AIBU to be miffed at letting agency for this

[Banannanana]

Hi guys! Wondering if I’m being reasonable or just grumpy

We’ve been renting a property for about 3 years now whilst we save up to buy a place (nearly there thankfully!) The landlord is actually fairly good as landlords go, sorts any issues quickly etc. The issue is with the letting agency. They are a small local family run business for context.

Despite the landlord doing an inspection herself twice a year, the letting agency also insist on doing their own twice a year (one of the joys of renting, we get it). For context they require someone to be in for their inspection.

Last time they arranged one they phoned two
hours before to say they couldn’t make it, the time before that they were 3 hours late, and very often they arrange one and then reschedule the date a few days prior.

This time they arranged an inspection for 1:30 today. I’m a shift worker and have been on night shifts this week. It is what it is, I get I work unsociable hours, I got myself up at 12:30 and got the house tidy ready for an inspection.

It’s now 2:40 and no sign of them. They phoned about 2 to say they were still coming today but “can’t give a time sorry”. I’m now sitting on the sofa waiting for them to come, as I have for the past hour, unable to even shower or walk to the local shop in case they turn up. I keep thinking I could still be asleep ffs!

Maybe I’m just overtired and grumpy, but AIBU to think this is a bit rude and disrespectful of people’s time? If it was a one off fair enough, but it’s a constant thing now.

Anything I can do about this other than hurry up and buy a house? Is this just the joys of renting? Have other renters had similar?

Nope.

They have a time slot; if they dont make it, they dont come. Id consider charging them for "missed appointment". Make it clear at time of booking that there is a fee associated with no shows, and they forfeit the right to rebook within 3 months.

What does your landlord think?

Why the hell are you having so many inspections! Can you ask the landlady to tell them not to do it?

Do you have to allow the letting agency inspect, @Banannanana? I am not an expert, but I’ve seen plenty of people on here and elsewhere saying that landlords cannot insist on access for inspections, and I assume this applies to the letting agents too. From what I have read, this applies even if the inspections are in the contract, because the contract can’t supersede the law.

You are entitled to quiet enjoyment of your home.

If you are willing to allow the inspection, I’d suggest messaging them to say that, unless they arrive by 3.30pm, you won’t be able to be in for the inspection today, and they will have to reschedule.

If they have to do an inspection and someone has to be there it also has to work for your schedule not just there’s. When they phoned to say they would still be coming today but can’t give a time I would have told them it will need to be before X time after that I’m unavailable.

It’s in the contract that we have to allow inspections yes. Im aware of the laws, and the entitlement to quiet enjoyment, not 100% how this will work in practice. They kind of just tell us they’re coming, they don’t ask. It’s very much “we will be here at this time on this date, someone must be in to let us in”.

They’ve now texted my partner (who we’ve stated to them is at work and I’m the one at home, yet they always go through him first regardless) to say they’ll be there by 5. So that’s 3 and a half hours after the arranged time. Tempted to say that doesn’t work for
us then just go back to bed and ignore them.

I’m a landlord. I don’t do inspections on top of the agents (I don’t see why anyone would, they take loads of pics). But I think it’s perfectly reasonable to tell the agents that an appointment is an appointment and if more than 30 minutes late you are not waiting on them, and the appointment has to be at YOUR convenience in the first place; they can’t just say ‘we will be coming Friday at noon’ without discussion.

Do you have direct contact details for the landlord? I would send an email to the letting agent, but cc the landlord. Make it clear that you are willing to accommodate their additional inspections, however due to work schedules, they must adhere to agreed times. Give as many examples as you can of rearranged, missed or late appointments.

I would contact the LL and ask them if the agency inspections can stop or if they can come WITH the agency to their inspections. 4 inspections in a year is quite frankly ridiculous.

They have to give at least 24 hrs notice. In this case they haven’t, because they arranged a time and didn’t show up. You have every right to say today no longer works, rearrange (and it absolutely does need to be a time to suit you as well). And given the sheer number of times they’ve messed you about, in future I would only agree to times which are actually convenient to you, so eg don’t stay in / get up specially, and if they don’t turn up within 15 mins treat that as cancelled and they’ll have to reschedule- to another time that actually works for you and which you don’t have to wait in / get up specially for. They are absolutely taking the piss.

So is 4 inspections a year abnormal? The only other people we know also renting a house (landlord only, no agency) also have this many. We know people renting rooms in a HMO but not sure how this differs.

Should have mentioned we are in Wales, not sure if rules differ here.

It’s definitely abnormal. 2 per year is usually in short term tenancies. It could be the landlord or agency, no need for both.

I’m not in Wales, but yes that is a crazy amount!

Honestly, if they don’t rock up within an hour of arranged time - don’t open the door and let them sort out another time when it is convenient for you.

Yes you should probably have an inspection but they can’t just barge in whenever they please. Push back and just say to these appointments something along the lines of “sorry that won’t work, we can only do thursday at 3 or next week” - on your terms.

Suspect the agents are charging the landlord for the extra inspections, it’s an income stream for them.
It could be the landlord isn’t even aware.

Yeah I wouldn’t be tolerating this. We used to have this and the agency had a key and let themselves in. If they’re not there at the agreed time, I’d just get on with my day. If they’re turn up and you’re not there/asleep, that’s on them. And I’d only agree times which are convenient for you going forwards.

ours dropped to every 6 months after the first couple when no issues were found. And then stopped completely once I raised a complaint about their feedback and pointed out that the cobwebs on my porch was not actually something they could legally object to while I lived there.

No specific advice but just to say I had exactly the same problem with a rental house in the past and I got seriously annoyed too!

Despite the landlord doing an inspection herself twice a year, the letting agency also insist on doing their own twice a year (one of the joys of renting, we get it).

You only have to allow inspection. If it's already been done by the landlord then you don't need to allow it to be done again by the agency. Just politely decline and tell them 'the landlord's inspection has already taken place on X date'.

Remind the agents that they are there to provide YOU with a service. They are not your manager, your boss or your parents. Maybe wait until the new legislation comes in on 1st may and you will be in a much stronger position to push back hard. It will then be far more difficult to evict tenants.

I would complain about the inspections and tell them you are cutting them down to once a year. Also you will be making an admin charge of £x per hour or part thereof because of their unprofessional behaviour in turning up late. They may have put it in your contract that you have to allow these appointments but I will bet there is no mention of payment. You have signed nothing to say you will do it for free and are entitled to charge for your services. Especially if you are taking time off work and they are being late. I would complain and threaten to report them to their regulator. That will bring them up short and get their attention. You can also refuse to allow photographs of anything that shows personal possessions and restrict them to issues with fabric of the building and potential repairs.

Very abnormal, we get one inspection in a blue moon so every 3-4 years or so.

I've never had anything like that. But I've had some rather hands off landlords!

absolutely Send them a message ‘I’m not available at that time’. Then go back to bed, close the the curtains, switch off all the lights and put white noise on so the knocking doesn’t disturb you. The multiple appointments are one thing but being continuously late is just disrespectful of your time.

Well, thought I’d give an update. They turned up at ten past four with no apology or explanation, did the inspection, then said as they were leaving “we’ll see you in a couple of months then, we’ll let you know closer to the date but it’ll be between 2 and 5pm again”. Brilliant.

They're being way OTT. I've been in my rented flat for 15yrs and never had an inspection. The landlord has come over now n then to sort maintenance issues and seen the flat during those times but that's it.

Hope you can move out soon.

You just tell them no. They need advance notice AND permission to come into the property (unless it's an emergency). If the time is not convenient for you, then you give them your availability and tell them to make it work. If 3h time slot doesn't work, then don't allow them in.

And what does your tenancy agreement says about the frequency of the inspections? Unless it is in the tenancy then they cannot schedule those visits anyway, and if it say twice a year then they cannot come more than that, so why would they come again in 2 months?

Eh wtf no say they come at 2 on whatever day or whatever suits you and if not they can’t come in

They are taking the piss

They can’t kick you out for not being home for hours waiting

They kind of just tell us they’re coming, they don’t ask. It’s very much “we will be here at this time on this date, someone must be in to let us in

They have no right to do this - they are allowed to inspect, but times should be agreed with you. Say no, politely. "Sorry, that time does not work for me. I can offer you either tuesday or friday afternoons, or monday before noon. Please ensure your agent attends on time or I may not be in as I have work commitments."

The key is to be reasonable in terms of your own availability and not suggest (for example) that they can only ever attend on a Thursday at 2pm. Completely reasonable to make clear you are available only for (say) a one hour time slot and that if they miss it you can't offer another.