Page 4 | Agent telling me to do washing up...

PercyPigfangirl · 2023-02-22T20:29:04+00:00

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?

Lordofthebutterfloofs · 23/02/2023 07:53

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

What? She isn't selling anything?

Moveoverdarlin · 23/02/2023 07:55

A flat inspection would be the one day I made sure the washing up was done.

Feetupteashot · 23/02/2023 08:00

You have a responsibility to avoid vermin infestation in most contracts

thymee · 23/02/2023 08:01

I can see it from both sides. They shouldn't be imposing conditions about the tidiness of your home which doesn't impact on the property. However, if there is so much washing up that they can't see the state of the worktop/ sink, that could be an issue.

Walkinginthesand · 23/02/2023 08:02

Onnabugeisha · 22/02/2023 20:41

I know legally you are right, but I cannot fathom why last nights dishes were not washed last night. To me, that isn’t “generally tidy.”

It sounds like the landlord feels the same way and the reality is that legally the landlord can also just send you an S21 to evict you for no reason at all.

So, it doesn’t matter that you are right, if you get into a pissing match with your landlord (vis a vis the agent), you may lose your home.

So, I would advise taking a conciliatory tone and just say it was a one off dinner party and usually all dishes are washed the same day they are dirtied.

Exactly. I can’t believe that knowing you were to have a flat inspection you didn’t ensure the flat was in a condition that reflected you to be an exemplary tenant even though you may let things slide from time to time. It’s in your best interests.

TakeMe2Insanity · 23/02/2023 08:03

Agents come and take a picture of a moment in time, how would they know this was an exceptional situation rather than a daily?

fyn · 23/02/2023 08:03

I once had a letting agent tell me that I needed to declutter after an inspection. I asked for clarification and they said that the amount of books/bookshelves I had made it look cluttered. I withdrew permission for any further inspections as my furniture choices weren’t their concern!

lola006 · 23/02/2023 08:05

When we rented we had Martin & Co come for their annual inspection (well the man was outsourced from some inspection company). I was heavily pregnant, but made sure the house was clean, like as clean as you’d make it if prospective renters were coming for a viewer type clean. But…in the middle of a spare room I had left a cardboard box full of baby clothes on the floor that I needed to go through. The man decided that I was covering something up, like a mark or stain on the carpet so I said I asked him if he wanted me to move it. He said no.

Imagine my surprise when the report came back saying the that house needed an overall clean! DH did as others have suggested on here: literally phoned letting agent and asked if having 1 cardboard box on the floor was somehow in breach of our lease? And could they please point to where it said that in our lease because we couldn’t find it. After they apologised, DH made it clear that that man wouldn’t be entering our house again so they’d need to send someone the following year (they did).

thewinterwitch · 23/02/2023 08:05

I suppose they think if you're slack enough to leave an immense pile of dishes etc out knowing they are doing an inspection, how slack are you in general.

It's just common sense to put your best foot forward for an estate agent.

Perhaps you don't normally leave your dishes and pans unwashed, or perhaps you are attracting vermin, ants, cockroaches, etc, into the property.

TaRaDeBumDeAy · 23/02/2023 08:05

I'd have hidden them in a cupboard if I really couldn't do them, but I'd never leave unwashed dishes sitting about if someone was going in my house 😲 ESPECIALLY for an inspection.

They are probably worried about your standards, op.

thewinterwitch · 23/02/2023 08:06

Yes. That is what ovens are for!

FuckWasps · 23/02/2023 08:07

Onnabugeisha · 22/02/2023 20:41

I know legally you are right, but I cannot fathom why last nights dishes were not washed last night. To me, that isn’t “generally tidy.”

It sounds like the landlord feels the same way and the reality is that legally the landlord can also just send you an S21 to evict you for no reason at all.

So, it doesn’t matter that you are right, if you get into a pissing match with your landlord (vis a vis the agent), you may lose your home.

So, I would advise taking a conciliatory tone and just say it was a one off dinner party and usually all dishes are washed the same day they are dirtied.

You "can't fathom" why anyone would do anything differently to you? You must spend an awful lot of your life being confused.

BellePeppa · 23/02/2023 08:10

This happened to me once. When renting I had an inspection and made sure everything was clean and tidy except for a few cups by the sink (tea in the morning). I was told the landlady (who came round too, a truly horrible person) complained I had left washing up and hadn’t hoovered (I bloody had!). I was furious (even my next door neighbour loathed her when she lived there herself). I think it’s completely out of order. Fair enough if it looked like it belonged to someone with serious hoarder issues but to just look perfectly ‘normal’ and not Beautiful Homes’ magazine ready should not be an issue.

DifferenceEngines · 23/02/2023 08:11

Walkinginthesand · 23/02/2023 08:02

Exactly. I can’t believe that knowing you were to have a flat inspection you didn’t ensure the flat was in a condition that reflected you to be an exemplary tenant even though you may let things slide from time to time. It’s in your best interests.

Show quote history

On one hand, yes, you do need to play the game a bit. On the other hand, I think it's a bit shit that when OP is having a busy time with a dinner party and work, that her dishwashing habits are pointlessly dictated by someone else.

HangingOver · 23/02/2023 08:12

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

Probably this, although mice would be much more likely. They're a pain in the hole to get rid of. When I lived in London house-shares most people got mice at some point due to the combination of people leaving food out and old buildings.

BellePeppa · 23/02/2023 08:17

InelegantAndWild · 22/02/2023 22:24

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

I think maybe the poster who ‘can’t fathom’ why anyone would leave dishes overnight after having friends over would be delighted to go to OP’s flat and keep her dishes sparkling everyday. There are a lot of things in life I ‘can’t fathom’ but a few unwashed dishes left for the night are not one of them.

saraclara · 23/02/2023 08:21

FuckWasps · 23/02/2023 08:07

You "can't fathom" why anyone would do anything differently to you? You must spend an awful lot of your life being confused.

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Did you read the entirety of the post you quoted?
I'm not a naturally tidy person, so I CAN fathom not washing up straight away, because I don't either.
But someone who rents is basically occupying their home at the whim of their landlord. And the annual inspection can make or break the relationship.

Some landlords are chill, some are nightmares. On the day of inspection one had to work on the premise that they're looking for a reason to get rid of you. So yes, like the poster you quoted, I can't fathom why anyone would leave masses of dirty pots and pans lying around on inspection day.

TheFretfulPorpentine · 23/02/2023 08:22

BellePeppa · 23/02/2023 08:17

I think maybe the poster who ‘can’t fathom’ why anyone would leave dishes overnight after having friends over would be delighted to go to OP’s flat and keep her dishes sparkling everyday. There are a lot of things in life I ‘can’t fathom’ but a few unwashed dishes left for the night are not one of them.

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

Onnabugeisha · 23/02/2023 08:23

Walkinginthesand · 23/02/2023 08:02

Exactly. I can’t believe that knowing you were to have a flat inspection you didn’t ensure the flat was in a condition that reflected you to be an exemplary tenant even though you may let things slide from time to time. It’s in your best interests.

Show quote history

Yes, my thinking too. I’m also a private tenant and housing is so precarious right now in the private rental sector that landlords are being extremely picky and they have the legal means to demand and get a higher standard tenant than the legal minimum.

Onnabugeisha · 23/02/2023 08:26

FuckWasps · 23/02/2023 08:07

You "can't fathom" why anyone would do anything differently to you? You must spend an awful lot of your life being confused.

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Not the day of an inspection, no. It’s seems a bit shoot self in foot to leave your kitchen in a state when you know an agent will be round to take photos and upload them for the landlord to peruse. And you know there are magnitudes more families looking for rentals than there are even rentals in existence. To risk your family being dumped into that rat race, for the sake of fifteen minutes washing up. Well, no I cannot fathom why OP did that.

Dibbydoos · 23/02/2023 08:27

There job on inspection is to check for damage/misuse. The agent must be very inexperienced to think this comment is appropriate.

Def don't allow them in without you being there and get them to remove the comment.

Good luck.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 23/02/2023 08:30

DH and I had a rental inspection post pandemic and we were asked to keep 2m away from the letting agent while she inspected.

The place was immaculate. But she opened the oven door and said ‘eurrghh, yuck’. I couldn’t look over her shoulder as I was on the the side of the kitchen counter. I was surprised and said ‘I know we had a roast at the weekend but I thought DH had cleaned it.’

Letting agent left and I went to check the oven. The ‘mess’ that was so bad it made her vocalize was oven cleaner. DH had sprayed the oven but it need to be left for 12 hours or something like that.

Letting agent was thereafter know as ‘Shit For Brains’ or ‘Fuckwit’ because of this and several other issues.

I’ve often wonder what her kitchen looks like if she can’t recognise oven cleaner in use. 🙄

Onnabugeisha · 23/02/2023 08:31

saraclara · 23/02/2023 08:21

Did you read the entirety of the post you quoted?
I'm not a naturally tidy person, so I CAN fathom not washing up straight away, because I don't either.
But someone who rents is basically occupying their home at the whim of their landlord. And the annual inspection can make or break the relationship.

Some landlords are chill, some are nightmares. On the day of inspection one had to work on the premise that they're looking for a reason to get rid of you. So yes, like the poster you quoted, I can't fathom why anyone would leave masses of dirty pots and pans lying around on inspection day.

Show quote history

Exactly right. We are inspected once a quarter. We do usually keep the place tidy; but on inspection day, it’s inspection ready to military white glove standards.

OP is being lax at her own peril. Tenants can be evicted for no reason at all…and she’s just given the landlord a reason. If she writes back with a “do one, and btw I withdraw permission for inspections” as others are shortsightedly advising she will find her and her DC out on their ear within months.

bert3400 · 23/02/2023 08:32

When I rented previously we were pulled up on the state of the garden. We had just got over heavy snow and they were moaning I hadn't been out to cut the grass ....in February. Pissed me right off and I told them so.

Hotvimto3 · 23/02/2023 08:33

This happened to me years ago. Landlord let herself in and said i was entertaining men as my boyfriends clothes were on the maiden.
She insisted I have a cleaner as part of the tennancy which i did it was only £20 a week but the cleaner did fuck all. It was a tiny 1 bed flat and all my posessions vould fit in a couple of boxes. She ended up being a spy... they rang my employer and said when the cleaner arrived my cereal bowl was in the sink and my coffee cup and they were fuming.
I packed up and walked out then sent them a solictors letter to get deposit back which I did.i appreciate however that rental properties are in short supply so its not necessarily an option. Some people are just cunts and have more money than sense. Send her a letter threatening to get solictors involved. You've done nothing wrong.