LL came into my garden and removed my bird feeders

[goodoldsussexbythesea]

My landlady lives locally and often drives past my house. Early this morning, I was in my front garden, filling my bird feeders, and she pulled over and said that the advice from the RSPB is not to feed birds from feeders any more.

I told her that actually, the advice is not to feed them seeds and peanuts between May-October this year and I'm planning on following the advice so I was just using up the last of my seed now as it's not May yet.

She got really defensive and said "well, I just think it's important to follow the advice so I'd rather you didn't do it, please take the feeders down!!" which really annoyed me so I said, well it's not May yet so no, and anyway the advice is that you can feed them (small amounts of) mealworm and suet balls after May so I will be doing that, and she didn't say anything else, just drove off.

This really wound me up and I was annoyed for the rest of the day, took the kids out to a farm park and I arrived home an hour ago, and my feeders have gone out of my garden!!!

I checked my ring doorbell and she's bloody come into the garden, armed with a plastic carrier bag, removed my feeders and taken them away!!

I rang her three times back to back and she wouldn't pick up, so I whatsapped her and it immediately went to two blue ticks. I said - "Please return my bird feeders immediately, they are my property and you had no right to take them. I am following the advice but even if I was not, you still have no right to take my things."

After half an hour she replied "I am not currently allowing tenants to use bird feeders at my properties and have asked that they all be removed. I was passing so I removed yours for you, they are in safe keeping and will be returned in October"

My AIBU is not about who was in the right because I bloody well know I am, but whether or not I should call the police. I spoke to my neighbour about it and she said I shouldn't and that I should just replace them and remove the cost from the rent. She says she's obviously nuts and I shouldn't risk falling out with her

YABU - Don't call police, replace and charge her or do something else
YANBU - Call the police, report her for theft, and give them the doorbell footage.

It is theft. I am going to take your car but I will give it back to you in six months? I'm sure the police will still describe that as theft.

She absolutely shouldn’t have taken them, but I expect the reason is to avoid attracting rats and mice.

I could not agree more. I hesitated to use the word "customer" as I thought some pedantic poster might jump on the definition of the word but in principal, it really is a service provider/customer relationship. The LL is off her head to think she has the right to insist the OP follow advice from a bird charity. I'd laugh if I didn't feel so sorry for, and angry on behalf of, the OP!

OP has explained multiple times, including in her OP, that the landlord gave her reasons and it was nothing to do with rodents.

It really doesn't matter what her reason is. She had no right, end of discussion.

Yes probably. Doesn't change the fact the LL owns the house and will be in control of the situation. What is the point in the tenant trying to make a point for a few more days of April. It seems futile and will only make a bad situation worse. Still that is OPs choice to make.

You can make homemade bird feeders by using a nearly empty butter tubs and fill them with seeds. Put them on an upstairs window sill and they'll see them. LL is out of order though and she cannot remove your feeders. I'd report to 101.

😂

100% this. OP has been treated shamefully by a landlord who is ignorant of the law relating to both landlord/tenant and theft. For those anxious about rats, there are an estimated 10.5 million of them in the UK, and they thrive in urban areas, enjoying, in particular, the detritus around fast food outlets. PS I know rats carry disease, so no need to point it out.

She has essentially stolen your property and entered your property without permission.

Write to her telling her she had no right to access the property as she did not give 24 hours notice and you will be documenting the access. Note that any further occurrences will be reported to the local council housing team.

In the letter also state you expect the return of your bird feeders immediately. If they are not returned by x date this will also be reported to the local council housing team.

It starts with going in the garden and bird feeders - where does it end? Her barging in while you are having a bath? Stealing plants? Taking your TV?

I would feel very vulnerable if someone entered my property without prior agreement.

She doesn't have the right to enter even with 24 hours notice.

She's batshit and definitely in the wrong, and I'm sorry that you've lost the pleasure your bird feeders brought you (I truly understand the joy of small things) but the problem is that she is your landlord and having a big fight with her is probably not worth it.

If the law sufficiently protects you (after May 1) then you could write her a nice friendly letter requesting the return of your bird feeders, confirming you agree not to hang them on the property between May and October, and asking that she comply with the terms of your tenancy agreement going forward with respect to entering the property.

Would your neighbour hang the bird feeders in her garden so you can still enjoy them?

I think we have to separate out the ecological aspects from the landlord's high handed behaviour.

No one wants rat or other infestations as they are not pleasant to deal with and can frighten people and do immense harm to property. So the LL may have a point about bird feeders. However she should have asked OP to remove them in a conciliatory and polite manner.

Taking the OPs property as though she were confiscating something that belonged to a naughty child under her charge is not acceptable. I would be inclined to go and knock on her door and demand my property back. Take a (burly male) friend with you and make all the points posters here have made about overstepping her authority. Chances are she will be caught completely on one foot and hand them back.

Wait til after May 1st! We are in a completely different landscape after that and I suspect a lot of tenants who have held their peace will be pushing back.

A car is different as there is separate legislation for taking a car without consent.

The Theft Act states there has to be an intention to permanently deprive. This is day one in police training stuff. They wouldn’t describe it as theft.

If you do this let us know how it goes with the Council Housing Team. Although I expect they are a little busy with people & families that have no bed tonight.

Actually you said in the landlord’s position you’d start the process of evicting OP. Do you think evicting a tenant who interprets advice on bird feeding differently is actually legitimate?

Absolutely wild replies here.
Whether you agree with bird feeders or not, the landlady has NO FUCKING RIGHT WHATSOEVER to steal the OPs property! Cheeky bitch. I’d be knocking on her door op and threaten with the police if she doesn’t return them!

I expect the police would say it is a civil matter, but the cost of small claims court is probably more than the cost of the bird feeders.

Absolutely DON’T do that. It goes on your credit file and are the birds really that important? I’m renting and also feed the birds on my fire escape. I also feed them meal worms in suet, but will stop when I’ve run out.

As already explained on this thread, councils have Private sector housing departments that help and assist tenants.
So neither of you are as funny as you think you are

This. She has stolen them. A vague ‘I”ll return them later” does not stop it being theft. She’s depriving you of them.

tell her to return them or else.

Ypu are right however you will end up looking for somewhere else to.live which will be a massive pain. It sucks but bigger.picture

Haha you really don’t know what they are do you?

i mean in theory landlord could serve notice based on selling the properly - but will then need to leave it empty for a year - losing thousands

From May 1st worst she can do is put rent up to market value.

I wait to be corrected but I don't think one single reply has said that what the landlord did was OK or appropriate.

Some of us are just suggesting that the OP should pick her battles carefully as the landlord ultimately holds the cards and the OP is very happy in her home at a time that rentals are hard to come by.