Anyone else’s Landlord do this? AIBU to be irritated?

[Specksofwhiteallaround]

For context we’ve been renting this house from our Landlady for just over ten years now and she’s hands down the most intrusive landlord I’ve ever had. Can be very free with her opinions on how we live and has form for dropping in unannounced as she’s passing by, if she does let us know she’s coming it’s with as little notice as possible.
So fairly or not I find her very irritating generally but what’s really annoying me is the last couple of years she's developed a habit of scheduling in visits to the house every single time my son is off school. My son has autism and attends a special school, he really doesn’t like having strangers in our home which she is aware of. As my husband frequently travels for work at short notice I don’t work so she could come anytime during term time but she repeatedly turns up during the holidays, usually with one days notice and disrupts our plans. I just don’t understand why she herself wouldn’t rather come when my sons at school, everything is tidied away etc.
The last straw is her texting me at 6:30am on bank holiday Monday to say she wanted to call in at some point that afternoon to drop in some paperwork to us. She wasn’t too happy at being told we weren’t available that short notice but agreed to reschedule so now she’s coming today at some point between late morning and early afternoon so we’re wasting a day just hanging around waiting for her and I spent the hottest day of the year deep cleaning downstairs to circumvent comments on my not having hoovered over the bank holiday weekend and how my son really doesn’t need that many toys out…
Is anyone else’s landlord like this? Am I unreasonable to find this annoying and wish she’d try to schedule this in outside of the holidays?

Have you checked that LL raising rent today? Is legal and have you had an electric certificate in the last 5 years? Or an EPC as they are every 10 years?

id get in contact with private housing at your local council, they will liaise between you and help sort out your problem LL

slso check your deposit is in a scheme? If not then that will be an interesting predicament she is in…

Maybe just leave this thread open on a laptop...

She has no need to be present when the gas engineer (not plumber) comes. Ask her to give you the engineers number and you will schedule a convenient time between yourselves.

Tempting… maybe I can include it in our notice when it’s time 😅 I definitely won’t be considering any viewings if she tries to insist on any when we’ve served notice after this weeks shenanigans.

We’ve been doing that for the past few years as it was the same guy and he’d just organise it between us but apparently he’s given up his business so these are new plumbers, not sure why that means she needs to be here or what she thinks they might do in her absence.

I am speechless about how utterly passive you and your husband have been in the face of years and years of appalling and unfair behaviour from her. This would indicate a serious lack of confidence in both you and your husband. I think you need to address this. No wonder your son hides from her, he knows that no one is going to do anything to stop her

Absolutely this - just be firm with her!

I'm sure the gas engineer can manage without her supervising. What could she possibly add to the situation?!

Tell her to give them your number and you'll arrange it with them directly.

They're probably worried in the past she'll kick them out, if they stand up to her 🤷

So? Ultimately they are two full time working adults with full capacity. And this is a pretty run down poorly maintained property. There is no way that no other suitable home has not come up on the past decade!

This landlady has been disrespecting them, laughing at them, speaking to them like children, criticising them and even their son hides from her….for ten years? No, that indicates a couple that seriously lack self confidence.

From May 1st she can only increase rent once each year.

Not rtft but if you've not been served with the new renters rights act info , your l/l can be fined for quite a bit of money.

The deadline is 31 May 2026. Potential fine £7,500.

If my LL messaged to say he needed to drop something off at short notice I'd be absolutely fine with it, he's pretty chill and we go years without speaking to him which is only usually because the letting agents aren't doing what they're supposed to and doesn't bat an eyelid at the state of the house unless it's a shoddy job the agents contractors have done.

If he was popping in regularly and commenting on my family or the hoovering I'd be fuming and be arranging a time that was suitable for ME. I'm pretty sure LLs MUST give you 24hrs notice and have a genuine reason.

Just tell her no. A plumber knows how to do the safety certificate. Don’t let her steamroller you, just tell her that. After 9 years, I ask my tenants to organise this type of thing for when it’s convenient for them and I wouldn’t dream of coming round to supervise. I just pay the invoices. Mad. For any future attempts, tell her it doesn’t work for you and she doesn’t need to come round except for an annual inspection. Quote the paperwork she gave you!

You know you have to agree to rent increases, right, they can’t just be imposed? Hope your survey goes well, our buyers are at this point.

She has to give you the new Rental Rights Acts regulations by 31 May and signed confirmation that you have been given these documents otherwise she will be faced with a fine of several thousand pounds.

Read these documents and look up your legal rights and what you can do about infringements by your landlord

Spoken like someone who has no idea of the upheaval of moving with two months notice. Finding a house within catchment of your children’s school, that’s affordable and doesnt look like the landlord will sell up anytime soon. Plus have the deposit, and money for boxes etc.

you make your rental house a home - as best you can.
my son sobbed and sobbed when we told him we’d have to move.

I would be looking to move house or be up on a charge!

There are laws against this. You are entitled to peaceful enjoyment of your home, without these unnecessary and intrusive visits. Contact the charity Shelter or Citizens Advice who can tell you about your rights so you can confidently refuse to accommodate her unreasonable requests.

Sounds like your neighbours have raised issues about your child’s behaviour and they are worried about their property.

This son hides from the landlady.

My son hides from everyone who isn’t me, my husband or his grandparents, I do have to let people into the house at times and he understands that.
I was just making the point that she knows he doesn’t like her being here and it would be better if she would come when he’s at school as far as possible.

Oh right, so normal at all that he hid from the landlady. I assumed it was unusual given you mentioned it

Given he doesn’t like her there, given you know this, given she’s rocking up whenever she fancies and is not legally permitted to - it is quite shocking you have been allowing it to happen. And as for spending your bank holiday deep cleaning to avoid comments about vacuuming…. Firstly, why not just vacuum?! or better yet, just say that isn’t going to work for us.

Have you told her you’ve had an offer accepted?