New tenant woes

[Wintom]

We rent out a one bed flat and have it managed through a letting agent. Our last tenants moved out as they split up and went back to family. They kept the place immaculate (as seen in photos sent from the letting agent after inspections).

A new tenant, a single profession man moved in in August. The letting agent sent us the first inspection photos yesterday. The place is a tip. Every room's condition is 'Messy but clean' and it was noted that the tenant was present during the inspection. I have no idea how it can be clean as you can not see the carpet, never mind put a hoover round. The kitchen had dirty pots over every surface. It was in a shocking state.

We understand we can't control how our tenant chooses to live. What can we do, refuse to renew their 1 year contract? Get in touch with the letting agent about how messy the flat is?

But as lenders of (often massive amounts of) money, they have a vested interest in you maintaining the property, which is collateral for their loan. Why shouldn't they inspect regularly?

None of your business. Wind your neck in.

Either you believe the letting agent or you don't. If you don't, there's a bigger problem.

You were lucky with your immaculate tenants. I'm afraid they are a rarity.

Unfortunately, you can't make a tenant be tidy. Hopefully it is just untidiness but I've usually found the messy tenants are also often the "clumsy" tenants where damage is also being done. Plugs knocked off walls, door handles broken, missing switches off a new cooker (yes really and no I have no idea why anyone would remove a control switch from a cooker in the first place).

I would suggest you don't renew the contract and do a thorough inspection when they leave. The deposit scheme should cover at least some damage if necessary.

I've unoffically told my agent to avoid single men for my rentals - particularly newly divorced ones. There's usually a good reason why they are single/divorced.

Yes I agree. I'm a LL and any of my tenants can text me if they have any issues with anything. I'll send around my maintenance man for general repairs or a specialist for gas, or electricity. I do an general inspection after the first 6 months then just once a year when they resign a new contract. I just glance around and don't go into bedrooms after the first inspection. Many tenants have been living in one of my houses for 5 or 6 years and I trust them. I let one house to 3 sisters and they keep it immaculate. The kitchen is spotless, much tidier in fact than my own home. They have no DC there though, I suppose that's why. I wouldn't like it if someone wanted to check all around my house, especially my bedroom.

Renting out is a business, it’s not wise to build it on ‘trust’, it’s unprofessional.

Inspections are not to spy on a renter. It’s not to ‘check’ them. It is a LL being responsible and professional. Checking for repairs at a house for an hour every 3 months is not impacting a tenants ‘quiet enjoyment’.

As I said before, I had a tenant who really did not want inspections even though it was upfront that 3 monthly ones were in the contract which she happily signed. And there was damp, hole in a roof and fence all not reported. Which were causing long term damage not just to the house, but to her kids. And you can guarantee it would be me, the LL who would be blamed for not seeing to repairs quickly.

As @HirplesWithHaggis shows, not regularly inspecting is a sign of not being professional or taking care of that tenants home for them. Apparently her LL was great not inspecting. And it turns out the LL has not bothered to fix the door or the windows. So not really that great that he doesn’t regularly check the house then.

I am usually wary of landlords but I am with you on this one OP.

A messy kitchen could attract vermin and cause bad smells which is not going to please the neighbours ever...

Leaving plates and mugs all over the place could leave marks on furniture.

If he never cleans the carpet there will dust and dirt accumulating everywhere.

I would ask the agency to go back to the tenant and tell them that there are concerns about the condition of the flat and that they will conduct another inspection soon to make sure everything has been cleaned.

Make sure you don't renew the tenancy.

People can choose to be messy but that does not mean you have to tolerate this in your property.

I would not want to live with a partner or flatmate with such poor standards...

I think you are being unreasonable - if the tenant is damaging something, fine but you have no evidence that this is happening. It doesn't matter that the mess may be concealing damage - a rug or furniture could conceal damage, do you go snooping under rugs and furniture? You need to allow the tenant to get what he paid for - peaceful enjoyment of your property.

I’d move the tenancy to periodic after the 1st year is up. You then have the option to end it with 2 months’ notice. I have noticed that my estate agents always put a positive gloss on the inspections and they tend to be quite superficial. They have skipped over/ missed issues in the past. I tend to be proactive and ask them in advance to pay particular attention to any issues I might have concerns about . I ask for photographic documentation.

Do they? When I rented the landlord retained some of the deposit after a disagreement about cleaning.

Update: We had a courtesy call from the letting agent in January and I mentioned how disappointed I was with the state of the flat. I asked if the tenant had had notice of the visit etc. He said all tenants get 4 weeks notice of an inspection and he will pass our concerns on.

Last week there was another flat inspection and the flat looks great again... Tidy, clean and lived in. I emailed the letting agent to say how pleased we were and that the tenant is obviously looking after the place (even if he did just have a good clean and tidy for the inspection).

Rentals are so hard to come by round here (SE), I can imagine he does not want to risk his contract not being renewed.