Really Pi55ed off with our landlord

[Carmenere]

We have been renting our flat for the past 2 years. Last week the estate aagents rang and asked if somebody could come in to value the flat. He came and when he was here I said to him 'oh I suppose the landlord will put it on the market once our lease is up at the beginning of April' , he said 'yes I think that is the plan'. So I diddn't think any more of it. We hope to move after April, we are buying but are waiting for some money to come through. We were hoping to have a month to month agreement if we hadn't moved by then.

So yesterday my dp had a message to ring the estate agents who said they were bringing people 'round to view the flat on Thursday. They said that the landlord had given them keys and told them it was ok. This was news to us.

This man has taken nearly £17,000 from us over the past 2 years and has done absolutely nothing towards any of the repairs we have requested. We have come not to expect anything from him. The heating doesn't work properly, the extractor fan doesn't work at all, the blinds fell off the window etc, etc. And he doesn't even have the courtesy to firstly tell us he is selling the place and secondly ask us if it's ok for people to view it.

I was very upset at today's news as I really, really don't want people walking through our home. My dp talked to his solicitor to see if we have any rights and, guess what, we don't. He can do this legally, within reason we HAVE to let people into our house to view it. We have to give up our privacy and pay him £700 pounds a month for the pleasure.

Now I am well aware that we are moving soon and am a reasonable person and if he had had the courtesy to even just write a 2 line letter I would feel a lot more co-operative. But as it is I am really, really pissed off with him.

Just needed to rant

Not sure I agree with your solicitor. My understanding is that your landlord has a right to reasonable access to carry out repairs. What ?reasonable access? means depends on why your landlord needs to get access. For example, in an emergency, your landlord is entitled to immediate access to carry out any necessary work.

Your landlord also has a right to enter the property to inspect the state of repair to empty a fuel slot meter, but they should always ask for your permission and should give you at least 24 hours notice.

Your landlord does not have a right to enter in any other circumstances unless they have a court order or unless there is specific provision in the tenancy agreement.

I'd check with your local CAB if I were you. You have a right to what is known as "quiet enjoyment" of your home, which means that your landlord (or his agents) cannot just pitch and invade it without adequate notice or your permission. However, do check your tenancy agreement.

i dunno... we had this in a previous flat and our lease said the same thing. that they were entitled to show anyone round whenever they wanted basically. they would TRY and give 24 hours notice.

bonus is though, that if you're there when people are looking round you can tell them what needs doing, and that he has so far done nothing!!!

I know that when we rented from a private landlord there was a clause in the contract which said that during the last month of our tenancy we had to allow access to prospective tenants but these people were certainly not allowed to have keys. They were always accompanied by the landlord and the visits happened while we were there (with a minimum of 24hrs notice each time).

Ooops! Mis-read the bit about the estate agents having keys.

Thanks for the input, dp is checking the tenancy agreement and I think I will check with the CAB. It just doesn't seem right to me that he can give permission for viewings with out our say so. I am happy to allow people to view the flat but within reason ie, not every day or what is supposed to happen when dd has a nap.
Anyway thanks for the info and the common experiences.