Landlord / experienced tenant opinion please!**UPDATE-LL ENTERED HOUSE ILLEGALLY?**

Lavendyr

neas wrote: »

I'm laid back, pragmatic and friendly with my Landlord/letting agent, I dont start planning how to screw over someone who has been a good landlord,repaired broken items and responded quickly to my requests... I know I have a good landlord and I will do everything in my power to help maintain this relationship. Lifes not always about law... its about people skills.

No one is suggesting anyone screws over anyone else. I honestly don't know what you are reading, but it's not this thread, for sure. How is writing a polite email to a landlord "screwing them over"? Bizarre.

neas wrote: »

I don't care about Section 21.. as a normal tenant a landlord can serve notice... sure he'd loose 3xdeposit but at least he'd be rid of a problem tenant. Why risk conflict and trouble for something minor?

OP is hardly being a problem tenant by asking the landlord not to enter without prior notice. She's simply asking him to keep to the contract which they both agreed to. Pretty simple, really. As others have said, the landlord probably naively didn't think it would be a problem, and OP needs to just gently inform him that it is. The landlord would be foolish to serve notice on a tenant who pays the rent on time and rarely needs attention (I believe OP stated this is the first time they have had an issue). Voids aren't good for business.

neas wrote: »

Why risk being booted out of your home if you over-react and start aggressive proceedings to something he thought he was doing you a favour for.

Again, since when was "write a polite email" starting aggressive proceedings? I agree that changing the locks is probably unnecessary at this stage (if he did it again, despite being asked politely not to, that would perhaps be the time to change locks), but writing politely to ask him not to do it again - that's hardly aggressive.

neas wrote: »

7. Nobody likes a smartass

Very true.

neas

Read the suggestions on this thread then maybe?



1. Screw a generally good landlord by claiming 3x deposit back. This is just being nasty.... sure if the landlords being a p rick but not if they played fair. (Note i dont classify one mistake of entering a property to try to help not playing fair... twice when you've asked maybe).
2. Send recorded delivery mails or emails for proof in a dispute court. Why do people always go for the sue approach?
3. Suggestions that because deposit wasn't protected use this loophole to negate a S21 to further extend a landlords wish for you to exit a house... prolonging landlords 2 month notice by 4-6 months maybe more.

How is this playing fair? Some landlords don't fully cover themselves or do the write things sometimes... this does not neccessarily make them people worthy of the above being done to them does it?

So my point stands, I think Im a pretty easy going... NICE tenant. Sure i'd use the above if my landlord severely broke the law, i.e not having fire safety certificate... or repeatadly went into property when i requested to be there, but not one bloody time.

Lavendyr: Dont assume my post is purely aimed at yours as there have been multiple suggestions from multiple posters...

Jimuth

Doesn't this all depend on what the LL understood the problem to be?

I mean, if my tenant phoned up and said "I've got a problem with the loo" I would be over like a flash if it was leaking or had a massive crack or was blocked etc. If it was "oooh, I need to really give it a good shove to flush it"... there's no real justification for coming earlier than planned. However, if the bathroom floor was covered in stinky pooey water (or there was a big risk of that happening the next time someone took a dump) then perhaps he was trying to minimise his risk?

It annoys me to hear people say rental properties are their home. Having rented (and continuing to rent - but only in managed properties to avoid this sort of thing) for over 12 years, I've learnt a long time ago that that's BS of the highest order. It's his house, you're renting it! If I was you, I'd move - you sound like you're getting too attached to the place when it's sooooo not your home ... sure, your LL has broken the letter of the law but your reaction to it seems a little OTT, especially the follow up posts.

Drop the LL a note thanking him effusively for his close attention and coming over on a Sunday, but remind him that he's got to give 24 hours notice by law as you're worried about yours and your DD's security. If it happens again, then it's a completely different kettle of fish, but I don't think this is something to get so worked up over!

silvercar

A deposit paid prior to April 2007 on a contract renewed after that date is not automatically covered by the tenant deposit scheme. There is a lot on the net to suggest it is and the operators of the scheme try to give that implication (wonder why?:rolleyes: ), but there have been case thrown out in court where the judgement has been that it wasn't necessary. There have also been cases where a landlord has protected the scheme just before a court case and the section21 upheld.

redcar_2

I completely understand your feelings. My agents used to write me letters saying they will give the keys out to workmen for repairs / gas check and for me to contact them if the date doesn't suit. I hated the thought that if i don't get the letter or am on holiday etc that someone I don't know could be in my home.

Its small things like if someone was coming round you'd want to tidy up, not have personal items on show and more important things like not wanting to have to worry about leaving out valuables and important documents etc. It does just feel like a huge invasion of privacy for me but other people I talk to don't understand it at all so I know that there are two points of view and I can never get the 'yep just come round my house whenever you want' brigade to see why it upsets me so much.

Its your home. I'd suggest just quietly changing the locks that way you know he can't enter without your knowledge and if it does come up you can tell him how uncomfortable he made you feel and why you did it. If it causes a big scene then maybe you need to think of moving.

cruella_de_vile

The LL has probably woke up on Sunday morning and thought to himself, that poor woman is there on her own with her child I should go and sort it out now... if only he knew the furore it has caused! :eek:

LittleMissAspie

Wow what an over-reaction. The guy clearly wasn't doing it maliciously, he thought he was doing you a favour. He was wrong but it seems a fairly innocent mistake. All you need to do is speak to him, say he shouldn't have gone round while you weren't there and tell him to let you know in advance if he needs to change an appointment time in future.

Stop getting so worked up on the internet and go talk to the bloke.

Bungarm2001

LittleMissAspie wrote: »

Wow what an over-reaction. The guy clearly wasn't doing it maliciously, he thought he was doing you a favour. He was wrong but it seems a fairly innocent mistake. All you need to do is speak to him, say he shouldn't have gone round while you weren't there and tell him to let you know in advance if he needs to change an appointment time in future.

Stop getting so worked up on the internet and go talk to the bloke.

I couldn't agree more.

This is the first time I've read the updated thread, and predictably, the 'sue the b*gger for 3x deposit' brigade are running roughshod all over it. :rolleyes: Thank gawd there have been one or voices of reason running through there too...although I am still quite shocked at some peoples' response.

turnmylifearound

Just a thought....

But it's likely that the landlord thought he was doing you a favour by letting himself in and fixing the loo. Since that's happened already there's not much point debating whether it was right or not.

However, going forward if you do complain (and yes - legally you are within your rights to do so), you risk souring your relationship with him. And he might - then - when you do move out be more a**l about what he deducts from your deposit.

If you are going to contact him I would suggest starting with a 'thank you for fixing the loo' and then explaining that you'd like him to call in advance next time because you get nervous when there are people in the house becaue you've had bad experiences in the past (white lie)....

Thoughts?

vicky_kidder

To be honest, you've said that you've only had contact with him twice in 2.5 years, so future contact is likely to be sparse. As turnmylifearound has said, debating the rights and wrongs of it is pointless, it is done now. There was no malicious intent on the part of the LL, he went in for the sole purpose of sorting out your loo. If you like living where you live, and want to keep a happy relationship with your LL I would forget about it for the time being.

THe only time this should affect anything is if you need something done in the future, to which a polite 'do you mind if we stick to our pre-arranged day , it would make me feel happier' would suffice. I'm sure this would prevetn future occurances similar to the one that happened to you yesterday. I would say, take a deep breath, let it out, smile and carry on!