I rent out my property to total twats - is this my fault? Probably, but I want to grumble anyway LANDLORDS SUPPORT THREAD

[RattysPicnic]

Right, I realise that being a landlord resides somewhere around Tory Politician/Lazy Female Journalists/Fruit Shoot Marketers on MN but... I wanna whinge about the horrid people in my lovely house. Please let me.

I have utter wankers for tenants. Bad payers with attitude. I've been really, really nice to them. Four months in a row they've paid late and I've just said OK. After four months I asked that they set up a Standing Order for the rent and now they insist they're entitled to a 'payment window' of 15 days. Grrrrrr. They even had the cheek to send me back a copy of a friendly email I had sent saying 'fine' when they paid late last time - on the grounds that it proved it must be OK to pay late every time!

They have a contract btw, they just use the phrase 'notwithstanding the contract' as though that magically melts the lease away. The guy is a Prize A prick.

Anyone else need to let off steam?

Can you write to the estate agents and put the wind up them as the accountant if he won't?

The agents should have alerted you to the reduced amounts at the beginning. Can you imply that they should be liable if they can't get the tenant to pay because they withheld inf (this is of course utter bollocks but you might want to start a storm to add on pressure).

I really would recommend having an agent, I know you have to pay but its sooo worth it. We pay a bit extra in case of non payers, its not happened yet but you never know.

We have two houses being rented out and it all ticks along very nicely. We have an arrangement with the agent that if any repairs need doing they get on with it unless it costs over £100, it works a treat. Fingers crossed!

Thanks again. I will have a word and see what happens.

The thing is of the numerous people I know who have rented their properties (and as an expat I see to know 100's of reluctant landlords) through agents who collect the rent on their behalf, not one of them has actually recouped rent that has not been paid.

Hi, can I hijack to ask for some advice from you more-experienced lot? I'm not an actual landlady but I do look after the house that my friend has let out while she's abroad for a couple of years. Whenever there have been maintenance issues that have needed sorting, the tenants have insisted that I accompany the repairman and stay with him while he does whatever needs doing (they both work full time so are usually out during the day). In the past this has usually worked out OK, but I'm now working full time myself and I'm buggered if I'm going to take a day off to sit in their house for several hours. There are some repairs that are due to be done when the plumber can fit them in, and I want to put my foot down and say that if they want him to be accompanied they will need to take time off themselves to do it. Is that being unreasonable? There's nothing in their contract that says this will happen, but I wondered what was 'normal' in this situation?

TIA.

Daisy, you don't have to take a day off or be there, IMO, and if it's not in the contract then they can't expect it.

Do you know the tradesmen? It is best to use people you know regardless.

Generally, I just give the plumber or whatever the keys and they drop them back to me. I let the tenants know in advance so they can decide whether or not to be there. Just be polite and firm.

I don't know about "normal", Daisy, but when stuff needed doing in my house, the tenants were the ones who took the day off to be in with the tradesman. The agents didn't do it. I think the tenants in your case should take a day off. Are you paid to look after your friend's house?

Now that these tenants have left, and the house is vacant for a month, some more work is being done and for this, the agent has to go in to let the workmen in. I doubt she will stay with them during the day though, just tell them to close the door on the way out. I also doubt very much that she would give them the keys.

Daisy - the tenants cannot insist you accompany people doing repairs. I am a tenant of 25 years standing and woudld never insist on that. Its unreasonable.

Hi, thanks for the responses. I'm glad you all agree that it's not reasonable to insist that repairmen be accompanied - I always use people I know and trust and would leave alone in my own home, so hopefully the tenants will appreciate this. Yes, I am paid thumbwitch, but only a very tiny amount and by the time I've paid tax on it, it's certainly not worth bothering. I really do it as a favour to my friend.