Our landlord wants us to leave during the viewings

[olyaro]

Our landlord has put the flat up for sale and viewings are due to start soon. Yesterday we were told that we’re expected to leave the property during the viewings.

This would be quite difficult for us. I work from home in the mornings, and in the afternoons my child is back from nursery, so leaving the flat so regularly would be a big problem for me. This is in addition to getting the place ready for each viewing, which already takes quite a bit of time and effort. And to be honest, I’m also not comfortable with people coming into our home while we’re not there.

We’re happy to cooperate with viewings at reasonable times, but we’d prefer to stay in the flat while they take place. What do you think?

That's not what people are objecting to though is it?? The cheekiness is marketing with tenants in situ and expecting them to vacate their own home whilst viewings go ahead, as well as tidying up for them!!

I was a landlord, and I've been a tenant multiple times.

It is perfectly reasonable for you to set times when you'll be happy for viewings, and for you to not make any particular effort to tidy the house for them. This is an occupied house, you get no benefit from the sale.

It's extremely cheeky of him to expect you to do it at all TBH. I waited to sell my house until the previous tenants had left - it didn't occur to me to sell it with them there (I even felt bad inconveniencing them with maintenance TBH, like when the downstairs patio doors needed to be replaced and it was 2 days of major disruption and cold in the house, and that was for their benefit)

And you're absolutely right about strangers in your house when you're not there - do they have liability coverage? What if one of the visitors steals or breaks something, or the agent doesn't lock the door after (that happens a lot)

I would consider allowing viewings but only in your presence and only in a block type approach e.g Saturday once a fortnight from 10 to 15.
I was in this situation twice and first time allowing viewings was the part of the deal, so I accommodated them - tbh there were only 4 in 3 months. Added: and of course I was present , 2 of them I did without EA basically.
Second time I said I could but only at certain times, not anytime, certainly not when DC was at home, with me present and as I was packing for the move they obviously would understand how the house would look.
Surprisingly they decided not to do any viewings until we moved out. 😆

Well exactly @FlatCatYellowMat . Thanks for being a reasonable professional landlord!

Seems you might be in the minority though, can't believe the number of twat landlords on here lining up to berate the OP for not wanting to jump when the landlord/agency says and not being happy to regularly drag her toddler outside his/her HOME to facilitate viewings at their convenience.

And yes of course it's her home whilst she lives there, what else is she paying rent for? Some of them seem to think renting a home is similar to borrowing your dad's car or something, was it? And that the landlords are doing tenants a huge favour by allowing them to 'borrow' their property. The funniest was the one that begged the OP not to be 'unkind' "to the poor landlord and stated that many landlords were living 'hand to mouth'. 😂

So glad I'm not renting anymore.

If I was buying a property that had tenants in, seeing packing cases would be an excellent sign!

I'd normally be very wary of buying a property with tenants in residence, because I know only too well that you can't guarantee that they'll leave promptly. Many tenants are being told to stay put until the bailiffs come (at which point the council has to find them accommodation). That could take six months, making a purchase very insecure.

Get in the bin. It’s their home, they don’t have to legally allow viewings

You don't have to allow viewings at all if you don't want. If you want to be helpful, I would offer to do an "open house" viewing one week/ weekend day where all viewings have to take place on that date. That way you only have to get the house ready once and take the children out once.

I would see what the landlord says about you being present. Sometimes it is the estate agent's preference and they state it as fact. The landlord may not be bothered about you being there for viewings.

I personally preferred to be out, and just locked stuff in the wardrobe, but we did agree timeslots, which seemed to suit us, and the landlord. Give and take on both sides. They might know other landlords and affect people's chances of getting another place in the future, so it's worth keeping the good relationship, and fair boundaries.

We rented nine different properties and all were put up for sale bar two. We mowed lawns, lit candles and presented as best we could as each time we were told if we didn't we wouldn't be 'allowed' to rent again in the town. We had two disabled family members and had to move them and their mobility aids.
I cried at our last rental as the landlord thanked us for our business and taking care of his property. One rogue landlord stalked us, two racially abused my children and husband. I called the police on the stalker after 300+ emails. Mumsnet was very helpful.

And we had a theft. A bottle of perfume and a ring.

So sorry @AfternoonVanessa what awful experiences with landlords you've had.

I hope you are OK now?

Yet some on here seriously seem to believe that the landlord is the vulnerable disadvantaged person in the tenant/landlord relationship. Deluded.

Yes, it’s always surprised me that letting Agents and Estate Agents don’t have to have a criminal background check.
We had one steal a Kitten, five weeks old shouldn’t have been away from its mother
Popped up a couple of years later when they obviously thought people had forgotten about it on their private Facebook page. N

@Pemba @Apprentice26

We're still suffering now from the ex landlord. He started an absolutely disgusting rumour about my DH and I and it's stopped us selling our house and buying another. Defamation is so hard to prove I can't sue him. The costs would be six figures. He got a group of his cronies to lock us out of the housing market. We have three agents who won't let us view any new listings. He's in the property world so calls a lot of shots around these parts. Vile misogynistic bum wipe.

@Apprentice26 sorry about the kitten. That's horrible.

Don’t be ridiculous. First, cameras are standard now, secondly with the toilet this applies to any house viewing so why is a rental different.

What do you mean “cameras are standard now”?

I certainly don’t have cameras trained around the inside of my house, and I own it.

What your contract says cannot supersede the law and the law is very clear so no, you do not have to leave the property for viewings.

I would ask them what they are offering you for the inconvenience, and an assurance in writing that if any of your belongings are damaged or stolen (unlikely to happen but not impossible) they will replace them.

So if you owned it how would you sell it? Following your argument nobody would ever sell.

I feel like half the replies on here can't read. All this screeching about OP refusing any viewings and poor landlord having to (shock horror) pay for an empty house for a month or two.

Surely compromise - which OP has already said she is willing to do, although legally doesn't have to - is the key - they agree one session a week (e.g. Saturday 10-12 or Thurs 1pm-4pm) when viewings can be booked, ideally a time that OP might be out at a baby class or whatever anyway. If someone likes the house that much they'll make themselves available.

OP will keep the place reasonably clean as she would anyway but shouldn't be expected to go above and beyond and making it immaculate for each viewing. Again, any reasonable buyer wouldn't expect that.

TBH as someone who has been viewing a few let-out properties up for sale recently I wouldn't offer on a house that was still tenanted anyway unless it was my actual dream home, as the possibility of damage occurring between viewing and tenant leaving/tenants refusing to go, is too high. I wouldn't be happy at being chucked out of my house, and while OP sounds reasonable some people aren't!

Great advice
when do you move out?

Sellers can choose to only allow viewings when they are present.

But more to the point - they are the ones who gain from the sale, so if they want to risk their stuff in a viewing when they aren’t there, they may consider it a worthwhile risk. And if anything does go missing on a viewing, they have the contract with the estate agent and can take it up directly with the EA.

That's completely different isn't it.
The seller would be making the choice to sell, will have a contract with the agent, will be communicated with directly about viewings, can choose whether to be present or not.
In this situation, the LL/agents are bullying @olyaro and she is being forced to move out of her home and find another one. She is paying rent and therefore has the legal right to quiet enjoyment.

I would not ask the current tenants to leave during a viewing.

It's not rocket science.

I hope you rent through an agent. They should manage the expectations on both sides. Your lease should say you're entitled to privacy on your terms. Being present for viewings can be uncomfortable for all , but the LL ought to offer something in return for your cooperation. I'd suggest you suggest reducing rent due by an amount per viewing for your inconvenience. And if that is refused consult Citizens Advice if your agent is unhelpful. And start looking for a new place urgently. Stock is down and rents are up.

It depends entirely on their agreement with the LL