A complete stranger standing in my room shouting at me while I was asleep

[Flossam]

Just got back off nights, have been in bed about an hour. DP and DS out. AM woken up by a bloke standing in my room shouting at me that he is from London and Essex.

Scared the complete hell out of me, not withstanding we are living on the third floor of a two locked door flat, when first waking up I have not a bloody clue who London and Essex are.

They are of course, letting agents. But, surely our Landlady ought to be asking our permission before sending agents round? SO that something like this dosen't happen. She did with prior appointment on Thurs.

Also, why has this man, who isn't our letting agent, got a set of keys to my home??? How safe and secure is that? Surely the only people who should have access to our keys to our flat and oujr posessions are us, the landlady and perhaps the agent we rent through?? Am thinking this could be a breach of contract and maybe I should see citizens advice.

Sorry, but I'm feeling really shaken up and angry. Not least because how many times does it take for me to explain to the dick head while sat in bed in my knickers that no is not a convinient time for him to be here before he F*cks the hell off???

I had to read this three times before I understood that you weren't describing a sleep deprivation induced hallucination

That is ridiculous and i would complain mightily

I would have been in tears of shock I think

Bloody hell Flossam I would be beyond fuming. I would phone everyone you can possibly think of - this is in no way acceptable - your landlady needs a kick up the arse.

Sadly from my experience when renting you are treated like crap half the time. People don't seem to realise it is your home and you should have a few basic rights such as privacy while living there

Flossam
Get on the phone and yell at your landlady/agent! That is SO unacceptable.
You must have been terrified!
What did the Essex bloke do when you woke up and asked him who the hell he was?

My jaw is dropping open!

Absolutely breach of contract! I'd go off like a rocket! I'm sure you should have prior notice of an appointment and they certainly should not be letting themselves in, and into your bedroom! Tbh, I think I'd have called the police!

Get on the phone, start kicking ass.

Have you phoned anyone ??

I had to lie there a good while and check with myself that too zippi! Am 100% certain.

The bloke just pulled the door to slighty and stood behind it protesting the landlady had sent him

{shock] i totally agree with ponygirl , im sure you have legal rights , i know that when we were renting our landlord had to give at least 24 hours notice before entering the property , i definitely would have freaked out and called the police as-well! Hope you are o.k, i imagine this to total freak you out!!!

Add a security chain or a bold to the inside of your front door. It's possible that your landlady didn't know that the estate agent would do this, so let her know what happened. The agents should be making an appointment for a time that's convenient for you, at the very least they should ring the doorbell before letting themselves in. [angy] for you

I had an agent come round once when I was in the bath. To show the flat to prospective tenants.
"But you didn't answer the door so I thought it would be all right" he said feebly.
I did kick up a stink. There is no way this is ok - agents have to give 24 hrs notice of coming round.
As for the keys issue, you absolutely have to make a stink about that.
I would rant a lot if I were you.

I had an agent come round once when I was in the bath. To show the flat to prospective tenants.
"But you didn't answer the door so I thought it would be all right" he said feebly.
I did kick up a stink. There is no way this is ok - agents have to give 24 hrs notice of coming round.
As for the keys issue, you absolutely have to make a stink about that.
I would rant a lot if I were you.

Put it to her like this.

the bloke could have been a rapist, or a paedophile, and you were alone in the flat.

In fact I would just tell the police, I am sure they can't just hand out the keys to your home willy nilly!

Sorry, my post should have said "bolt", not "bold" obviously.

Well I have spoken to her and she apologises profusely and says that the agents were told only to visit after the 1st April (when we move out but not after our tenancy ends), or else she provided our mobile numbers to contact us in any case. The contract does state we should have 24 hrs notice. TBH, I feel we have always been very flexible with this rule. She has rung up a few hours in advance and I think we have always accomodated her. She has even turned up unnanounced and we have always invited her up (although she states at the time that it is not necessary).

There is no mention about other agents having keys. I think I will try and go to CAB on Monday Morning. I am suspicious of the fact that she plans to try and let the flat out, during our so called tenancy but without reimbursing us. We plan to keep hold of keys and send back a couple of days before end of tenancy via registered mail. Perhaps through in a possibility of a stay in the coming month too!

I am also quite sure she plans to try and keep as much of our deposit as poss! VVV can (hopefully!) state that we have not wrecked the place. We have fixed minor probs this week, re painted rooms and hired out carpet cleaner. We are also donating her our one yr old Fridge freezer.

So basically I feel any kind of legal arguments we can use in our favour can only be a good thing - after all if we breech contract we can be served notice to leave. Thanks for all the replies here, glad to know I am not the only one who would have freaked!

bloody hell!

I hope you are getting over the shock now! I think you were incredibly nice to the landlady. I do think that DP should put a call into the estate agents and give them a bloody rocket!

What she has done is illegal. She must make an appointment. Certainly she has no right to hand keys out.

Am leaving the EA out of this. We had dealings with them when we moved in here (they also wanted to let it out to us, but other EA offered it to us cheaper) and I can't help but feel this might have been at least in part, intentional in a don't give a toss way (not that I expect them to know I was on nights, although they office is at the end of our road and they park illegitamately in our car park so who knows!).

Bloody hell Flossam, I'd be FURIOUS!

bloody hell. I would be furious too and would seek advice about whoo can and cannot have a set of keys to your home. How scary.

Check to see if agents are members of any association and write to them complaining in the most forceful terms.

Feckin hell.

There isn't any mention of an assosciation on their web page. It is a small firm, headed up by one bloke.

jesus flossam. I would be inclined to put a bolt on the door or change the locks.

and don't pay last months rect. Let her keep deposit as last month.

not allowed to do that BR. says so in our contract.They will go about retrieving monies if done in this way. Can't help noticing how 'tenant will' heavy it is. Ie, we have a lot of 'thought will nots' and landlady has very few! Still hopefully not for much longer.

Can't really change locks on someone else's property can I?

You could put a bolt on the inside, I think that would be fair enough, esp if you take it off again before you move.