Letting agent came in to our 'home' unnanounced

[Mumswang]

Got home from work, fed DS took him upstairs to bath him and it would appear someone has been in to mend our extractor fan

Whilst I'm glad this had been done they have given no notification that it was going to be done

We ALWAYS make provision when someone needs to come in for repays / gas safety check / 3 monthly inspections etc because we've got a dog who is liable to react badly to a stranger turning up. The letting agency know this, we've been here 3 years

So, whoever has been here unannounced left a large unsheathed stanley knife thing on the toilet cistern within easy reach of my small son

And I feel a bit cross and violated that they've just breezed in (and DP had left pants on the bathroom floor)

They Should've given us notice right? What can I say tomorrow to calmly and rwaonably express my displeasure?

I am pretty sure there should be something in the contract about notice periods. That was very rude of them.

hmm i think they're allowed to come in to do repairs and stuff... but check your contract

Yes, they need to give notice unless it was an essentially repair like a boiler issue. It doesn't matter what it says in your letting agreement about allowing access, you have a right to "quiet enjoyment" of your home. Any clause that allows them access unless for emergencies would be deemed to be an unfair contract term. I would ask them why they allowed a contractor to enter the property, remind them that they must not allow this to happen again (if this is the first time it has happened in a number of years it may have been a genuine mistake as they may have tenants that don't mind giving access on this basis and just mixed you up). I would certainly point out that the contractor left the property in a dangerous state and that if anything had happened as the contractor was an agent of the letting agent they may have been jointly responsible for any damage/injuries should they have occurred.

That's terrible. I would be furious.

Who gave them a key?

Yes they should have given two weeks notice. We have always been accommodating and obliging, hell they're doing us a favour fixing the thing, I know that. I'm just cross that they've breached the lease terms and if we did that we'd sure as hell know about it

I just want to convey that this place is our home, if you owned your house you wouldn't have to put up with randoms turning up willy nilly

Oh and the not working fan was reported 5 months ago, it being fixed is totally out of the blue

Massive cross post

They hold a key, that's fine and To be expected.

Thanks signofthetime that is just the kind of thing I need to say, I shall repeat it to them

I'm not wanting to make trouble, I assume it was a genuine mistake but I'd just like to put across that it feels horrid

landlord needs to give only 24 hours notice if they want access

you are entitled to quiet enjoyment of the property

No Fergoose, it really depends on what is actually contained in the tenancy agreement. Normal notice is 24 hours but it may vary according to contract. Two weeks sounds like an unusually long notice period but if it's in the contract then that is what was (even if inadvertently) agreed.

Tbh I don't mind if they had only given a days notice. Just so I can make sure there are no pants on the floor and that the dog is somewhere where she, and the person coming in,are safe and not unduly distressed

Surely, however much notice it is in the contract, they should have consulted you about an appropriate/convenient time when the repair could go ahead, as a matter of courtesy? It is your home which you pay for, fgs?

Zactly mylovelymonster

Fed up of renting

I'm not surprised! Is appalling how renters get treated. Let us know how your convo with agent goes. Don't let them fob you off. You should at the very least get a massive grovelling apology and assurance that it will not happen again, and that access to your home will be in accordance with your contract terms.

...the leaving of the unsheathed knife is an additional and more worrying subject. Could have caused very serious injury. I hope they take that on board very seriously. Unbelievable.