To think my landlord is overinvolved?

[MumHouseDilemma]

Private landlord (no agency), SE England. LL owns the building (6 flats in it) and lives v nearby.

He doesn’t do regular inspections but it does feel like he’s here very regularly. If there’s an issue with the flat and a tradesman attends to assess the issue, my LL will then follow up to take photos of whatever it is that needs doing. He will usually also turn up with the tradesman, even if I’m in. I’m waiting in at the moment and this will be the second time he’s been here this month. He will usually take photos of parts that need replacing so he can source them for less than the tradesman has quoted (this was also why part of my flat was out of bounds for about 20 weeks but that’s another story)

Constant emails to the entire building about the bins/ recycling.

On one hand I’m grateful that he’s diligent and sorts stuff but on the other hand, I feel like I’m in an Air BNB with the constant emails, visits, reminders etc.

or is this entirely normal? I’ve rented my entire adult life but haven’t seen much consistency in practice with LLs.

Sounds OK that he checks out what needs fixing - waiting 20 weeks not so much.

The wait was because he was trying to source the parts for cheaper than the tradesman were quoting him. He did do it, eventually, but it involved five separate visits from five different tradesman to tell him the exact same thing. Frustrating!

I think you can’t have it both ways here. You’ve rented directly from him so no agency fees and he sound diligent about sorting out what needs to be sorted.
if you’d rather that he wasn’t there then you need to a) rent via an agency or b) accept that there are compromises with repairs.
the beauty of renting is that you can make these decisions and leave the property if you don’t like it.

Surely there wouldn’t be agency fees anyway? Or do you mean fees to manage the property which he’d end up passing onto me through a higher rent?

But also yes I take your point. I do just wish he’d trust the tradesman rather than the constant photographing and getting second opinions but beggars/choosers and all that

It doesn't sound odd to me from a private landlord. As long as he only comes when you raise a concern and not for random reasons. If it was my property, I would also want to see what the issue with my own eyes and talk the the tradesman about the repair.

Maybe it makes more sense to me now that I own my house though, not having to worry about repairs and cost is the one aspect of renting that I miss!

It does sound odd to me. I've never had this. He sounds quite bored.

Sounds absolutely fine.
My husband used to be similarly diligent.
However, I wouldn't bother to rent out property anymore.

Hands on, engaged landlord ? Excellent, you are lucky, many, many posts complain of the opposite.

Margins are tight (not expecting sympathy) so shopping around for materials and checking on trades is prudent.
Always an option to move out and odds are you will have a different landlord experience.

He should be giving 24 hours notice before coming into your property and even then you can say no unless it’s an emergency.

Coming along with tradesmen is intrusive. It’s his property but it’s your home. I’d hate that

I’m a landlord. I use an agent but even so, this is not normal at all. Is it difficult to find alternative accommodation?

You should be citing quiet enjoyment of the property. Imo 2 tradespeople total to quote for the work if large, fine. Anything else, not fine. I have one guy, who does as much of the work as possible. He does the kitchen / bathroom refurbs and smaller stuff when he has time and is not employed through the agent.

Can you compromise and say to him you will take pictures of the Work man's work after they've done the job and send it to him?

No, that doesn't make sense. It's quite common to not rent through an agency and it doesn't mean your LL should be in your home all the time.

The work he had multiple tradesman for was replacing a shower. He didn’t want to replace the unit and re-tile, so he asked as many plumbers as he could about it. Finally he somehow managed to find the part of the shower that needed replacing, and that’s what we did. It was months and months of having plumbers in and out of the property at inconvenient times, never with 24 hours notice.

large work is also quibbled on, to the Nth degree.

I’ve tried this. He wants to see it with his own eyes. Sigh.

Would A FaceTime Work?

Yes, extremely.

Thinking about this, my first ever LL (who lived next door to the property), was the same. Actually not the same - worse. She commented on everything as she could see (why are the blinds always closed, was a particularly weird question I remembered being asked)

I did suggest this but he claims it’s easier for him to just come up. It isn’t (for me)

This is exactly how I feel. It’s almost as if he doesn’t accept that any of his tenants are living in properties which are our homes, not his. That’s why I said it feels like it’s an AirBnB sometimes.

A property divided into 6 flats is always going to be regularly visited by tradesmen, and to involve regular conversation about all kinds of issues between all the interested parties.

That would be the same if your LL only owned one of them and the others had private homeowners or different landlords.

Is there much turnover in the other flats? Do the other flats ever bother you with antisocial behaviour? If there isn’t, and they don’t, then that’s something to be grateful for!

And I’d argue it’s a sign that you’ve got a good and diligent landlord.

There isn’t high turnover, from what I can tell. I’ve been here a few years and so has everyone else.

Don’t get me wrong, my LL is nice, but it does feel extremely intrusive when he’s here twice a month and pretty much always has been. Sometimes he will announce “the electrician and I will be there on x date at x time” (for regular maintenance) meaning I’ve had to totally alter my plans. My neighbour reported the same and also said he felt that my LL hadn’t let go of the fact that he doesn’t live here anymore.

but I have also had landlords who have blocked my number when I reported issues so I know it could be much worse!!!!

From what you’ve said, he’s basically got you over a barrel. I hate the way some landlords treat tenants like an inconvenience. You pay, this is your home. He really is a stingy bastard and if money is so tight, he shouldn’t be a landlord. You need deep pockets. As I say, I am a landlord.

But come on, with five other flats of tenants in the property things could be so much worse.

In the setup OP describes the greatest risk to her wellbeing will usually be antisocial behaviour from the many neighbouring tenants and their guests.

If that isn’t happening then the landlord - who unlike the neighbours isn’t literally living next door to her 24/7 and who is attentive and fixes problems - is doing a really good job!

Chapeau to OP’s LL!

Voted YABU because the other extreme is so much worse.
I would be gently hinting to him that the visits are too much by being unable to accommodate multiple visits for the same issue. ‘Sorry I can’t be home to let you in on Tuesday, I’ve already been disturbed to accommodate two visits for this issue’.
If he knocks without notice ignore him. Let him get the message.