Tenancy inspection today - can they say anything about a messy house?

[YorkshirePuddingBelongs]

I have a tenancy inspection this afternoon - my landlord is a nasty prick, his DD is doing the inspection. It’s a long story but he’s been awful, sending me harassing emails, making threats and breaking the Tenancy Fees Act as well as his part of the tenancy agreement. I move next month, thank god, but he’s 100% out to get me - and I think he has likely briefed his DD to look for problems.

There is no damage in the house bar a scuff or 2 on the walls (it’s an old house with tiny narrow staircases and this was from carrying the bed up - he’s seen them before and said it’s fine it always gets scuffed). But we’ve been going through some stuff and I haven’t had time to spring clean line I always do. I have a horrible feeling she will comment on the mess. It’s mostly things like the bathtub and shower needs a clean, the kids’ rooms need a hoover etc. but I KNOW they will be looking for problems because they’ve heavily hinted at it, sending me messages about “if there’s damage you haven’t reported you will be liable for the costs” etc.

Have you not RTFT? I explained why i said no

He WAS breaking his part of the agreement by harassing me

Thank fuck I never had a LL like you who thinks someone else’s mess is their business, the home isn’t the tenants and that harassing someone is acceptable

If you ARE a LL you should just be thankful for tenants who pay and not damage the property - and if you are suspicious of tenants who stand up for their rights then being a LL absolutely isn’t for you

I have. You're just making excuses. He's not harassing you; he's asking to inspect his property.

Why not just clean up, have the inspection and get on? The time you've spent on here trying to justify your behaviour could have been spent just getting on with tidying up enough

You need to pick your battles

You're a joke at this point. Make up whatever suits you. Where did harassment come into it? Clean your home- yes it's yours but it's your landlord's house and investment. It is not unreasonable to want to preserve an investment- that's the whole point- maximise returns! I pray your LL gets a more reasonable type of tenant next. I bet you weren't this mouthy when you were trying to secure the tenancy!

In the alternative, save for a deposit, get a mortgage and then treat that home/house exactly how you want. When you have to stump up for repairs due to neglect and slovenly housekeeping, come back and let's discuss.

So you think it’s OK to send accusatory emails with ridiculous claims, send spies out to check on me, make digs about my profession and not give the required notice, and get his family to call me when the property is nothing to do with them? That’s more than ‘asking to inspect the property’

I don't know how to make it simpler.

Clean the house
Have the inspection
Done

I don’t give a shit about preserving some random twats investment - I just want a home to live in. And I will treat it like a home. I won’t cause damage but I’ll have as many dishes as I like laying by the sink. Tenants pay the LL’s mortgage and are also expected to keep their ‘investment’ a show home standard - any LL who thinks this is reasonable is deluded.

I don’t know how to make it simpler:

Dont be a harassing intimidating cunt to tenants and expect to be alone with them in their home.

Thank fuck the law doesn’t agree with @Houseplanter and @Myfabby

I’ve decided I am gonna allow viewings but I will be telling the truth when they ask what the LL is like. I know renters are scum of the earth on MN but nobody deserves to be spies on going about the day in their own home

I don’t necessarily agree with everything those two posters have said, but it’s worth you remembering that actually without that “random twats investment”- you wouldn’t actually have that home to rent and live in? Where I live there is a massive shortage of houses/flats to rent because more and more landlords are just realising that often it’s not worth the hassle, difficult tenants, tenants not paying, tenants leaving the place scruffy or damaged etc. I’m not saying you are those things, but your attitude of “I don’t care about some random twats investment I just want a home to live in”… you wouldn’t currently have your home without that random twat, and you’re living there temporarily, so surely it is just common courtesy to take care of it?

As I say, there’s a huge issue where I am with lots of people who need to rent and there just isn’t enough left to go round. Where would you be if that ended up being the case?

And I totally agree with you it doesn’t need to be “show home standard”. I certainly don’t keep my house perfect all of the time, but just keeping it ticking over and clean is surely fine and I think that is “treating it as a home”? As in, I could have my house “clean” in probably an 45 mins/an hour, not deep cleaned etc obviously, but to the point where if someone walked in then they wouldn’t think “God it needs a clean in here”.

Gonna send my tenants champagne for Christmas. I didn't know how good I have it!

And you're still here. Filthy oven. Scuffs on walls. Gross bathroom. Sigh

This thread is batshit. OP YANBU and glad you are a) standing up for yourself and b) getting out of there.
Also hope your daughter is ok (or son, I can’t remember and can’t be arsed to check back through batshittery).

I’m a typical MN hygiene clean freak and I still think this is all batshit!

Send them my condolences while you’re at it. And perhaps get therapy for your OTT hygiene anxiety

I don't understand why 6ou started this thread. Whether they would seem the house messy or not, you've made it clear over the pages that you don't care at all.

And indeed, if as you've gone to insist, that the house is not that bad, then why would you care what they think?

You keep going on about how you don't care what they think, that all that matters is how you return it (which is absolutely correct), so again, why did you post in the first place?

Why do you feel the need to speak to someone like this? What do you gain from posting horrible things to people who are already struggling? Does it make you feel good about yourself? The OP is clearly having a shit time at the moment, her marriage has broken down and her daughter is struggling with her mental health. And you have kept going on at her, being increasingly rude and accusing her of being the aggressive one.

@Myfabby might suggest my LL gets me some too- I've got the oven cleaners coming next week and between March and early November have a gardener every 3 weeks to keep it straight (big garden) - I've had 2 inspections since November last year and another one due in a few weeks- I have no issue because it's nicely kept and it's a beautiful house in a lovely area. It looks lived in but in order and agent commented how lovely but homely it was .

If it was my house I admit I would be doing the same- consequently we have good references over many many years and are always picked if we are competing. I know it sounds a bit smug but these days it doesn't pay to not play the game a bit- because choice isn't great

I've had a couple of LLs who were not great, one who thought it was ok to just let himself in with no notice when we were 2 days late paying the rent - due to being paid late. I reported him to the agent (he was a very high up public figure too)

Another who was terrible for repairs of any kind and we rented direct (have never done this since)

But asking to do an inspection a couple of times a year I don't personally feel is harassment. If you don't let them do it then they are more likely to hassle you surely

@Crikeyalmighty see that's the thing. If you need an oven cleaner, then the oven is presumably dirty So genuinely, what happens if the inspection happens before the oven cleaners come? I'm not being rude but that's what I don't understand. Had my inspection today and they checked the oven (I clean it after every use and take it apart to clean it v regularly - take the glass out, inspect the shelves etc.).

I think I get about 5 days notice. I've never used cleaners- what if they can't fit you in?

@Crikeyalmighty great username btw!

You are nuts. If you are cleaning your oven every day you have severe OCD or severely need a life. Either way it’s not OPs issue.

No it was my own musing! Sorry I am quite chatty but I definitely don't have OCD. Still my point stands I think. Having to say sorry it's not cleaned to a high standard (as required) and the cleaners are coming etc. That's the conversation I want to avoid. I cook all the time but I don't use the oven every day - often just the hob. The agents are nice but it's a proper stand by your beds moment. It's an actual inspection. This is my 3rd renter in my 40s and 50s and it's always like this.

I rented a lot in my 20s - and I just don't remember it being like this. Anyway sorry for detailing. I just get chatty.

Op you have had a bit of a kicking here by some posters. Poor show, especially in light of what you are going through.

I am a landlord, and yours sounds v unprofessional, especially the comments about getting the regulars to spy on you.

I do think that a pre end of tenancy inspection can be beneficial as it can head off problems and set expectations, but if this is what he intended, he hasn't gone about it well if he is making up bs about checking rain goods (although that is definitely something I check regularly - gutters, downpipes etc as huge amounts of damage can be caused if not cleared).

In terms of scuffs on the hall wall, it depends how bad they are. A couple of minor ones are likely to be classed as wear and tear - huge scuffs going up the length of the stairs are more likely to be classed as damage. I would suggest getting wall erasers, like Doktor Power, and very gently trying to remove. I wouldn't try to touch up with paint as it usually looks awful.

Re the carpets - I don't think it reasonable to suggest you get them cleaned, although if there is a stain, I would suggest you spot clean it.

I was at a recent event held by one of the deposit scheme companies in which they explained their decision making around deposit disputes. They differentiated between reasonable wear and tear (not deductible) and cleaning, which is deductible. I wouldn't give the ll any ammunition to withhold your deposit. Clean thoroughly and take your own photos and video - many more than you think you need. Review what is stated in the tenancy agreement.

It may be worth checking what documents you were provided at the start of the tenancy - EPC, gas certificate, inventory all come to mind. If you haven't been given these it would strengthen your negotiating position if he tries to withhold the deposit. Are you based in England? There are slight variations in legislation if you are in NI, Scotland or Wales.

If you want your landlord to renew your lease, it's understandable that you want them to think you are looking after the place to their satisfaction, because in some landlords have refused to renew and issued a notice to quit if they don't like the way the tenants are. So keeping them sweet, beyond the letter of the contract is sensible.

But OP is already leaving. She has given notice. She has no reason to go beyond her enforceable, contractual obligations. She does not need to please the landlord. Barring a few extreme examples, the landlord cannot hold OP accountable for keeping the place clean during the tenancy. Only on cleaning or repairing things at the end of the tenancy and, even then, only to a standard the TDS concurs with.

I've never known a landlord inspect an oven.

@Nanny0gg as I say my 3rd modern renter and it always happens! I must just be lucky that way! I assumed they all did it now.

It depends on what was in the tenancy agreement which the tenant signed. Many expressly make provision for the landlord or their agent to do inspections. If the tenant signs that, then the landlord has the right to inspect!