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AIBU?

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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:
Feefee00 · 22/02/2023 23:20

I also don't have an agent apart from finder's fee , they are pure blood suckers who literally do nothing. They talked about charging tenants £120 to set up a new AST you just print one off the computer takes 2 minutes. They are parasites and a waste of money for both tenants and LLs.

Copperoliverbear · 22/02/2023 23:21

I think they're being honest, you need to have a unique selling point and washing up and the smell of last night's dinner will put a lot of people off.
A lot of people can't see past mess and clutter. X

WinterMusings · 22/02/2023 23:23

KindlyKanga · 22/02/2023 20:38

They may be concerned that it had been there for days when there's only one of you, which would in turn concern them about attracting rats.

I'd just assure them you had friends so there was more than usual and you wash up every day or two.

You shouldn't have to but if there was looooads of stuff and only one of you I can see why they might query it.

Where in gods name do you live that dishes stacked next to the sink attracts rats???

@PercyPigfangirl

what a monumental twat.

id go back & ask him why my dishes were any concern of his?!

InelegantAndWild · 22/02/2023 23:26

This reply has been deleted

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Tallisker · 22/02/2023 23:27

The OP didn't mention that the agents were showing prospective new tenants round. Just that it was an inspection. I'm guessing routine. Have I missed something?

With friends round for dinner the evening before surely it's perfectly normal to leave the washing up till later. Even if Kate rid the next day?

creekingmillenial · 22/02/2023 23:29

You have a right to quiet enjoyment. Washing up doesn’t impact the property. Tell him very firmly this is way outside his remit but you’ll except his apology. I would have zero time for this.

Morestrangethings · 22/02/2023 23:35

ComeTheFckOnBridget · 22/02/2023 21:59

I cannot fathom why last nights dishes

@Onnabugeisha you cannot fathom??

Perhaps it's my extraordinary cooking, but passionate sex often follows and who wants to follow that up with marigolds and fairy liquid?

👍good for you!

JonahAndTheSnail · 22/02/2023 23:36

I'd most likely ignore the e-mail, or if they have form for being a pain in the butt, ask them if having a few dishes in the sink is a breach of the tenancy agreement 😂

Seriously, there's no need to clean your house to within an inch of it's life before a routine inspection. The purpose of it is to make sure you're not illegally subletting/running a business/have ripped out and flogged any fixtures and fittings, etc. If you pay your rent on time, Jonny big balls at the letting agents isn't going to issue you a s21 just for having a few dishes in the sink. I'd agree that they've shown they'll probably be dickheads for nitpicking and trying to keep your deposit for silly reasons on checkout though.

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.

ChildcareIsBroken · 23/02/2023 06:05

Or maybe don't apologise, more explain that you didn't have dirty dishes for weeks on end.

Aprilx · 23/02/2023 06:09

Bryonny84 · 22/02/2023 20:41

Agent sounds like they are nit picking over nothing. My slight worry might be that they are looking for excuses to say you're a bad tenant (which clearly you're not) if the landlord is looking to raise rent etc. Stick to your guns. You've done nothing wrong.

I don’t agree that they were nitpicking. They commented on the general lack of cleanliness and OP asked for an example which they then gave. Piles of dishes unwashed would suggest a lack of cleanliness to me too.

MissTrip82 · 23/02/2023 06:11

I wouldn’t have left dishes but I was paranoid about these inspections.

Once they sent me a photo of a small cobweb on the back outside wall……as a reminder it wasn’t perfect.

DdraigGoch · 23/02/2023 06:14

Echinops · 22/02/2023 20:44

Do you have an inspection reminder e mail or letter from the agency? Ours actually says....
"Unfortunately some tenants do not prepare the property in a suitable condition for this visit and therefore in order to avoid additional visits we request that you do not leave dirty dishes in the sink, all washing up is put away and that all ironing and dirty washing is also tidied away. A further visit to the property may be necessary if the property is not presented in a suitable clean and tidy condition for this visit"

Right so even though it is hard enough to have time for breakfast when I'm due in work at 4am, I'd also be expected to wash up the porridge bowl before leaving rather than leaving it to soak.

I'm glad that my landlord wasn't like that when I rented!

LindorDoubleChoc · 23/02/2023 06:21

InelegantAndWild · 22/02/2023 22:24

For some people, doing dishes is the highlight of their day.

😂

LindorDoubleChoc · 23/02/2023 06:27

We never do our dishes in the evening!

Pmsl at the outrage at slovenly op on here. And what a ghastly sounding job to be a letting agent. Writing to tenants to tick them off for not being a slave to housework! Can you imagine?

ClaireEclair · 23/02/2023 06:58

When I was renting, none of my landlords/ladies gave a shit about how clean the house was during inspections (well, as long as it wasn’t a complete hovel). They just wanted to make sure nothing was damaged. One even fed my cat when she was there as she thought she looked hungry.

it’s your home and you are paying to live there. They should not be commenting on a few dishes.

Ohreallyreally · 23/02/2023 07:05

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.

Give over 😂

I regularly leave my dishes until the next day and have never experience pests, and I live next to a woodland where all those pests naturally live 😂

Having 6/8 plates, knifes, forks and a few pans will not give you pests it's hardly a bags of food waste which has been fermenting for weeks 😂

MaireadMcSweeney · 23/02/2023 07:11

Ducking letting agents!
mine once did an inspection after 'forgetting' to arrange it with me and letting themselves in when I wasn't home. I'd just gone back to work after mat leave and hadn't got the hang of mornings with a baby and a deadline to get out of the house so there were breakfast remnants on the table and baby crap on the floor - it wasn't tidy but it wasn't a hovel. They had the cheek to feedback that the condition wasn't acceptable. Ooh they got both barrels for letting themselves in without permission!!! So out of order.

OoooohMatron · 23/02/2023 07:14

33goingon64 · 22/02/2023 20:47

Agents look for anything to tick you off over with a view to withholding deposits etc. When I moved out of my last rental place, I was forewarned about this and asked my tallest friend to wear her suit and look like a solicitor, taking notes as the agents went around the house looking in every cupboard etc. They were two burly blokes and they did try to suggest some things weren't up to scratch (the house was in a better state than when I moved in). I got them to say before they left that there was nothing amiss, so they couldn't shave anything off the deposit returned. Something to bear in mind - make sure you're in and ready to defend yourself.

Aren't short people allowed to be solicitors?

OoooohMatron · 23/02/2023 07:15

YANBU but why on earth would you leave a pile of dishes knowing you had an inspection?

OoooohMatron · 23/02/2023 07:31

InelegantAndWild · 22/02/2023 22:30

Tbf that letter sounds like it was the agent thinking they could instruct the person paying their wage how and when to clean/launder, rather than the landlord, but yes it is v OTT.

Tenants don't pay lettings agents.

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/02/2023 07:34

I’m a landlord op. I don’t think my agent would comment. I would respond with something relatively neutral and factual. ‘I had a dinner party the evening before the inspection on x day, which resulted in an unusually high amount of washing up. I attended to this the very same evening. I take pride in my home and note there were no other points raised to the cleanliness of the property. I trust this now resolves the issue. Regards’

For future, I would ensure the property is generally clean and tidy. I was quite surprised in the beginning when the agent told me some tenants only clean just before the 6 monthly inspection and it’s really obvious. I’ve had the odd end of tenancy, where the property has been handed back immaculate and once, where the tenants walked out leaving trails of dog shit on the carpets. A good agent will advocate not just for the landlord, but for you.

Coconut212 · 23/02/2023 07:40

I worked as an agent years ago never bothered me seeing dishes etc as it’s general living. I would look for damage, dirt and grime. I did however have a colleague who sent a letter to a tenant for having their clean washing folded on their sofa ready to be put away.

LookItsMeAgain · 23/02/2023 07:41

Is there a dishwasher in the premises? Could you request one? So that the next time you have friends for dinner you can load the dishwasher and leave the unwashed delph and flatware in it ready to be washed? Would there be space for a dishwasher?

Ihavedogs · 23/02/2023 07:48

Why on earth would you not sort out the ‘quite a bit of’ washing up when you knew you were having an inspection?

In the grand scheme of things it should not be an issue, and it was probably quite petty of the agent, but as you have found out, it didn’t leave a good impression.