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Legal matters

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Original poster

landlord making tenants pay for a cleaner before viewings

22 replies

tharsheblows · 01/03/2018 13:14

Hi! My daughter is at uni living in a shared house where the landlord has said that the house is too messy for viewings and that they have to hire a cleaner to get it up to standard.

She's sent photos and it's not that messy -- not that that matters though because from what I understand the landlord can't just demand that they hire a cleaner mid tenancy.

What are their rights as tenants here? I've had a quick search but can't find anything, arggghhhh.

OP posts:

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 01/03/2018 13:18

Haven't they rented the accommodation until the end of August?

If so, it's too early for viewings anyway.

DullAndOld · 01/03/2018 13:19

I would advise them go to Citizens Advice with a view to getting an injunction against the landlord coming in.
We had to do this once when we were students in a shared house where the landlord wouldn't leave us alone and kept letting himself in.

Original poster

tharsheblows · 01/03/2018 13:22

Yes but I think now is when the students start looking? They can just say "no" can't they? It looks like they don't even have to let people view the house if they don't want to allow viewings? I am not going to tell them to not let people view the house! Just that it's not required.

I'm not sure of what to tell her to say. Maybe just "No, we aren't required to do that."

OP posts:

swivelchair · 01/03/2018 13:22

That is so far beyond Cheeky Fuckery I'm almost impressed at the landlord coming up with the idea.

Their uni is going to have some kind of student accommodation office that might be able to help, or Citizen's Advice as Dull says - they absolutely do not have to pay for this (or even tidy, or allow viewings - although it's nice to if they don't mind)

dinosaurkisses · 01/03/2018 13:25

They don’t even have to allow for viewings never mind pay for a clean for someone else’s property!

Sounds like the landlord is trying to bank on your dd’s perceived naivety and thinks she doesn’t know how to google 🙄

DullAndOld · 01/03/2018 13:25

the thing is landlords like student tenants as not only do they move out at the end of their term, they also don't really know their rights as tenants.

The key thing here is, I think, that they are entitled to 'quiet enjoyment' of the property.

(I live in a small town dominated by sub standard student accommodation, half of which lies empty.....landlords love students)

Original poster

tharsheblows · 01/03/2018 13:27

Thank you! I'm an expat and don't have experience of renting here (we're in the UK in England) so this is super helpful. :)

OP posts:

cdtaylornats · 01/03/2018 14:44

Student union should have a lawyer for advice.

DullAndOld · 01/03/2018 15:37

yes, was going to say that there will be someone at the union, one of the officers, who will be responsible for advising students on housing issues.

specialsubject · 01/03/2018 19:56

Wtaf?

All tenants should be given a booklet called ' how to rent' at the start of the tenancy. It details their rights. It is on gov.UK. good landlords do this, bad ones dont - you can see the flaw in this. However without proof that it was given they can't be evicted so they can ignore all this.

BubblesBuddy · 01/03/2018 22:16

It is perfectly normal for existing student tenants to allow viewings. Otherwise how is the landlord supposed to get new tenants? Most student tenants are lined up for 1 July not 1 September. Students don’t look in July and August, they go home. Many student tenancies end on 30 June. It will depend on the norm in the university city though.

I would have thought they would, reasonably, be expected to open up to prospective renters. Is it in the rental agreement? How and when did DC view it? Was it empty? Or were the students around so they could ask questions? This is normal and helpful.

However “no” to the professional clean. A tidy up and no dirty washing up being around would be helpful. Clearly eviction isn’t going to happen but agreed viewings isn’t unreasonable for a student let given the effect of student holidays.

Original poster

tharsheblows · 02/03/2018 10:19

Don't worry, they'll let people view it! It's just useful to know their rights. Reasonable compromises are fine, ie allowing viewings at less than 24 hours notice to help everybody, but the landlord taking the piss by demanding money mid tenancy for cleaning is not.

OP posts:

Original poster

tharsheblows · 02/03/2018 11:58

So the landlord is there now with a cleaner, taking photos and threatening them with a lawyer. He did give them 24 hours notice so that's good at least.

I've told my daughter to contact the student union and get advice but if it comes to it, I'm happy to engage a lawyer to deal with the landlord. I get the feeling that he's used to doing this without much pushback. (If anyone has a recommendation for a decent lawyer in York, please let me know! :) )

OP posts:

swivelchair · 02/03/2018 14:25

I would have thought they would, reasonably, be expected to open up to prospective renters. Is it in the rental agreement?

Doesn't matter if it is - tenants are entitled to 'quiet enjoyment'. The landlord doesn't have a leg to stand on with lawyers - and should have asked before cleaners started touching their tenant's stuff!

It's kind and nice to allow viewings, but it's not required - being a landlord is a business, they should be able to deal with voids, and they can always offer to pay the tenant to allow viewings - it's not the tenant's problem to help the landlord find a new tenant!

newmumwithquestions · 02/03/2018 14:28

I am a landlord. Her landlord is a CF.

I request (well the agency does) that they can do viewings in the last month of the tenancy but it’s up to the tenants if they agree.

cdtaylornats · 05/03/2018 11:32

tharsheblows - the student union when I was at university had a QC who had been at university there and offered help on a pro bono basis.

The union will have dealt with this sort of thing before. If the landlord has many places for rent remind him that universities have websites, notice boards etc. and negative reviews can be difficult to overcome, if he works through an agency a word to the agency from the union about not getting themselves tainted by association may work too.

DullAndOld · 05/03/2018 11:34

if the landlord is threatening them with his 'lawyer' then he is full of hot air.

Original poster

tharsheblows · 05/03/2018 12:06

Oh I missed some of these. Thank you! I'll pass all this information on.

The landlord has said he's coming back every week with a cleaner. Which my daughter didn't seem too worried about, it was the paying for it that had her stressed. She has texts that say she's doesn't agree to pay for cleaning.

I'm guessing that he will try and take it out of the deposit maybe when they leave? I am going to get a end of tenancy cleaner in anyway (I paid the deposit) and am fully prepared to dispute any mid-tenancy cleaning costs. The deposit is with a deposit scheme with a set procedure for those things; I knew where to look because of Mumsnet! :)

OP posts:

strawberrysparkle · 05/03/2018 12:10

If to student accommodation it's very late for viewings. Most like to have let for the next academic year before Christmas.

Check the contact - it'll have a clause in there about it I should think.

BubblesBuddy · 05/03/2018 12:53

This cleaning is a big worry. The landlord may try and charge. However the deposit should be held in a deposit scheme and it’s not available to the landlord to deduct anything.

I have just spent £500 cleaning a house and I’m struggling to get it back from the deposit. It’s s nightmare.

The university accommodations office may well help. They should, at the very least, take the landlord off their books. Also, go and see the agent! In the circumstsnces I would not be letting prospective tenants in. If I did, I would tell the students to avoid this house. One of the best ways of sussing out a property is to ask the current tenants!

Beetlejizz · 06/03/2018 11:33

No, they don't have to allow viewings and frankly shouldn't if he's going to crack on like this. His ability to let the property out next year is not DDs concern.

They do tend to try and play silly buggers with the deposit, but as pp pointed out, that isn't the landlord's decision. The deposit should be held in a scheme (check whether it is) and any deductions have to be agreed by one of the scheme's neutral adjudicators. They should start taking pre-emptive action to prevent him doing this. For example, make sure the place is really clean before they go, even non-obvious places. Make sure any faults are reported straight away, by email, with photos. You want a paper trail.

Original poster

tharsheblows · 07/03/2018 21:31

Thanks! No news this week. The deposit is in a deposit scheme and I've bookmarked the procedure for what's expected when the tenancy ends, what to do if disputes arise and that sort of thing. Fingers crossed that it will be a little less stressful from here on out.

All the help and info is much appreciated! :)

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