Landlord wants us to live in a show home

[Rosybud88]

We moved into a property in April this year, it’s a nice house and we pay rent fully and promptly.

I have a 9 month old and I’m 5 months pregnant. It’s a 3 story house and I’m struggling with the stairs. When we rented the house I didn’t know I was pregnant. My husband also works away internationally a lot.

The property has a downstairs room which is full of boxes and unpacked items. The bedroom on the middle floor has clothes and a suitcase on the bed as I’m travelling next week. The kitchen sides have an air fryer, steriliser, your standard bits and bobs. The washing machine cupboard door decided to fall off the top hinge one day, no damage to the door and it’s just in a downstairs cupboard waiting to be rehung.

Estate agents have just done a 3 month visit, all was fine and nothing was mentioned. I have just received an email today basically saying the landlord will be worried if she sees the pictures as she’s particular about the home. The agents basically want us to resort the house, they come back in a few weeks and retake the photos so to not make the landlord consider not renewing the tenancy next year.

To me, it just feels utterly ridiculous. I’m not new to renting and there is zero damage to the property. The estate agent is trying to make out that the floors on the ground floor are very expensive and we are to take great care with them - I’m no floor expert but they don’t look it. They are saying I need to sort limescale in the bathroom etc and it’s just a bit OTT. I need to clear off all the kitchen sides. We need to trim a bush in the garden etc There is nothing wrong with any of the rooms it all feels like nitpicking.

Is it reasonable for our landlord to expect us to live in a show home and if not, then they not renew our tenancy?

you have a right to quiet enjoyment of your home and they can't tell you to tidy up.

Well, if that’s what they're saying, you’ll have to make some changes. It shouldn’t take long to clear the kitchen worktops and can you either sort out the room with the boxes or unpack things and put them away in cupboards? Limescale is easy to remove with Viakal or similar and if they say the floors are expensive, it’s reasonable for the landlord to want them taken care of.

If you’re travelling next week, you could say that you’re packing, but other clothes should be put away.

I suppose it depends whether you want the tenancy to continue next year.

I don’t think the comments are unreasonable.

Depends on whether you want to live there next year I guess?

the landlord owns the property and has the right to want it to be kept in good condition

We have yearly tenancy checks from the estate agent, and I always spend days making sure everything is clean and super tidy, lawns mowed, pretty spotless I inside and outside. I suppose yes, like a show home. Which, is ridiculous and obviously people with young children don’t live like that everyday. I certainly don’t with a 2 and a 4 year old.

But it’s one day a year, and I suppose it shows the landlord that you’re looking after the place. And maintaining a good impression for that one day a year means I’m less anxious about them randomly deciding to kick us out for whatever reason. Isn’t renting fun!

Can’t wait to be able to buy!

Ask which day the ll is sending a cleaner round....

I'm a LL and this is why I don't use EA's. I let the property to the tenants, they pay the rent and provided no illegal activities occurring I let them get on with it. I view briefly after 1 year and if ok just briefly view kitchen after that each year when they sign contract renewal. Providing it's undamaged and cleaned when they leave I don't mind how untidy in-between as none of my business. My own house gets untidy sometimes and I'm not a hypocrite. I'd email EA back with a picture of the cupboard door back on and stating there is no damage. Check your lease to see if it mentions cutting back shrubs. If not in lease then LL can say nothing about it.

We had this. Complaints included dusty skirting boards and cobwebs in the outside porch. It felt like they were trying to build a picture of us as bad tenants so they could then keep our deposit (which they tried, and failed to do.)

after a few letters like that I wrote back saying it was ridiculous, nothing we were doing was damaging the property and that I didn’t want any more inspections as we were entitled to quiet enjoyment of the home. They never did another inspection 🤷‍♀️

It's not a legally enforceable request and the landlord has no right to insist, the EA also has no right to further disturb you by coming around to do further photos. You could politely but firmly remind them of this in writing (email), don't worry about eviction as it sounds like the LL probably isn't going to renew regardless.

The agents basically want us to resort the house, they come back in a few weeks and retake the photos so to not make the landlord consider not renewing the tenancy next year.

Well, do you like the house? Would you hope to renew the tenancy for the next few years?

It’s ‘ridiculous’, but it’s one morning of cleaning up certain areas so they can have a pic snapped of them. I’d roll my eyes but I think the agent is trying to do you a favour, they could have just sent over the pictures of the mess as is.

She's only been in three months, quarterly checks where everything has to be spotless is unreasonable.

Living in a property, i.e. having items about isn't not keeping it in good condition. OP has only been in there three months and they're already nitpicking about stuff that a lot of people in homes they owned wouldn't be worried about.

Getting close enough to see limescale after living their three months suggests they either didn't leave it in great condition for OP to move into, or they're practically using a magnifying glass to find issues.

@Rosybud88 I admit to not knowing anything about this, but can you deny any inspections bar the annual one? I couldn't be dealing with quarterly.

There's nothing wrong with mess. The bank doesn't come round and inspect my house just because I've mortgaged it with them.

Tenants are made to feel like second class citizens by agencies - usually the actual Landlords are more chilled.

But they can evict you. For no reason. It’s shit.

Similar has happened with my DP. He has just had his first inspection (3 months after moving), and they complained about unpacked things everywhere.
They also made a comment about stuff being being piled on his sofa and coffee table. The flat was unfurnished, and those items are his!
Their justification for wanting the place clean and tidy is that it is is easier for them to check for any problems.
It will fall on deaf ears though, as he is autistic and cleaning etc is something he really struggles with.

I always think that as long as you leave the place in good nick when you leave, then how you live in the meantime should not matter.

@Rosybud88 landlord here!! your landlord does not have the right to dictate how you live your life!!!

They can't require you to keep it tidy, it's unenforceable and if they tried to evict you over it, they'd lose.
However, if the fixed term comes to an end and you want to renew and they don't, then you can't force them to renew. So as annoying as it is, I'd have a quick tidy-up before they come round, to keep on their good side. They have to agree a time with you in advance for an inspection, so at least you've got some notice to sort it.

Lots of EA insist on 3 monthly inspections and expect the place to be spotlessly tidy as well as clean and undamaged. While it probably doesn't worry LL’s themselves too much if the place isnt tidy (as long as the property is kept undamaged) I suspect the problem is that there are lots of letting agents and estate agents with letting departments chasing business and each tries to show they are worth the huge fees they charge for managing the properties! Leading to these ridiculously picky rules.

I had this. Teenager from the letting agent put a note on the report complaining about dishes in the sink. No idea what my cereal bowl had to do with the land lord. Renting sucks.

We spend days cleaning before the inspection, lawns mowed edges trimmed bushes cut back. Carpets cleaned, windows cleaned walls and skirtings bleached etc etc as good as we would do when moving out. It's one 30 minute visit a year for peace of mind of another years rent.

Yes, quarterly checks are unreasonable, i totally agree. But we had the same as new tenants - initial 3 month check i imagine to check we were normal human beings and didnt immediately trash the place upon getting the keys, and then it reverted to yearly checks.

It might be the same situation.

Really though it's upto you. I tidied as i liked the peace of mind. Id be well annoyed with regular 3 month checks though. After a couple of successful super tidy ones i would email the letting agent and request yearly checks instead.

Name changed to agree with the first part.

Depends on whether you want to live there next year I guess?
@Rosybud88 I am a landlady with 3 different properties. All 3 were bought as homes for me, but have kept them. It means, they are all well looked after properties and not your usual btl properties.

In one of them, my prized one which cost over 1 mil to buy, a tenant moved in. I loved my tenant (yes, we got close) and still do; but she and her family had so much stuff (from 2 flats) so my place was filled.

As much as I wanted to keep them, when it came to negotiating rental increase, I was aware that 1) I do want my property back, present it in a presentable form to prospective tenants and 2) move on. Balanced with the little rental increase they could afford- there was only one decision. And it broke my heart seeing my property reduced to something I couldn't recognise.

It was just hard to even do viewings whilst they were in because viewers had very little chance of seeing the property although I had stunning photos showing it was an upmarket property. In the end, I reduced the rent to get in someone who I knew had minimal belongings as I know I will be able to get proper rent when these new tenants leave.

All things being equal, how you keep the place, can work at your disadvantage even if you feel it shouldn't. I could see my tenants were clean but just very very untidy.

At my other flat, my tenants who I know cannot afford a huge increase in rent, have LUCKED out as they are super tidy and haven't overfilled the flat- so that point had for the last 3 years at last 3 renegotiations worked massively in their favour. I also know when they do move out, prospective viewers will be able to see the place and my rent will not be affected, negatively and unfairly.

I have learnt a big lesson from my first untidy tenants.

In your case, I would ask for more time as you are pregnant, about to travel, dh away etc etc. I am sure, up to 2 months is reasonable for new photos to be taken. But I would advise you let them take better photos. Of course it is your right to keep it how you want, but just be aware.

If you want an easy way to get rid of limescale, buy some white vinegar (B&M sell it for less than 50p a bottle) soak some cotton pads or kitchen roll in it, leave on the limescale for a few hours, or overnight if bad. It will fetch it off just by wiping. If it’s on a tap end, soak cotton wool pads in the vinegar, put them on the tap end so it wraps round, secure to the tap end with some cling film, and a rubber band.

Edited for typos

They’re getting prepared to not renew your tenancy. The photos will be for the new listing.

Ridiculous , the landlord can't dictate how you live in your house! If OP wants her clothes in a box she can do whatever she likes.

but she has only been in since April?