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Original poster

Landlord breaking and entering?

60 replies

Daydreamer71 · 20/07/2019 08:59

e’s going into the property at 9.15 but I didn’t consent to him doing that. We agreed last week I would drop the keys to the letting agent as he told me he was too busy to meet me, and only this morning he’s been like I’m getting the keys at 9.15 to do the inspection. We haven’t even done the inspection ourselves- we thought we had time Cos he told me to drop the keys any time in the day to the letting agent.

OP posts:
JoJoSM2 · 20/07/2019 09:05

Landlords have the right to enter the property they own. Obviously they can’t be a nuisance and stock you every day/week but it’s perfectly reasonable to give you a week’s notice to do an inspection.

Nearlyfriyay987654321 · 20/07/2019 09:07

Are you leaving the property OP? It is his property after all, he owns it.

Original poster
Daydreamer71 · 20/07/2019 09:09

But legally they can't enter their property without the consent of the tenant (I'm in the UK) but I wasn't sure if that still applies on the last day of tenancy. He told me last week that he was too busy to meet me and that I should drop the keys off to the letting agent. Suddenly the morning of he's telling me he's gonna be there at 9.15am and we live an hour away now so it wouldn't have been possible for us to make that at all!

OP posts:
ThePhoenixRises · 20/07/2019 09:17

If you are not there and have already moved out, I can't honestly see what the problem is.

LIZS · 20/07/2019 09:24

Were you intending to return today? If mot and you have dropped keys off it should make no difference if he goes at 9:15 or 4:15. When did he message you?

PotteringAlong · 20/07/2019 09:26

If you don’t live there then what’s the issue?

MamImHere · 20/07/2019 09:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JoJoSM2 · 20/07/2019 09:42

OP, you’re mistaken. Legally the landlord needs to give you 24 hours’ notice and you need to grant access.

The clause of ‘quiet enjoyment’ of property applies to landlords turning up unannounced or making themselves a nuisance (I do know of someone whose landlord lived next door and barged into the property several times a week).

DustyDoorframes · 20/07/2019 09:50

You don't have to grant access just because he's given enough notice.
However this is an unusual one, with it being the end if the tenancy. Is the issue that you haven't finished getting your old flat ready for the inspection? And you are now getting grief?

Otterseatpuffinsdontthey · 20/07/2019 09:51

I'm guessing the place has been left in an unacceptable condition, and you're concerned about loss of deposit?

Lindy2 · 20/07/2019 09:54

You're an hour away so not living at the property?
Landlords don't generally like empty properties as it leaves them quite vulnerable. When did you move out and when does/did your tenancy end?

DobbyTheHouseElk · 20/07/2019 10:01

Hang on, explain to us clearly what the situation is.

The LL can’t enter without giving notice and you giving consent.

But if it’s the last day of tenancy and you aren’t there, I’d say he can. If he’s told you he is coming, because if you aren’t a tenant any more, then the agreement is at an end.

I had this once, a tenant had moved out 2 months before. I agreed to meet as per the tenancy agreement on the last day of tenancy. Tenant had lost the keys. So I employed a locksmith to enter and change the locks, with me.

Original poster
Daydreamer71 · 20/07/2019 10:24

Sorry my original post was quite hazy.

Our tenancy agreement technically ended yesterday but we later mutually agreed (I have this on email) that today would in fact be the last day to hand back the keys. However, he was very rude to me last week and basically said he was too busy to meet me at the property today to drop off the keys and that I should drop them to the letting agent today instead. So in our minds we still had today to go to the property, ensure all was in order (we paid for professional cleaners on Wednesday) and take a few pictures for our records. However our new house is an hour away so we weren’t planning on going there until the afternoon, but the landlord text this morning at 8am to say he was coming in at 9.15am himself to do the inspection, when this isn’t what we agreed last week. I then called him to explain we wanted to be at the property first to do a quick inspection and that we hadn’t agreed to this 9.15am time. He then got really angry and started shouting and swearing at me and hung up the phone. I then text to say ‘don’t appreciate being spoken to like that’ etc., and that we would go to the property now to drop the keys off and get some pictures. He’s now just responded to say a locksmith has just changed the locks.

So that’s why I’m confused. Our contract said it ended yesterday but I have email trails confirming that we mutually agreed to doing it today. Plus the fact that he was shouting and swearing at me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Daydreamer71 · 20/07/2019 10:27

Plus also confused by the fact that he text at 8am this morning to say he was going in at 9.15am - even though we made arrangements last week that I would drop them directly to the letting agent.

OP posts:
LIZS · 20/07/2019 10:31

If your contract ended yesterday you should have dropped keys then , unless you had a specific arrangement to meet and hand them over in person. The property is now his to access. You could equally have said when he messaged that you could be over by say 10. Don't think you have much redress tbh.

Original poster
Daydreamer71 · 20/07/2019 10:33

@LIZS as stated in my comment, we mutually agreed that today would be the last day instead of yesterday - I have this in writing. So yes the contract says yesterday, but we agreed over email that today would be the last day.

OP posts:
Original poster
Daydreamer71 · 20/07/2019 10:34

@LIZS and yes we agreed that I would give the keys to the letting agent today - that was the arrangement.

OP posts:
viques · 20/07/2019 10:35

Well if he's changed the locks he's saved you a journey to return the old keys! Shame you didn't take photographs after the clean on Wednesday, I would have checked that on Wednesday evening and taken photos then, but too late now. Just hope the cleanears did a good job.

viques · 20/07/2019 10:37

Cleaners.not cleanears. I think your thread title is overdramatic, your tenancy ended yesterday, it is back to being his property to enter at will.

Original poster
Daydreamer71 · 20/07/2019 10:38

@viques it is annoying but we also deep cleaned the flat ourselves before the cleaners even came in (in OCD like that) so we're confident that even before the cleaners came in we left it in a good state.

OP posts:
stilldontgiveaf · 20/07/2019 10:40

If your tenancy ended yesterday then the keys should have been handed to the agent this morning. Landlords and Agents have legal rights to enter the property as long as 24 hours notice has been given. On this occasion, you no longer have rights as your tenancy has ended.

LIZS · 20/07/2019 10:41

When were you planning to drop off the keys? Ll has not done anything wrong.

stilldontgiveaf · 20/07/2019 10:41

Have also seen that you have emails about extending another day. Unfortunately, what the tenancy states goes rather than an email.

happyhillock · 20/07/2019 10:44

A landlord is not entitled to enter a property they are renting without the tennant's permission, if the tennant's are not paying there rent that's a different story.

hadthesnip2 · 20/07/2019 10:45

Well today is the last day & technically "today" stated at 12.00 am, so he had every right to inspect the property "today ".....whatever time that was. You had said that you would drop the keys into the letting agents today - you can still do that. Just because you wanted an extra day (that you gave you) doesnt mean you can get arsey because he's caught you on the hop.

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