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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect that if the landlord has a problem with us, he would just say so...

22 replies

pinkdolly · 11/03/2008 19:04

Ok, I will try and make thi brief.

We have been living in ore current house since July 07. Had an inspection by the letting agent just before christma and passed. She did mention about the sticky finger print marks on the wall (I have 3 kids 5 and under). To which I told her I would repaint before we moved out. She seemed very happy with this and sent a letter to us saying she was pleased with everything.

The landlord turns up on wednesday to collect his post. He only comes into the kitchen having walked passed our untidy living room (toys everywhere). Anyway we had a really nice chat and he left.

The following day I had a phonecall from the letting agent saying the landlord has been on the phone and is very upset as we are not looking after his property. He demands a full inspection with himself and the letting agent.

Where did that come from!

He had never said a word to me the day before.

I agree that the place was a bit untidy as wednesday's are hugely busy for me. So there was a bit of clutter and washing up in the kitchen. But other then that, there is no damage to the property. It was just my mess.

I am feeling a little upset that he chatted so nicely and then reported us. And also feel he is being a little unreasonable given that I do have 3 small children. Who BTW are homeschooled so are with me all the time. So I have no free days to tidy the house. I just have to work around them.

So anyway I have spent the last week, scrubbing and polishing and de-cluttering and the house is pretty much spotless, which is nice. But I am a bit worried as to how he might be on thursday.

Sorry that wasn't very brief at all.

OP posts:

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 11/03/2008 19:18

I think he has a bloody cheek coming into YOUR home & collecting his post! He should have his mail re-directed. YOU are entitled to 'quiet enjoyment' of the property (if it is not in your contract it should be - but in any case you are protected even if ommitted)- he should call you to make an appointment if he want to inspect, and cannot just treat the place like he has not rented it! If he has an agent, no reason AT AT ALL for him to visit! it is entirely unreasonable to expect a HOME to be like a showroom - if that;s what he expects he is in the wrong business. Is this his only let?
I let three flats, and am scrupulous about checking with the tenants (plenty of noitce) if I need to do eg a gas check, and never go there for any other reason.

mishymoo · 11/03/2008 19:22

Your Landlord shouldn't be popping in to collect this post - he has had 8 months (since July 07) to redirect his mail! All contact should be made via your letting agent as they are managing the property on his behalf and I guess you signed a tenancy agreement with the agents?

I would say it is fair for the landlord to want to do an inspection but reasonable notice is required.

Original poster

pinkdolly · 11/03/2008 19:35

Yes we have signed a tenancy agreement with the agents. It states that he is supposed to give 2 days notice before coming to the house. Something that we have never made him do. Since we moved here he or his son have popped around at least half a dozen times unexpextedly to collect post and we've never made an issue over it.

He is a first time landlord and not only is this his only let but this was his home. He lived here quite happily for a few years before down sizing. The letting agent feels that as he had no young children when he lived here and everything was spotless and perfect that he might be having unrealistic expectations from us.

OP posts:

itsahardknocklife · 11/03/2008 19:39

Our landlord pops in occassionally to do botch job repairs (we don't mind - it means he is less likely to put the rent up!). Last he came around, he was confronted by my screaming toddler, my pregnant friend dashing to loo, with her baby crying, my dog barking in the garden and cat (which he didn't know about!) scattering the contents of a rather smelly litter tray. He didn't seem to mind!!
Anyway, if I were you I would make a big deal of your situation to the letting agency. Tell them that landlord has broken the agreement by coming around without notice.

Original poster

pinkdolly · 11/03/2008 19:43

I was tempted to do that, but thing is I genuinely have no probs with him just popping around. My problem comes from him, being ever so nice to me to my face and then reporting us, for no reason what so ever. I am, howver very tempted to just mention about the 2 day rule infront of landlord and agent on thursday and see what comes out of it.

OP posts:

Kevlarhead · 11/03/2008 19:50

If he's a first time landlord, and he's still getting the post sent there... I'm wondering if he's declared to the bank and Inland Revenue that he's letting.

Sounds like he's trying to leave a paper trail in place in case anyone tries to chase him for tax/mortgage fraud...

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 11/03/2008 19:55

Kevlarhead - that was also my thought. For your own security you neeed to know that he has at leat got permission form his lender (if any) to let the place.

SenoraPostrophe · 11/03/2008 19:56

he is being unreasonable, but otoh, how many people do you think would say "you don't seem to be looking after my house" to your face? also it could be that he mentioned the mess to his son, and that the son over-reacted and reported you.

I'd be annoyed though, and there's not much you can do about it as far as I know.

Original poster

pinkdolly · 11/03/2008 19:57

how would i go about finding that out i doubt he would tell me if i asked him straight out?

OP posts:

WowOoo · 11/03/2008 19:57

Yes, sounds dodgy to me!

auntypurple · 11/03/2008 19:57

I think this may have more to do with the fact that he almost changed his mind about letting the house out in the first place, and also that he now wants to see up. BTW did they give you 6mths notice yet, or can they just not re new the tenacy in July?

auntypurple · 11/03/2008 19:58

sell up

Original poster

pinkdolly · 11/03/2008 20:04

No, we've had no notice yet. And surely he cant think he could chuck us out over a few dirty dishes, toys and finger prints.

I dont know about the renewing the tenancy. I know we've only got a year conract so presumably he can just decide not to renew it.

OP posts:

auntypurple · 11/03/2008 20:07

I always thought that they still had to give you notice, as otherwise you could be out on the street. No they can't evict you over a few finger prints and dirty dishes. Ask the letting agent about the giving notice thing

SenoraPostrophe · 11/03/2008 20:11

actually they can evict you over some unwashed dishes if you've passed the end of your first fixed term contract. they just have to give 2 month's notice. if the first contract was for a year, then he can evict in July.

this is one of my pet peeves about british law. am drafting a ltetter to the housing minister as we speak.

Original poster

pinkdolly · 11/03/2008 20:15

What really!

I cant get over that. Surely if the house itself is being looked after the fact of whether or not I have had time to wash my dishes is irrelevant.

OP posts:

itsahardknocklife · 11/03/2008 20:16

yes 2 months. Our year's contract is up at the end of June, so if the landlord doesn't intend to renew it, we would have to know by the end of April. However, if we don't want to renew, we only have to give one month's notice.

SenoraPostrophe · 11/03/2008 20:22

they don't have to have a reason at all. It's outrageous, I think.

(as I say though if this is your first contract and it was for a year then he'll have to wait until June).

Housing minister:
Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London SW1E 5DU

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 12/03/2008 18:47

The housing minister has a difficult balance to attain. If the contract is too heavily weighted in favour of the tenant then fewer properties will be let, and so those who need to rent rather than buy will have a reduced stock, and so the rents will be higher, and landlords will be able to be chooser about their tenants.

SenoraPostrophe · 12/03/2008 20:14

there are a hundred ways they could make the law fairer to tenants without making it unfair to landlords. fair to one does not necessarily mean unfair to the other, but the current law is really, really bad for tenants.

also would less rental property really be such a bad thing? if there were fewer buy-to-let landlords about in the last 10 years, property prices would not have risen as fast as they did. most areas do not suffer from a lack of private rented accommodation.

2GIRLS · 12/03/2008 23:37

If he wanted you out he would have to give you 2 months nootice before the date in July, so you would know in May. He can't chuck you out for a bit of mess and if he wanted you out before hand 'not looking after the property' would have to mean that you had damaged the property in quite a big way. Even so, he can't just chuck you out, he would have to do it properly. And isn't there something that even if he wants you to leave adn you don't he would have to get an eviction notice (not that you should do that of course just saying that landlords can't just do what they want)

If I were you I would have the place clean but keep it as it would be with 3 kids about, and see what on earth he has to say about it!
On the other hand, it could go against you and he decides that you're a problem tenant and doesn't renew your contract.

If he doesn't give you your 2 months notice in May, make sure you sign another contract cso if you don't you'll be living on a month to month contract and he can give you a month notice to leave at anytime.

auntypurple · 13/03/2008 10:46

Good Luck for today, let me know what they say.

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