Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to question my landlord/letting agent???

43 replies

mum2taylor · 20/11/2008 12:21

I have been in the property for over a year now and have only just received a letter from them saying they wish to carry out an inspection...they have said this is common practice once you have been in the property for 6-8 weeks I sent them an email saying I had been in the property for over a year but if they wanted to carry out an inspection that would be fine. I have had a response saying they are now going to be carrying out inspections every couple of months....is it just me or does that seem a bit much...I would have thought every six months would have been fine!!! Am I being unreasonable in querying them on this?

OP posts:
Simplysally · 20/11/2008 12:24

You might be better posting this in legal but here goes. I was told by my letting agency that they do an inspection after 6 weeks then the period gets longer so in the end it's 6mo or even longer.

The landlady has been around twice in 6 months .

Is there a reason why they might want to come round more often?

Original poster
mum2taylor · 20/11/2008 12:26

that's what Im worrying about SS....the Landlord also works for the letting agency and I wonder if he may be struggling financially etc.? Im not worried as the house is in great condition but having to move out would be a nightmare for us at the moment, getting me rather worried.

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 20/11/2008 12:28

Our landlord inspects once a quarter, like clockwork!

No idea what they are looking for. They come in, look around, leave. It takes about 5 minutes!

iheartdusty · 20/11/2008 12:29

every couple of months is rather too often.

The landlord is entitled to inspect at 'reasonable' intervals; unless they had some reason to think things were going wrong (eg neighbours said you were running a business there, or lots of the windows were smashed, or something) then once every 6 months would be quite enough. More than that is interfering with your rights to peaceful enjoyment as a tenant.

You could contact your local authority 'private tenants' unit and get them to write a letter saying that it is unreasonable.

dairymilkdunker · 20/11/2008 12:35

We have rented privately both separately and as a family for quite some time with various landlords/agencies.
Contracts have specified variously twice yearly, 4 monthly and quarterly inspections. I expect anything within that range to be the norm.
Is there nothing in your contract regarding this?

Original poster
mum2taylor · 20/11/2008 12:36

Ive sent them an e-mail stating that i think its a bit excessive so Il see what they come back with....they had proposed the inspection take place on 23 December eh I have a four yo dd so my house will be in chaos then so I have proposed an earlier date. Get on great with my neighbours so im not sure what the gripe could be at the minute...time will tell I guess. Does anyone know of any websites etc that advise of the types of repairs etc that a landlord must attend to as there are quite a few things needing repaired but I didnt want to bother the landlord with them....think I will now though!

OP posts:
Original poster
mum2taylor · 20/11/2008 12:37

Dairymilk, il have a look at the contract when I get home...im terrible for throwing these things in a drawer and forgetting about them .

OP posts:
dairymilkdunker · 20/11/2008 12:38

I would have thought responsiblities with regard to maintenance/repairs would again be detailed in your contract?

dairymilkdunker · 20/11/2008 12:39

Sorry meant to add that there isnt usually a universal agreement about that sort of thing and i've found that it varies property to property, landlord to landlord

wotulookinat · 20/11/2008 12:40

I once rented through a letting agency which inspected every 6 weeks. Nightmare - we had to keep hiding the cat!
They weren't bloody interested in carrying out any repairs though. Only stayed there 5 months in the end.
WHat does it say in your agreement about inspections?

Original poster
mum2taylor · 20/11/2008 12:40

DMD its more to do with knowing what kinds of repairs and maintenance should be my responsibility and which should be the landlords? The fence in the front garden has been blown down due to very high winds and I dont know if I need to buy a new fence, also the window at the middle of our stairs has three panes of glass in it for some reason and the middle pane is really filthy but cant be accessed so the window constantly looks dirty no matter how often its cleaned, things like this to which Im totally cluless.

OP posts:
Upwind · 20/11/2008 12:41

I've always had annual inspections - every couple of months is far too often and would probably contravene some right to quiet enjoyment of the property....

I would ask them to confirm that their intention is to inspect every 8 weeks and then contact the council.

wotulookinat · 20/11/2008 12:42

The fence is the landlord's responsibility.

Original poster
mum2taylor · 20/11/2008 12:42

HA! Wotulookinat, I also have a cat which Im going to take round to my dads that day!!! hee-hee! Ill need to have a good look through the contract when I get home, which I now realise should have been my first port of call really

OP posts:
wotulookinat · 20/11/2008 12:45

In our current house, we told the landlord that the cat just moved in and we assumed it was left behind by the previous tennants
Haven't thought of a story to explain why there is a second dog here...

MorningTownRide · 20/11/2008 12:48

As I usually say, try landlordzone.com.

The forum is excellent for advice.

Like Tee2072 we have quarterly inspections that take 5 mins.

However, we did know before we moved in that this would happen and we get a letter to tell us they are coming.

It gives us peace of mind that if there are any issues they can be flaggged up before they become problems

dairymilkdunker · 20/11/2008 12:48

We're cat-hiders here too lol. At least we were til she decided to hide herself permanently sob

I would imagine that the fence, meaning the construction of it, would be your landlord's responsibilty. I know ours is but the general upkeep of it ie painting etc is ours

wotulookinat · 20/11/2008 12:53

Hee hee I wonder how many people who rent are hiding cats ? There must the thousands of hidden cats up and down the country!

leoleo · 20/11/2008 13:08

Hi
I work for a letting agent - we inspect every 3 months and it really annoys the tenants (quite rightly I think).
All repairs are normally dealt with by the landlord. I would have a big long list of repairs ready for the inspection - they will prob hold off further inspections if they think they will get a long list every time.
Also chase up the repairs often.
With regards to moving have you got an up to date agreement? Maybe you should ask for a longer agreement maybe a 12 month or even a 24 month agreement.
Good luck.

Egg · 20/11/2008 13:16

We get inspected here every 3 months. It feels like every 3 weeks tbh but it is really not a problem (it is always a mess when they come... as long as the windows are not broken and there's not a caravan in the garden they seem happy).

onthewarpath · 20/11/2008 13:21

Have been renting for 8 years, we do have quartely visit from the estate agent. The visit usually takes about 5 minutes to have a look in every room ( the content of wardrobe/cupboard is obviously not checked thanks goodness!!!). they always ask us if something needs attention .It is IMO a very good things this visits (also I am usually in a frantic tidying spree the week before), they are there so things do not get out of hands after years of living in the place. It is worth always checking with the person doing the inspection what is your responsability and what is the landlords as it is not always clearcut and can change depending on the time you spent in the accomodation.

Exemple: the cover of the cupboards doors in the kitchen are peeling off = landlords job to get it changed.

potential big hole in the carpet because your iron fell on it = your job to replace the carpet.

LOL and take it easy, unless you really wrecked the house you have got little to worry about.

Egg · 20/11/2008 13:22

Just read the OPs post at 12:36pm. Our first inspection was due to take place about a week after I was due to give birth to twins. I was horrified that they would be coming to inspect while I might be in my dressing gown, poo filled nappies everywhere etc.

They did move the date to just before the babies were born, but it really doesn't matter what state the house is in superficially. We were inspected a couple of weeks ago and I had all three DC here causing a riot and the agent didn't bat an eyelid (although she possibly went home and cried as she is expecting her first and I have probably put her off children for life!).

scubagroover · 20/11/2008 13:29

I think that it would be difficult to argue that once a quarter is too often and contravening the right to quiet enjoyment of the property. From a landlord's perspective they would argue that they would rather go in more frequently so that repairs can be sorted earlier which saves the landlord money and keeps the tenant happier too - at least that is the theory behind it.

They have to give you reasonable notice so you are allowed to say that the particular time is not convenient and get them to rearrange.

Sunshine78 · 20/11/2008 13:33

Speaking as a land lord - you are allowed access to the property at any time as long as you give reasonable notice/reason to do so. The 2 properties I have which I rent out are my most valuable assets and I like to keep an eye that they are OK I feel if I leave it years between visits (have long term tennants) could easily find myself in for a lot of expense with a long list of faults checking every quarter means I can keep on top of it.

Also as a landlord as long as property is not being damaged dont care about what mess the palce is in - I'm mot the one living in it

Blinglovin · 20/11/2008 13:40

Our letting agent turns up quarterly, like clockwork. It does irritate me, but if I'm honest, it doesn't really make any problems for us. We know the house is well kept so if there are a few dishes in the sink I'm not panicking. And to be fair, they've been relatively good about getting in touch subsequently to say they'll be doing x or y (although admittedly normally I have to highlight the problem two or three visits in a row but...)

I am interested in the cat hiding... we wanted to do that but to get a cat we'd have to put in a cat flap as there are no cat friendly windows and we felt that it was unlikely we could hide that!? We could pull the curtain closed, but it seems unlikely.

Why, oh why are landlords so obsessive on this. We even offered to put in writing that any cat specific damage would be our problem (even though that would be covered by the general lease anyway, but our landlord is a bit paranoid).