New Tenants Coming Around

[Belladonna90]

Not sure if it’s the stress of moving that has made me feel extra sensitive and unreasonable… so please give me a steer!
DP and I are moving into our first home together in two weeks. I’ve given notice on my rental and estate agency did a day of viewings and new tenants have been found. Estate Agent got in touch to see whether new tenants can come around on Saturday to take measurements for their furniture. Feel slightly annoyed by this as I’m in the midst of packing and there are random piles/ boxes everywhere and last thing I want is strangers manouvering around my stuff. The new tenants also know that I’m still living in the property and it’s not empty. Am I being AIBU if I refuse? Thanks all 💕

What lovely view you have of tenants being cheeky fucker clumsy thieves, not at all a bit of classism in it at all.

It is true most rental properties are shown vacant, but it is also true that most tenants do request a second viewing to do measurements once they know they have secured that property. The need to do measurements doesn’t evaporate if there is a sitting tenant, and it is not uncommon for tenants to request a quick 10-15mins to run around and do measurements. So it is ‘a thing’ even if you haven’t personally done it. As I said my relative has been an estate agent and letting agent for 16yrs so they’ve seen far more sets of tenants as have their colleagues at the estate agent offices than you possibly could have.

The sitting tenant does have the right to refuse access, but that is not really permission to be a bit of a twat.

This shouldn't be an issue because decent landlords leave at least a few days gap between tenancies to get the property checked over and sort out anything that needs doing.
Last time tenants moved out of a property we own ancient Chinese takeaway had to be chipped off the polished wood bedroom floor. I wouldn't expect new tenants to have to deal with that on moving day.

What a ridiculous comment, I said no such thing. OP doesn't know these people and has absolutely no reason to allow them into her home which she is paying for. Nothing to do with them being tenants. She has already been more than obliging in allowing viewings, no reason at all to give up her time for a second viewing.

It's not being a doormat if you do something that you don't mind doing. It honestly wouldn't bother me to let someone look around the house as long as it was at a time that worked for me.

OP, you mentioned that some prospective tenents had obviously opened your fridge and some cupboard doors. I don't think that's surprising as those things are part of the rental.

You most certainly did say this about the incoming tenants:
No guarantee they won't be complete CFs who take half an hour or more. Could move things, break stuff, steal something..

Most tenants do check kitchen cupboards for signs of rodent and roach infestations. When 1/3rd of private rentals are below standards it is the smart thing to do.

I said these random people COULD do that. I didn't say they WOULD do it because they are tenants. Nothing to do with their social status as you implied. Total reach on your part.

Incidentally I noticed you also accused the OP of "being a bit of a twat" for refusing access. Maybe look to your own attitude before accusing others.

Yeah Fair enough…. Especially if they were burnt before. I guess I keep reverting to how I have behaved when I was viewing rentals in the past. Anytime it was still being occupied by tenants I wouldn’t feel comfortable opening their fridge or asking to come round again to take measurements.

At least I am judging people based on something they have actually done and not some fear of what they might do. I also don’t believe your protestations that their being tenants had nothing to do with your comments as to their likelihood of being “complete CFs who take half an hour or more. Could move things, break stuff, steal something..”

They're complete randoms, they could do that (which I wouldn't want in my home) or they could not (but I also wouldn't want them in my home. It's my home, not theirs!). I don't think it's a comment on them being tenants or otherwise, it's a comment on having no idea who they are and them wanting access to someone else's home.

OP should just say no and not elaborate, I've learned not to get into debates or give reasons, it makes people think you're stating your blockers and are willing to negotiate. "No, not possible, sorry!" And if they come back take 24h to reply, apologise for the delay saying you're very busy and reiterate that the answer is no. You don't have to tell them why.

We very kindly facilitated the estate agents, viewers etc when we were due to move out of our rental and the landlady decided to sell. She then decided, two weeks before we were due to move out, that she wanted to change estate agents and send the new lot round to redo the pictures - the place was a half-packed mess of boxes by that point. So we told them they could wait until we were gone and she, and they, had the cheek to sound unhappy about it.

No good deed goes unpunished, as OP is finding out.

I'd let them visit, they won't care if you have packing boxes everywhere, they just want to make sure furniture will fit, no big deal.

I've viewed myself and facilitated others to view, being helpful is good (obviously fitted around your work timetable, wouldn't suggest otherwise)

Believe what you want. I'm not 'judging' the new tenants 🙄 If anyone is showing contempt for tenants here it's you and your insistence that when the letting agent says 'jump', OP should say 'how high?' and agree to all their demands, no matter how inconvenient for her.

Yes, this situation pits Tenant against Tenant so those of us defending OP are definitionally not “anti tenant” or despising tenants because of class bias or something.

Also to the poster who responded to me: I have rented many times and not needed to get in to measure. My response way upthread was to the poster who was disaster mongering with the tear jerking story of little baby-sleeps-on-the-floor because daddy and mummy couldn’t get in to measure.

I’ve been quoting what you said about the incoming tenants verbatim “complete CFs who take half an hour or more. Could move things, break stuff, steal something..” is what you wrote.

But your response to me calling you out on this biased anti-tenant comment is to double down and accuse me of showing contempt for the new tenants by making up something I never said much less insisted on:
“when the letting agent says 'jump', OP should say 'how high?' and agree to all their demands, no matter how inconvenient for her.” - this never happened. You made it up.

Nice one.

The new tenants are not complete randoms. They would not have been offered the tenancy if they had not passed referencing which is quite thorough. They also would not have access to wander around alone. The letting agent will be with them and the OP can also be present.

The OP has the right to say no, but comments about new tenants being complete randoms who could be cheeky fuckers that take a half hour or more and could move, break or steal things is scaremongering and in line with how tenants are looked down on as lower class, poor and untrustworthy.

They are unknown people, you have no idea about them. Someone being allowed to rent a property, while obviously a wonderful character reference (not sure why they don't use that instead of enhanced DBS for working with kids- perhaps you should contact your MP to suggest it?) does not mean I would want them in my property when it is inconvenient to me and I am trying to pack. (I don't know them, therefore they are a complete random to me, regardless of the estate agent thinking they're alright to live in a house after putting a hefty deposit down. Why do they take deposits after all their references by the way? surely passing references should be enough to confirm they won't damage the property?)

I would say exactly the same if they were buying the property from the landlord. It has literally nothing to do with them being tenants and everything to do with them being unknown people and it being my home still, not theirs yet.

You're the only person on this thread that I've seen making any comment indicating that tenants should be looked at as poor and untrustworthy. Which is pretty hilarious by the way, have you seen how much rent costs?

So why not do them a good turn and let them measure up. I think yabu its no big deal

You're the only person on this thread that I've seen making any comment indicating that tenants should be looked at as poor and untrustworthy. Which is pretty hilarious by the way, have you seen how much rent costs?

Dear me, I have quoted Lucanus so many times on multiple posts calling out their anti-tenant view that you actually think their view is my view.

Please go back and re-read the conversation in quote history and you will see it is Lucanus who thinks that and I am the one objecting to it. Ta.

This question is coming up regularly on MN and the general consensus is that unfortunately you have to provide access to the house for viewings ( this essentially counts as a viewing). You can expect 24 hour notice and you being present but that’s about it. That’s why EA is coming back to you all the time she is just doing it politely.
I don’t think that tenants are unreasonable, you just don’t know their circumstances, they probably think that you are very unreasonable not knowing when you are at work or not however in reality you have a specific job circumstances, the same might apply to them.

I didn’t read the whole thread but surely someone reminded you already about your deposit which you probably would want back .

If the property is unfurnished I think YABU to deny access, for the sake of what will only be 30 minutes of your time.

I did read the thread, you're accusing everyone who wouldn't want to let someone they don't know make a repeat visit into their home at an inconvenient time of saying they hate all tenant scum and would never let "lower class, poor untrustworthy" tenants cross their threshold.
The bit in quote marks is what you said, not anyone else...

you know if you unload that chip off your shoulder you might be able to stretch and reach a bit further...

dear me indeed 😂

Update everyone!
EA emailed AGAIN asking what day and time would suit this week?

She also said that they have asked a LockSmith to get in touch to arrange changing my locks. I find it really strange that they want to change the locks whilst I’m in situ. They said they want to have a key to the property. Are they trying to be intimidating? This is really stressing me out when I can do without their emails at this time. Thanks everyone as always