Need some advice on rude landlord

Incisor

mlz1413 wrote: »

If the agent ever lets himself in un-announced and is threatening I'd tell him to get out or you start screaming rape - as you are all girls with an bloke in your home who isn't carrying ID just 'saying' he is a representive of a LA I'd go for self presevation.

mlz1413 wrote: »

sooz wrote: »

Do not follow this advice. There is absolutely no need to make false allegations, when your problems with this LL or his representative are real.

I didn't say go to the police or report him for it, but as I really doubt the 'representative' is going to leave when asked I personally would play him at his own game. OK maybe rape is too much, try pervert instead.

Woman who cries 'Rape' == Boy who cries 'Wolf'

OK, I can see a flame fest coming here - so remember that the boy who cried 'Wolf' did finally encounter a wolf. The point is that you don't cry 'Wolf', 'Pervert' or 'Rape' unless there is a wolf or a pervert or you are being raped, because next time someone hears a cry of 'Rape', they might just think 'Oh, that's a female student trying to embarrass a Letting Agent who let himself in without permission'.

Both SquatNow's suggestions are of course stupid.

real1314

SquatNow wrote: »

oh !!!!!!, the police arn't stupid. You'd best hope they are if they are going to fal for this load of rubbish.

If he says to the police (while they are beating him) "I'm the Letting Agent" they will ask "do you have permission from the tennant to be in this house" at which point the girls come out crying saying how they just heard the front door open and someone moving around downstairs and how he doesn't have their permission and how he just turned up one day, forced his way in and started looking through their stuff claiming to be from the lettings agent, the police will take 3 seconds to put the cuffs on him and put him in the back of the police car.

False statements, malicious allegations, perverting the course of justice, wasting police time. Take your pick

What the so called letting agent (if he even is that) has done is a very serious offense and the police will see it that way.

Really? You need to buy a new "Law Pocketbook" - at worst it is a breach of contract which is a civil matter. For the plod to do anything on this would require a court ruling.

I'de be tempted to report it to the police already on the basis that he may not have been who he claims to be and he certainly wasn't there for the reason he claimed. He had no legal right to be there and no sensible reason for being there. He's just a pervert. Contact the police, make a complaint.

Who says he's a pervert? Wild accusations and invention to back up your biased nonsense?

An interesting point is also this: As I understand it, under the new rules (have they gone live yet?) the girls, feeling threatened by someone who has enetered their property without permission or any warning, the girls have a right to defend themselves using reasonable force.

Ooh, let's encourage assault and a spell in the nick for the OP.

I'de suggest hairspray or wasp killer spray in face.

I'd suggest you stop posting until you can regain a grip on reality. You really have been no use at all to the OP, just using their situation to vent your venemous bile. You've probably breached a number of site rules too.

OP, you'd have to be completely unhinged to go down this route.

tbs624

Mellymeep - please note that no LL or LA should behave in this manner, and that the majority don’t. You absolutely do not have to put up with either "squalor" or intimidation from a LA or LL.

As well as your Uni Accomms office there is a Private Sector Rentals Team at the local Council, which has a Tenancy Relations Officer. They can help you with this.

Shelter 0808 800 4444 (7 days, 8-8) can also give you valuable advice on tenant harassment.

Getting the cylinder changed on the locks is your first step, as others have said. You must keep the old lock parts safe to replace at the end of the tenancy.

Then write to the LA (keeping a copy), maybe something along thelines of :

Today a representative of your firm, (name), called at the property with no prior notice and let himself in by key. Such behaviour interferes with our legal right to quiet enjoyment of the property and is unacceptable to us.

So that we can enjoy a reasonable landlord/tenant relationship would you please note that all future visits to the property are to be by agreed appointment only, and must be confirmed in writing. We do not consent to anyone using a key to let themselves in during our tenancy, whether or not we are present at the property.

Yours etc

cc Tenancy Relations Officer, xxx city Council

You are entitled to the LL’s name and address - if it doesn’t appear on the tenancy agreement the LA must supply it within 21 days of you making a written request. You can then also send the LL a copy of your letter. Sadly, LLs sometimes do not know exactly what the LA gets up to in their name.

I hope that you kept photos and copies of any emails or letters about the condition of the property when you moved in, noting any dirt/damage present at the property on the inventory if there was one, and that this LA has arranged for your tenancy deposit to be scheme-registered.

Any other issues that you have clearly need to be kept in writing as far as this LA is concerned so that you have a good "paper trail" of evidence.

Do post back and let us know how you get on.

Loretta

mellymeep wrote: »

No thankfully the girl who left is still going to be paying rent (her parents are pretty rich lol)

I don't think they're going to be doing much about finding us a new tenant, as long as they're still getting their money. That was another thing he said yesterday, he was mega threatening to us in my opinion, telling us that if the girl stops paying he'll hunt us down for the money even if we can't afford it we'll be taken to court and put in prison.

I'm usually a strong person, and can take a lot of flack and will stand up for myself, but i'm actually scared in case he comes round again because he is so rude and threatening. We're all girls here and I can't believe he just waltzed right into the house.. we could of been naked or anything (not that I make a habit of walking round the communal areas naked, but thats not the point)

Get that letter written today and send a copy to the landlord. Make a list of all the details you have told us.

mellymeep

Thank you very much for all the good advice, I promise i'm definitely not going to be crying something as drastic as rape. I just couldn't do that no matter how much the LA annoyed me, as I had a horrible experience last year involving an actual attack, its just morally wrong.

I got my boyfriend to help me write up a letter to the agency, detailing that we understand their right to protect the property from damage and that we apologize for the drawings on the wall, but we are not happy about the fact one of their representatives felt he had the right to let himself into our property unannounced, be threatening and generally rude. We also stated that in the future we want 24 hours notice of any visits or we will refuse entry and take stronger action if they do trespass.

I'm also gonna purchase a new lock for the front door, it needed replacing anyway because there was a break in before we moved in here and its really loose (something which was also reported and incidentally ignored.) I didn't know we had the right to know our actual landlords contact details, we were told we had to do all contact through the agency so i've also asked for his phone number and address so we can let him know we're not happy with the way the agency are representing him.

mellymeep

Just received a letter today from the agency, it says

"Due to recent neglect of the house discovered by one of our agents we give you notice that from now on we will be giving random inspections to your property"

Does this mean that they can turn up at our door unannounced? or are they just trying to pull another fast one?

ifonlyitwaseasier

hey melly,

the must give you 24 hours notice if they wish to inspect the property. send a polite letter back stating your right to "quiet enjoyment" and that you expect that "you expect to receive at least 24 hours notice in writing before any inspections"

if they just turn up you are within your rights to turn them away and refuse entry and if they try to force their way in, scream!

i do think you should change the locks and if they ask why they couldn't get in ask them why they attempted to enter without prior arrangement. and how are they to know you didn't "lose" your keys and HAD to replace the locks for security.

lil_me

mellymeep wrote: »

Just received a letter today from the agency, it says

"Due to recent neglect of the house discovered by one of our agents we give you notice that from now on we will be giving random inspections to your property"

Does this mean that they can turn up at our door unannounced? or are they just trying to pull another fast one?

Doesn't matter if they have sent you a letter, you can refuse to let them in if they give you no notice etc. As long as it's rectified before you move out I don't see what it has to do with them. Change the locks, now if you can. Get those landlords details ASAP and let him know what the agents representing him are doing. I'd personally be looking for somewhere else and giving notice that I was leaving.

pinkshoes

mellymeep wrote: »

Just received a letter today from the agency, it says

"Due to recent neglect of the house discovered by one of our agents we give you notice that from now on we will be giving random inspections to your property"

Does this mean that they can turn up at our door unannounced? or are they just trying to pull another fast one?

Firstly, change the lock immediately. TODAY!! (otherwise you'll find them just letting themselves in.

Secondly, send them a letter, recorded delivery stating:

Dear <agency name>,

As a tenant of <insert address>, we are legally entitled to quiet enjoyment of the property for the duration of our tenancy, and would like to remind you that any visits from the agency to the property require 24 hours notice, and visits should only be to deal with emergencies. Random inspections are not permitted.

Any attempts to visit the property without the our permission and the required 24 hour notice period will result in the police being called for unlawful entry.

Yours sincerely...

Now, stop reading posts and go get a new lock!!

mellymeep

I'm off to Wilkinsons now lol! xx