Are we are unreasonable landlords?

[Leavingonajetplane33]

We moved out of London recently, but have kept our house and we are renting it out.

Our tenants moved in last week and so far we are finding them very difficult. On day one they called and the wife was shouting down the phone to my husband with a whole list of things that she was unhappy about.

There are too many things to mention, but she described the house as being filthy, dirty and covered in stains. Firstly the house is rented unfurnished with wooden floors throughout so not sure what could really be stained. Secondly, we had our much trusted long term cleaner spend 8 hours cleaning the property after we moved out and the check in report we have since since seen describes the property as domestically clean throughout. Nevertheless, we subsequently agreed to arrange a professional clean of the house. When the cleaning company arrived they called us to say that there was so much stuff everywhere that they could not even access some rooms and as some boxes etc were piled precariously they considered it a health and safety hazard. They cancelled the clean (with a £50 cancellation fee) which our tenants are very unhappy about.

Before moving in the tenants demanded that we install a washer dryer (we only had a washing machine) which we reluctantly agreed to. We did not have time to do this before we moved out and then needed someone to be at the property to take delivery. We had thought the tenants would be OK for this to happen shortly after they moved in. On day 1 the wife went ballistic at my husband about it and asked how she was going to be able to do washing. We pointed out that she could use the existing (perfectly fine) washing machine and put clothes out to dry in the 30 degree heat, but apparently that was unacceptable. We arranged a washer dryer to be delivered 2 days later (the quickest possible delivery slot) and then the night before (after we had had already received a 2 hour delivery slot message) they told us no one would be around to take delivery. We have again incurred a charge to rearrange the delivery.

There is a whole host of other things but I would be here writing for days to detail them all. Funniest was they told us that the boiler is inadequate because it does not have a water tank (it is a combi boiler).

We have asked to go round at some point this weekend to look at a couple of the smaller “issues” and collect a parcel addressed to us that has been accidentally delivered to the house. They are refusing because it is the anniversary of the death of the wife‘s mother.

We are trying our best to help them, but nothing ever seems to be right / good enough for them and frankly is is exhausting!

I don't have one

I’m not saying these tenants have done nothing wrong, but on the washer dryer - the OP is at fault.

Yes , at fault for agreeing to buy one !

We don’t have one in the houses that we live in or those we rent out.

The laundry gets hung up in the laundry room when it comes out of the machine.

Get rid asap. They’ll likely not pay the rent

I have no idea if this is a high end, middle or low end property. I do know that most people renting in the UK these days would expect a dryer to be present in a rental property.
I don't provide one
Haven't been asked to.
It's not part of the rental
If i were to provide one i would then be responsible for any repairs.
They can buy and maintain their own

If the tenant didn't have a dryer and ended up with condensation mould from drying clothes indoors, no doubt you'd all be telling the OP to evict them 😂

Genuine question: if it should turn out that they are nightmare tenants who know how to play the system, not pay and simply refuse to move out for a long time until absolutely forced... how can a management system get them to pay or get them out any sooner than the landlord can?

I did a bit of research on this. Legally it makes no difference. It just takes the hassle off you when they've got issues

Plus the issues with fire risk and damp.

I’ve never had a drier anywhere I’ve lived other than when living in a tower in NYC where the laundry facilities were communal and in the basement.

Well yes, why the laughing emoji? Tenants who don’t take care of the property can expect to be evicted. The rent is in exchange for living in the property and treating it well, it’s not a licence to damage it.

I did a bit of research on this. Legally it makes no difference. It just takes the hassle off you when they've got issues

Thanks, Cosyblankets - that's what I assumed. I suppose the agents might have more experience at putting on the pressure (within the law, of course), but if you have determined chancers who know what they can get away with, it doesn't change much for you, does it?

How do you think clothes are going to be dried in the winter months? Indoors - either on racks or in a dryer.

I once had a letting agent try and tell me - in the context of penetrating and rising damp - to dry my clothes outdoors. In Wales. In January. There was no dryer.

I think sadly you made a mistake agreeing to have a washer dryer most rentals don;t have white goods, aside from an oven which you have to. This is because if you provide them you also have replace/service them. I know agencies arent always very good, but they provide a buffer between you and the tenants. I think you need to toughen up otherwise you will be at their beck and call. Presumably you did get references?

It's precisely the reason i decided against it. As stated in previous post i know a plumber, an electrician and a handyman. For the most part this is what you need

As I wrote above, we dry ours by hanging them in the laundry room. There’s no reason that this would cause damp in a well-ventilated property. We’ve never dried outdoors, have never had a tumble drier, and have never had mould.

So on the one hand, tumble dryers apparently are a ridiculous request from a tenant and hardly anybody in the UK has such a frivolous appliance

But on the other hand, if you don't have one and end up with mould from drying clothes indoors (unavoidable in some properties) then you've damaged the property and should be evicted

Thanks for confirming my original point 😂

They don't need a dryer at the moment do they with the weather being so hot? There is a working washing machine so why the big fuss about no tumble dryer? OP has arranged for a washer/dryer so they have nothing to moan about.

Personally I would not have agreed to a washer dryer when there is a perfectly good washing machine but that is down to OP.

Many seem to think Landlords should provide white goods . By law they only have to provide an oven , not a fridge , not a freezer , not a washing machine , not a tumble dryer , not a washer dryer .

No, you don’t end up with mould. Again, we’ve never had a tumble drier, have always hung clothes in the laundry room to dry and have never had mould.

If tenants cause mould then they will be evicted and the landlord will rightly retain their deposit to cover the damage that they have caused.

Fortunately I’ve never rented to someone incompetent enough to be unable to work out how to dry clothes without damaging the property.

Your tenant has replied!

Not all properties are created equal. How high are the ceilings. Is there double glazing. Are the floors concrete or draughty floorboards. How well insulated are the walls and loft. All these kind of things affect ventilation and whether mould is likely.

I can't be the only person who's lived in 2 different properties, with the exact same habits, and had mould in one but not the other!

As long as the laundry room window opens none of these matter.

Please tell me you’ve not been drying with the window in there closed…

Well I've learnt something new today. I wasn't aware as a tenant I could demand new white goods in place of the functioning ones & I would receive it 🤷🏻‍♀️
I have never had a problem like this from a tenants prospective, and I have let via agents and owners.
Your tenants seem quite demanding. Had they rented before and did you get references?
If this is more than a glitch you can obviously serve them notice.
It does sound like they/she/he is expecting everything to be just like 'home' iyswim?

Please tell me you do realise that not everybody has a dedicated laundry room where they can keep the window open 24/7 in the depths of winter?

Some people live in tiny flats and bedsits with children