Tenant sent the builder home!

[Ilovemychocolate]

I am a landlord, and rent a house out to a young couple.
There is some urgent work that needs doing to it, so I arranged for a builder to attend the property yesterday and today to carry out the work, at my expense obviously.
At lunchtime the tenant sent the builder home, as her cat had escaped and she said the cat wouldn’t return if the builder was in the house, he was plastering so hardly creating a huge amount of noise.
Not withstanding that her original tenancy agreement stipulated no pets, (which I overlooked as she is very pet orientated) am I being unreasonable to ask her to pay for the builder when he has to return next week to finish the work?
She didn’t phone me first to check if it was ok to send him home, I called her when I found out she had, and she swore at me, saying she didn’t give a fuck about the building work, she was more concerned about finding her cat.
I am bloody livid right now, the work should be finished by now, and now I’ve got to stump up another £250 for an extra day!
And before anyone piles on, yes I have a cat, yes I get she was upset, and yes I know the rules about pets have changed since May 1st.

OP said: "It was agreed in advance, she says she did lock the cat away but it got out." Doesn't sound like the builder did it to me, sounds like the tenant didn't secure it properly, otherwise she would have said that he did it, wouldn't she?

🤣
He didn’t.
She apparently locked her cat in a room, it got out.
Nothing to do with the builder.

To be clear, allowing the tenant to treat it as her home is not 'relaxing the rules', it is the law.

The property is OP's asset but it's her tenant's home and the tenant is legally entitled to quiet enjoyment of it. That's what she's paying for.

To be fair to your tenant, the 'escape' probably happened when her back was turned as she was on the phone to the local circus arranging for when they could deliver the elephant to the property. She was busy expanding the zoo!

Because it's a business arrangement!
If you were an employer, you can be nice to your employees but you don't let them start making the rules or doing things that cost you money or breaking their contract and letting it slide, and then later complain that your employee doesn't respect your authority and hasn't listened to you. And the fact that you've been nice doesn't mean HR will let you break any rules when putting in consequences for them.

If you've got a solid tenant, and you know they respect your property and will look after it, understandable. A tenant treating the property as their home though, would take care of it. This tenant hasn't, they've caused damage, knowing it's not them who'll be paying for it. If a tenant has lied by omission about getting more pets, and allows animals to pee on the floor, they're probably not going to be the best to deal with tradies or to be relied upon to communicate with them or you about any issues.

To be clear, using commas means that those are separate issues:

1. Being a nice landlord
2. Relaxing the rules
3. Allowing the tenant to treat it as their home

Of course she is entitled to quiet enjoyment - but when she has agreed to work being done on a specific date, didn't secure her pet (for their own safety) on that specific date, and then sends the tradesperson away and swears at her landlord because of her own lack of responsibility - who is prohibiting quiet enjoyment? The tenant is a turnip, surely?

Jesus Christ, OP, the things you've been called on here! Arrogant, pathetic, immature, just to name a few, when you sound lovely and are rightly pissed off by a really irritating tenant!

I think the old green-eyed monster lurketh beneath the boards...

What an awful tenant, the entitlement! The builder couldn't possibly have stayed if she was requesting he leave. She should absolutely pay for it. I would ask her in writing, then take it from there. I doubt she will. If she refused then I'd be reviewing the guidance on taking it from the deposit. Or selling the property, to stick it to her 😂

Thats not how depoait schemes work. The LL has to provide evidence of costs being deducted and the tenant can dispute them. This is then looked at by an arbitrator if they cannot agree, and their decision is final. The deposit is then released. The LL cannot simply make any deductions they like, they need to be for specific reasons. Workmans costs would be very unlikely to be allowed.

Agree - I think people have this image of landlords as Scrooge McDuck swimming through a vault of gold coins.

This is true, though imo the tenant hasnt treated it like their home, as generally people take more care over their own home, ie avoiding damage and ensuring it's kept in good repair (eg cooperating re works to be done)
I think the tenant has treated it as a cheap/short term rental, in how they've treated the place. Well, apart from burying a beloved pet in the garden!

I'm usually on the side of the tenant but this woman is acting as if she's untouchable. I think she's trouble & I'd be waiting for an opportunity to incentivize her to leave of her own accord/go quietly.

OMG I cannot believe how rude some of the posters on this thread have been. Some of them have clearly never rented a property in their lives.

I think you sound like a lovely landlord and your tenant was totally in the wrong. Bad enough to send the builder away but swearing at you is awful. Also as a long term renter none of my landlords have supervised building work. Not once in the 30 years I've been renting, because like you most also work full-time and generally know the tradesmen they use fairly well. It's not unreasonable to expect your tenant to behave appropriately when she's aware that a builder is coming.

Definitely not unreasonable to ask her to pay but I doubt you'll get anywhere. Personally I would take this as a sign that the time is right to sell, given that you've been thinking about it anyway

Really?
We only just lost no fault evictions, having this sort of machinery sounds very hands on.
In that case, I would put the case to the arbitraitor, I think you will sound far more reasonable than your client- why should the OP lose £250 because of the tenant's lost cat-ridiculous.

This is Mumsnet where LLs are often the devil (which is probably envy manifesting). You sound like a decent LL OP. I think you've learned that this particular tenant you're going to have to stop being generous with and follow the letter of the law. Yes, she should pay the extra money since she sent the builder away. She probably won't though, so you might have to just absorb it. Next time the builder is scheduled to go over, I'd make sure you go with him to supervise the work. The same thing can't happen again then.

OP, it is tough being a LL. Your tenant is being ridiculous. Is she paying market rates for her rent- I bet not. If you haven't increased her rent in the past 12 months, you should definitely do so- put it up to market rates.

Most landlords who work full time (ie not as a full time LL) pay an agent to manage the properties for them, including dealing with repairs and liaising with tradesmen.

Yes and even if you get a court order it may not be fair to you. I know of someone who had a tenant who hadn’t paid rent for months. They were granted an eviction order but because the judge deemed the tenant vulnerable (because they claimed to be depressed) the order couldn’t be enforced for twelve months. That would be well over a year without receiving rent (because they obviously wouldn’t be paying rent). Only unscrupulous companies will be renting out properties going forward and I don’t believe it will benefit tenants one little bit.

That's a huge expense to carry. I would have to put the rental house on the market.

If her contract began before the new rights, can you not enforce it and kick her out for the breach? Regarding the builder: I would make a note to take this charge from the deposit and drop the issue. Be super polite and friendly, and then when she moves out, put a claim in. Keep all evidence.

Speaking as a former tenant (and landlady), and someone who has been ripped off by nearly every landlord: that doesn't excuse tenants being crap and costing landlords money.

Assuming you understand the new rules and that you don't have to agree to every pet. Some reasons for declining are valid. She actually sounds like someone who feels comfortable lying and costing you money so definitely keep her on side until she leaves.

Don't think £250 is reasonable for a callout though.. think you'd be expected to foot at least half of that and it does sound excessive. I'd give her fair warning if it ever happens again, she will be charged.

Most managing agents commission repairs through a third-party contractor and do not supervise or attend the maintenance work. The contractors simply pick up the keys from the agent's office and return them after the work is completed.

Yes. Builder should have rung you before leaving, however your tenant sounds a bit of a nightmare tbh and men can sometimes feel vulnerable and uncomfortable around strange women kicking off.
Try to get rid of her ASAP even if you have to take a small financial hit.

This is a prime example of tenants having a complete lack of respect. They kick off when landlords dont do anything but then have no regard for the cost when they do. I would absolutely get her to pay. There are plenty of people wanting rented properties these days so you could perhaps get a more appreciate person to live there!

Despite no pet rule she has 2 dogs & a cat, damaged floors & swore at the landlord

Awful situation, but you have been soft letting her have 2 dogs & a cat when the rules were no pets, she'll think you are a pushover