dreaded viewings.

I am FULLY AWARE that I have a right to quiet enjoyment in my home, and at a cost of £1525 in rent a month I should bloody hope so. I said they can have Friday afternoon, two hours this Saturday and Tuesday lunchtime.

I’m at home with a nine week old baby which I’ve told them MULTIPLE times. I go out when they come, I find it uncomfortable to be in when randoms are trooping around my space.

Do they give a feck? No they do not. They’ve completely rough shod my boundaries, a viewing here, there, can we just do a quick viewing this evening?

They’ve taken the piss now tomorrow as I said 3 viewings only, they’ve booked in six.

Flat is in a state of disrepair- (needs new paint, bathroom is falling to bits, there’s no storage space, skirting in the kitchen is buggered and mice regularly wander in. I keep it nice and clean and tidy as much as you can with a two month old baby. They are trying to market the flat at £1650 a month.

Although I do collect taxidermy and they told me it was off-putting 😂 why would I care , it is not my flat!

I’ve fielded about 8 phone calls from them today alone, one telling he aged forgetter the set of keys so would I be in? Idiot.

Would I be unreasonable to test positive for covid next week?

Honestly? Say no to the viewings and let them do it once the place is empty. You are fully in your rights to do so and you have your hands full with a baby.

Yeah I think I need to, I was trying to be nice to the landlord 😂. It is actually written into our contract that we must permit viewings if we give notice, however I know it’s bollocks and not enforceable because you definitely don’t.

We were given notice by our landlord and they came to value the property (to sell) and asked me about viewings. I said no. End if story.
lockdown started a week after we moved out but it serves them right

definitely withdraw permission for viewings and state that they have gone back on what was agreed re timings and numbers and that you are enforcing your right to quiet enjoyment.

If you were feeling charitable, I might offer to allow some for a 50% rent reduction on the last two weeks/until you leave......

Yeah that's bollocks and the law is on your side on this one. I've been there in the past and tried to be helpful but they always push it so my last rental before buying I said no.

It doesn't matter what is written in your contract --- the law over rides this. You do not have to have viewings.

You are well within your rights to say no viewings at all. Check out Shelters website for your rights.

Tell them to fuck off. Repeat the times you’re ok with and stick to it. No to extra viewings etc. Piss takers.

I love the fact that not one single reply has acknowledged the taxidermy part!

Fuck em. Cancel any and all viewings and tell them why. You have a tiny baby. They can swivel.

Your AST sets out the terms you are obliged to do. This states that the landlord or their agent MUST give 24 hours notice.

You must write to them and ask them to stop this behaviour and copy in the branch manager.

Moving forward, I would refuse the viewings and they have to agree otherwise they are breaching your rights to enjoyment of the property. Be firm.

Well I’ve sent them a pretty livid email now and said no to any more- final straw was they said they ‘had to’ conduct a viewing at 10am tomorrow morning because the prospective tenant can’t do another time I said no and they said I was being difficult and the sooner it was let the sooner I would be left in peace, so I said I’ll show you difficult there will not be any further viewings at all and I’ve double locked the door with the key they don’t have a copy of.

Good for you. Do you have a Ring doorbell or similar? Wouldn’t put it past them to try and enter your flat when you’re not home.

Congratulations on your baby

@WheelieBinPrincess

Well I’ve sent them a pretty livid email now and said no to any more- final straw was they said they ‘had to’ conduct a viewing at 10am tomorrow morning because the prospective tenant can’t do another time I said no and they said I was being difficult and the sooner it was let the sooner I would be left in peace, so I said I’ll show you difficult there will not be any further viewings at all and I’ve double locked the door with the key they don’t have a copy of.

My hero

Good work.

Can you also one your taxidermy up along a window so it’s staring at them when they try the locks?

@Stath (lets flats?)

No but we can lock them out.

I was out with the baby on Hampstead Heath the entire day because of their bloody viewings and normally he loves being out and about but he was all fractious today, he just wanted a cuddle at home and a kick about on his play mat so I thought fuck this, they can stop harassing me out of my own home!

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon great idea. I’ve got an antique crow one that is bloody terrifying.

@WheelieBinPrincess of course!

God I had this (also in Hampstead, wonder if it was the same estate agent?). I'd write to them at the start of every week offering several slots and they'd come back and pick a totally different time or ten. Then they were rude about it when I said no.

Personally I think you should up your taxidermy collection, display in every single pace you possible can. And give them one ' open day'

Letting Agents are the worst. Ours put boards up outside all the houses they manage (including ours) saying ‘Let By’ to advertise.

Not only did numerous people think we’re moving, but every time we looked out the window it was a horrible reminder that we rent and don’t own. We took it down claiming wind damage.

They’re awful people so share your disgust at them.

Fuck them.
Honestly I’ve been there. It’s horrid feeling judged for how your living (so you tidy and clean especially) and having people looking at your stuff when it’s not for your benefit.

You’ve a baby. Plus Covid. They’ll let it easier when your out and repairs are done

I turned them away at the door with clients when they turned up unannounced to View.
I also also may have hidden in bed pretending to be ill when I heard them let themselves in, again. After saying no. The poor viewers!!
Got the message

We had this with our previous LL. Caught them letting themselves in a couple of times they are obviously thought we’d be out. We started setting the burglar alarm all the time (previously we hadn’t). Came back to it going off one day… they didn’t have the code as we’d changed it. I rang them to notify them about an “attempted break in” & they were very sheepish, & sounded quite worried about the prospect of the police being involved.

Ring them at 9 and say you have a cough. 2 weeks of peace...

I've told this story on Mumsnet before, but when we realised our grabby letting agent was turning up for unannounced viewings and letting themselves in if noone answered, we added a few decorations:
Visible mousetraps in every room
'mature' porn mags in the bathroom and on the coffee table
A dehumidifier we borrowed from a friend, in the middle of the living room (un-used, but they weren't to know that)
The worst charity shop underwear we could find, draped liberally across the radiators.

After that we always got a call agreeing the viewing and several checks that we had tidied up

Never met a decent letting agent. Absolute twats, the lot of them. We lived somewhere where they’d let themselves in every six months to do a spot check, without informing us. Thought I was crazy when I made a complaint. Had no idea about the actual law, jumped up wankers in cheap suits with a penchant for misusing the words ‘myself’ and ‘yourself’. National chain as well. Hate hate hate!