Landlord says house in disarray

[Mangococktail]

I've given notice on my flat.

The landlord wanted to have photographs taken.

I warned him I am mid move and house doesn't look its best but was happy to co-operate.

He has emailed to say he and photographer will return in one week as the house was in disarray.

He cited:

A mop and bucket in the bathroom (they live there. They've been there for every one of his 12 inspections)

A slow draining sink

Flies in the house

Sticky worktops

Bags waiting to go to charity shop ( which I'd told him was the case).

AIBU?

Thanks @MojoMoon

He's just sent another snotty email saying the hob wasn't properly clean.

Hahaha @Woohow ...this is what I thought. The bucket and mop are clean and ALWAYS stay in a corner of the bathroom. If you want a photo just move them. There was cleaning spray and cloths he could have wiped the surfaces. I had wiped them!

Second email ended "in short, I look forward to finding the property suitable for photography at 10am on May 5th".

I wish you could see it...it is perfectly suitable.

Deny him access OP.

Just say no OP, you don’t have to allow this

i agree with the PP who said it sounds like he’s looking for every vaguely possible reason to keep the bond you’ll have paid when you moved in. It’s ridiculous to be saying it’s in disarray when you’re preparing to move. Whenever I’ve been looking at places to rent, it’s really offputting when the existing tenants belongings are in the pics. It feels very invasive too.

You know you don't have to legally ever allow access even if it's in your lease unless landlord gives 24 hours notice for maintenance never ever for viewings or photos. You been kind to allow him in. Refuse access now

Dear Landlord

The property is my home and is a perfectly respectable state.

My tenancy agreement states that: "The Tenant must take reasonable care of the Property, any items listed in the inventory"

(This is from the government recommended tenancy template, check what you one says but they aren't allowed to have unreasonable clauses)

I have and continue to take reasonable care of the Property, including by using a mop in the bathroom.
I have no obligation to prepare the property for commercial photography.

Visiting without an appointment or entering without my permission breaches my right to quiet enjoyment of my home.

It could also count as harassment under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. This is a criminal offence.

I will consider reporting you to the council for enforcement action if your behaviour continues."

( or let them round but replace any art hanging on the walls with posters saying "the landlord is a knob, don't rent this flat" and get as many life size cardboard cutouts of people/animals/buildings as you can fit them in the flat. Remind them not to touch your belongings when visiting.)

I'd be careful. Take lots of photos and videos yourself as u move out.every corner, cupboard door wall all of it

I don't think OP needs to worry too much about her deposit, it'll be in the protected deposit scheme and the onus will be on the landlord to prove why he should withhold any of it.

He's a cheeky fuck with that email btw. Have you replied yet?

I'd just reply back and say: I'm preparing to move house and I also work full time. I am not able to arrange to tidy and clean the property for a photoshoot as I don't have time and I cannot guarantee the state or location of individual items on any given day. I will of course be cleaning the property on departure so you may want to postpone your visit to when I have vacated the property .

Legally you're entitled to quiet enjoyment and he can only come round with your permission.

I think he's taking the p*ss.

Either tell him it's not convenient and he can wait until you've moved out, or decorate the property with knickers and bras everywhere and see what he says 😄🤣

Hate to say it as a landlord, but he’s being an idiot and you are perfectly within the law and your rights to refuse access. He can take as many photos as he likes once you’ve moved. He’s obviously trying to not have a void in rent and probably wants someone to move in straight after you, but tough.

Make sure you take LOTS of time stamped pics when you’ve taken everything out so he can’t claim left it dirty/damaged. Swarms of flies? Utter crap, I bet. That’s offensive: is he trying to say you have rotting food everywhere?!

Actually I wander he's sewing the seed so he can argue with you about your deoosit

I wish I hadn’t been so scared when we were going to be moving out and landlord wanted to take photos to sell the house so I cleaned and tidied it to within an inch of its life and they got great photos.

And then when people came round to view it I made everything show home tidy as well….think I even had to show one lot of people round!

Actually I wander he's sewing the seed so he can argue with you about your deoosit

Doesn't matter, as he won't be arguing with her but with the deposit scheme tribunal and they'll expect proof.

Update: told landlord didn't want the photography as their visit is scheduled for two weeks before I move out and it is clear he expects a show home.

Got back a vaguely blustering, intensely patronising and decidedly rude email saying he had the right to enter at 24 hours notice for any reason and that this was the end of the matter.

I have warned him there will be packing boxes and flat pack furniture dismantled.

Assuming the place is clean what can he actually do? He seems vaguely threatening in his reference to "not wanting to fall out" without offering any compromise, reassurance or recognition that I have never before been uncooperative but I cannot meet his expectations for how the house will look!!

Does your contract quote 24hrs 'for any reason' as he states, or is that for maintenance purposes? Doubt he has right to photograph your possessions without your consent. He's trying to get a jump start on advertising the flat to minimise the vacant gap, but as pp mentioned, he could+should use past photos for that, and if he hasn't retained any that's his oversight.

Get in touch with Shelter, tomorrow for assistance about your rights, his harassment, and in constructing a suitably no-messing response to him (you can check out their website in the meantime).

Good luck

Just write back and say that you are perfectly happy for him to be at the house at the prearranged time. However you are in the process of moving out and therefore you cannot guarantee where boxes and items will be located at that time.
Don't bother trying to quote your rights at him (he's not within his rights fwiw). Just be clear there is no obligation for you to tidy the house and you will not be doing so. End of.

The tenancy agreement could say he had the right to enter the property buck naked with 24 seconds notice and it wouldn't override the law.

The law says at least 24 hours notice, except in emergencies (that would affect the property i.e. a leak etc), but you can say no if not an emergency. He doesn't just get to say I'm coming at x time and you have to let him in.

Many years ago i had a similar landlord who let himself in without notice when I wasn't there and was mid move like you, and he was so "concerned" about the mess he demanded a "pre inspection inspection" I said no, but knew he would turn up anyway.

We locked the door and left the key in the lock on the inside and sat in the dark waiting. He was very confused when he couldn't get in. We were trying very hard to laugh quietly. He was even more confused when he arrived early for the "real" inspection (to catch us out) and the place was spotless, and commented that we'd "changed the locks back then?" because his key now worked.

Just let him waste his time with pre move pictures. He'll have to take them again later if he wants the place like a show home.

You’re moving out in 16 days, why doesn’t he wait until then?!

I agree with PP’s, you’re under no obligation to turn the flat into a show home for his photos, he can use some old ones or wait 16 days. He’s being ridiculous.

Given that you’re moving in two weeks anyway, I wouldn’t even bother contacting Shelter, etc.

You guys are amazing!!

So you know I'm.actually going to be sort of homeless when I move out (which he knows) so this extra stress is horrible plus I'm obviously having to get rid of a lot of stuff...trying to sell what I can. Its not a straightforward move.

I agree...why not wait 16 days!!!! He owns several properties. He is not short of cash.

Or why not just be polite?

I've done as suggested and said he's fine to visit but that "the house will be in the state of presentation of a normal person who is two weeks away from movimg".

There's no issue with cleanliness it's just the packing and sorting.

I HATE him. He will know the law perfectly well...professional landlord for decades.

He can't know it that well or he's been bullying people for decades.

He has no right to enter your home with 24 hours notice. You are entitled to quiet enjoyment of your home. It sounds like he's going to be vile anyway, so tell him to piss off till you've moved out

Yes @Obetwitgree I mean he knows he's bluffing.

His entire tone has been so blustery and so "that's the last word" that I know he knows he is wrong.

He will know the law perfectly well...professional landlord for decades.

A lot of them push their luck, and state their own version of facts about access with notice or xyz which you agreed to when you took on the tenancy but its all bollocks. You even see it here "what does your tenancy agreement say?" It doesn't matter!

I'm sorry you're having a stressful time and he's making it worse. It's up to you if you (fake) play nice or just refuse him altogether, there's nothing he can do either way.

Make sure you take extensive photos when you leave and video so he can't arse around with the deposit.

Ahh I see. All the more reason to tell a bully to fuck off 💪🏻

I'm sorry you're going through this. I was bullied before like this and then said no more till I moved. It felt like a violation after living there for 20 years