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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Agent telling me to do washing up...

299 replies

PercyPigfangirl · 22/02/2023 20:29

Advice please. Had flat inspection today, I was not able to attend due to work however ensured flat was generally tidy. Hoovered etc. Had a few friends for dinner last night so there was some plates and cookery things by the sink for washing.

I've been emailed by the agent saying they want to talk to me as concerned about the cleanliness of the flat. I asked them to be more precise and they said the amount of washing that needs doing in the kitchen.

This was something I was not thinking would be any issue... Having some washing by the sink. I admit there was quite a bit due to having friends around but surely I am entitled to reasonable enjoyment of the property and having dishes to be cleaned has nothing to do with them. I would understand if it was something that could damage the property or a dirtiness issue.. but that flat was overall tidy. Don't know how to respond to them and if I've been entirely unreasonable here by not doing it?

OP posts:
HopLeaps · 23/02/2023 13:45

.

Agent telling me to do washing up...
Copperoliverbear · 23/02/2023 15:31

@ShirleyPhallus you want to bet she was very very rude to me for no reason , because she's being flash hiding behind a keyboard.
People really irritate me who be rude and mouthy on the internet but would not dare talk like that to you face to face.
There's no need to be rude to someone who just read something wrong and it wasn't even her post.

SunThroughTheCloudsAt6am · 23/02/2023 16:17

I would just smile and nod (or rather the email equivalent) - Thanks for the feedback. Sun.

Then I would ignore.
My house is rented out while I live elsewhere, and it wouldn't bother me at all to see pictures of someone's washing up waiting in the kitchen. It's what the kitchen is for.

(well, not in the UK anyway - in warm countries, yes, I'd suggest they didn't do that because of ants/cockroaches)

Rachie1973 · 23/02/2023 16:34

i had a wonderful relationship with my landlord.
I lived in the house 14 years, I decorated in neutral colours with their full permission.
I put new flooring in the kitchen as the inventory read ‘flooring unsalvageable’ on moving in.
Did lots of DIY bits ourselves to save them money, always with permission.

Then last year they decided it was time to give it up, and retire properly and sell the house.
It’s an inherited property so they weren’t intentional landlords.
Fair play to them, we had plenty of notice, and we have our own house to move into.
Still everything was lovely.

Their house sale fell through 2 days before exchange, the subsidence we’d advised and advised about bit them in the ass, but we went ahead with our move.
Clearing and cleaning their home before we left.

2 weeks later I got a letter from them telling us they were ‘disappointed’ with the state of the house, and would be applying to keep the deposit! Their reasons, one of the rooms was not a complete ‘neutral’ shade and the carpets had marks on them.

I disputed this and they genuinely could not conceive that at some point in 14 years carpets and curtains should have been changed and possibly it should have seen a lick of paint!

we got the deposit back.

Teenangels · 23/02/2023 16:54

kirinm · 23/02/2023 11:17

On what basis do you think an inspection every 3 months is at all reasonable?

Show quote history

Where have I said that 3 month inspection is acceptable. We do one inspection after 3 months and then once a year after if everything is ok.

perhaps read my whole post

Grrrrdarling · 23/02/2023 17:44

PercyPigfangirl · 22/02/2023 20:29

Advice please. Had flat inspection today, I was not able to attend due to work however ensured flat was generally tidy. Hoovered etc. Had a few friends for dinner last night so there was some plates and cookery things by the sink for washing.

I've been emailed by the agent saying they want to talk to me as concerned about the cleanliness of the flat. I asked them to be more precise and they said the amount of washing that needs doing in the kitchen.

This was something I was not thinking would be any issue... Having some washing by the sink. I admit there was quite a bit due to having friends around but surely I am entitled to reasonable enjoyment of the property and having dishes to be cleaned has nothing to do with them. I would understand if it was something that could damage the property or a dirtiness issue.. but that flat was overall tidy. Don't know how to respond to them and if I've been entirely unreasonable here by not doing it?

I’d be going round & going through them like a dose of salts. Whether the washing up is done or not is not what an inspection is to check for. It is literally to check structural & cosmetic condition or the property & make sure you have not broken or damaged anything in the property.
Massively cheeky fluffers & to be honest I would start looking for somewhere else to live after a comment like that!
They are bang out of order!!!

Grrrrdarling · 23/02/2023 17:46

Rachie1973 · 23/02/2023 16:34

i had a wonderful relationship with my landlord.
I lived in the house 14 years, I decorated in neutral colours with their full permission.
I put new flooring in the kitchen as the inventory read ‘flooring unsalvageable’ on moving in.
Did lots of DIY bits ourselves to save them money, always with permission.

Then last year they decided it was time to give it up, and retire properly and sell the house.
It’s an inherited property so they weren’t intentional landlords.
Fair play to them, we had plenty of notice, and we have our own house to move into.
Still everything was lovely.

Their house sale fell through 2 days before exchange, the subsidence we’d advised and advised about bit them in the ass, but we went ahead with our move.
Clearing and cleaning their home before we left.

2 weeks later I got a letter from them telling us they were ‘disappointed’ with the state of the house, and would be applying to keep the deposit! Their reasons, one of the rooms was not a complete ‘neutral’ shade and the carpets had marks on them.

I disputed this and they genuinely could not conceive that at some point in 14 years carpets and curtains should have been changed and possibly it should have seen a lick of paint!

we got the deposit back.

More cheeky fluffery.
Glad you stood up to them

exaltedwombat · 23/02/2023 18:00

I guess estate agents find 'show houses' sell better than lived-in ones. I'd accept the advice.

Owl55 · 23/02/2023 18:12

Perhaps they thought you were either subletting or more than just you were living there without permission .

butterfliedtwo · 23/02/2023 18:13

exaltedwombat · 23/02/2023 18:00

I guess estate agents find 'show houses' sell better than lived-in ones. I'd accept the advice.

She's not selling.

StaceySolomonSwash · 23/02/2023 18:48

exaltedwombat · 23/02/2023 18:00

I guess estate agents find 'show houses' sell better than lived-in ones. I'd accept the advice.

Try reading the Opening post at least once before you reply. 🙄

Danielle9891 · 23/02/2023 21:10

I'd probably respond and say that you were running late and left the washing up. It's better to keep on your landlords good side.

Personally I would have been embarrassed if my landlord came around this morning, as I had left the washing up to do as I could be bothered last night. Also it sort of feels disrespectful to their house if I had it a bit of a mess when I knew there was an inspection. Any other time would have been fine as I pay my rent to live here.

My father in law (is a bit of an AH) and told me once, he's a plumber and apparently leaving pots and pans to soak can make the grease and bits off food stick to the inside of the drain and cause a blockage over time. So maybe your landlord has a reason to be concerned. Not sure if this is true but it does make sense as cleaning a pan with warm or cold water doesn't get the grease off.

Sennelier1 · 23/02/2023 21:34

@ComeTheFckOnBridget exactly! If I were to do the dishes right after an evening with friends that would tell you it wasn't such a great evening. In which case I might as well do the laundry, and clean the windows. As a matter of fact, inspections should only take place after not-such-a-great-evening-with-friends.

MarvellousMonsters · 23/02/2023 21:47

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Superunknown1 · 23/02/2023 21:48

Some letting agents doing inspections just seem to find the tiniest things just to have written something on the report, last time we had a complaint about a few glow in the dark stars blu-tacked to the ceiling of my stepdaughter’s room, even after we had painstakingly repainted the room recently at our own expense and would obviously deal with any residue when they came down! Never had a complaint in the years we have lived here until then. The lady went round, told us everything was ok then we got an email with a list of these teeny non-issues. The actual landlord came round after this inspection and was overjoyed at how his house has been looked after and said the letting agents were just desperately trying to earn the stupid amount he has to pay them 😒

So no, you left some washing up on the counter not knocked a wall through or pulled the floorboards up!

pizzaHeart · 23/02/2023 22:00

Letting agents are mostly thick, and mostly incompetent. Many of them also seem to enjoy a power trip.
Spot on @ProbablyDogNappersHunX
Not all of them of course but too many…

FrostyFifi · 23/02/2023 22:01

Also it sort of feels disrespectful to their house if I had it a bit of a mess when I knew there was an inspection

OP is paying what is presumably a large amount of money every month to live there. It's her home. Why should she need to "respect" them too?

It's like people think renters are peasants who should be tugging their forelocks to the landowner, their lords and masters.

Figrolls14 · 23/02/2023 22:19

Wankerrrrrrrrrrssssss

purplebunny2012 · 23/02/2023 22:23

ChildcareIsBroken · 23/02/2023 06:02

I actually think YAB a little unreasonable here. To leave dirty dinner dishes for that long can attract pests. As a one off, unlikely, but the agent wouldn't know that. If it's a habit, that is a risk.
Also you shouldn't leave dirty dishes if you knew there's and inspection coming and you're not going to be home. Just apologise, say it was a one-off and you normally do dishes straight away.

It's winter. Believe me, dishes most certainly don't get washed the same night in our house and pests aren't being attracted because of how cold it is.

In the summer, we're more diligent

purplebunny2012 · 23/02/2023 22:33

TheFretfulPorpentine · 23/02/2023 08:22

I 'can't fathom' why the landlord does not provide a dishwasher. It is fairly standard household equipment in the 21st century.

Show quote history

You say that but we're finally getting one and I've lived here for 22 years. Before that, I lived with my parents who didn't have one at the time, so I've got to my mid 40s never having used one

purplebunny2012 · 23/02/2023 22:46

PercyPigfangirl · 23/02/2023 09:30

Wow, a real mixed bag of responses. I'm still perplexed by those saying they can't believe I didn't do the washing up 😅 I'm sorry, it seems far-fetched to me!
For context, the rest of the place was immaculate. The kitchen worktop was clean and not covered in leftovers as some on here have alluded to..
Will draft my response and post on here before emailing.

I read your whole OP and I don't get how people read between the lines. You clearly said dishes were in the sink, so why pps assumed there were leftovers all over the counters is beyond me!

purplebunny2012 · 23/02/2023 22:50

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 23/02/2023 09:39

Urgh. Don't be a minger. Just do the washing up! It's gross the day after and more difficult as everything is congealed etc. And stinky.

It's not gross! Congealed and stinky when OP said they were soaking in soapy water? Get over yourself!

DontMakeMe · 23/02/2023 22:53

The issue is that a big pile of washing up in the kitchen can make the whole place feel messy and unclean and therefore liable to get mice.

IsaacNewtonPoppleford · 23/02/2023 22:59

Tenants don’t pay the wages of the agents.

Oh yes they do. Where else does the landlord get the money to pay the ridiculously overpriced and underskilled* letting agents a fat fee to 'manage' the property other than by including it in the rent they charge?

*Yes I know, not all letting agents. Many are incompetent weasels though to the detriment of tenants and often landlords too, and the whole private-rented model as it currently is, stinks.

IsaacNewtonPoppleford · 23/02/2023 23:02

liable to get mice.

If the property has got mice it won't ultimately be due to washing up being left on the side. I know, I've been involved in property management in more than one residence that had a problem with one vermin or another at different times. I've also lived in individual countryside properties where problems have occurred with vermin and that definitely wasn't due to washing up on the side.

There is a LOT of nonsense on this thread.

OP you are in the right, but due to the insecurity of our ridiculous system at the moment, you might have to suck it up as others have indicated.