Inspection help

RRWJ

The landlady and her son are coming over to do an inspection tonight.

What kind of thing is she/isn't she allowed to do?

What will she be looking for?

What's the best way to deal with her?

The flat is spotless, we haven't broken or damaged anything, and yes we have stuff in stack-a-boxes, but that's because there isn't enough storage space here.

Help!

poppysarah

Tell her to go away if she gets white gloves out and runs a finger along the tops of the doors.

Expect to be told it's messy.

But if you have ANY outstanding repairs or issues put them in writing and hand her a copy {and ask her to sign to say she's received it.}
;-)

If you have any problems then it's a good time to point them out. You could also graciously offer to show her round. Don't let her go round on her own.

EDIT: Be polite
EDIT2: but you knew that

Planner

Cant see that there is anything to help you with!

The LL will have a breif look at the general cleanliness of the flat, have a look to see if anything needs repairing, might have a nosey in the oven to see if its clean.

Nothing to worry about.

RRWJ

If she says it's messy I'll laugh my !!!! off!

Is she allowed to open cupboards and the fridge and stuff? Or demand that stuff be pulled away from walls so she can see if we're covering up any scuffs? (which we're not)

The oven needs a clean, but then it's actually cleaner than it was when I first moved in - I've never been able to use the grill, it's that caked up in someone else's grime. I told her shortly after I moved in (sept 07) that it needed professionally cleaning, and she said "nonsense, just get some oven cleaner on it". We did that, but guess what? It still needs professionally cleaning. And you can actually see out of the oven door now, which is a huge improvement on what it was like when I moved in.

The other half is going to show her around - I don't want to deal with her after she got nasty with me when I requested the proper amount of notice. (I got sick of her coming over for one thing having warned me she was coming over the night before, and then saying "I'll just have a look around while I'm here".) I'm just going to sit in the front room at my desk and do some stuff for uni.

I guess I'm trying to gauge what's being an inspection and what's being downright pedantic.

poppysarah

You should have put it in writing them - put it in writing now. It's something she should have got sorted.

How often does she come over?

RRWJ

It varies @ poppysarah.

Sometimes we don't see her for a month, other times she's over once a week. But she never gave me proper notice until I asked her, and then she got nasty with me and accused me of being pedantic.

Also, can she go over the inventory check, or is that something she should only do at the end of the fixed term before we move out?

Piggles12345

Can I just ask why the hell her son is coming over as well?

poppysarah

Peaceful enjoyment. I think you should speak to shelter/cab about how you get her to reduce the visits.

Inventory should be end of tenancy. She sounds like she has OCD

silvercar

Sometimes we don't see her for a month, other times she's over once a week.

Outragous! I would think once every 3 months would be the maximum.

As for comments on cleanliness - the only time a property needs to be absolutely clean is when it is being handed back to the landlord (assuming it was clean to start with).

RRWJ

Piggles12345 wrote: »

Can I just ask why the hell her son is coming over as well?

Probably as back-up because I'm big and scary. *looks mean*

I dunno - a 2nd pair of eyes maybe?

There's bad blood between us, because she reckons we broke the bath, when actually it broke because there was no middle support, and that meant that she had to spend some money on the flat. Oh, and I asked her for adequate notice, and she said I was being "pedantic over the lease". And she's trying to get me to fork out to get the gutters cleaned of moss, and I won't because I know it's her problem. And there's moss growing there because the gutter is broken - again, not my problem!

She's tight I'm afraid, and she wants to try and get me on whatever she can!

That's my take on it anyway...

RRWJ

poppysarah wrote: »

Peaceful enjoyment. I think you should speak to shelter/cab about how you get her to reduce the visits.

Inventory should be end of tenancy. She sounds like she has OCD

I actually threw quiet enjoyment at her when she got nasty about me wanting proper notice for inspections, and she said "I have a right to check my property is ok", to which I said "yes, and I have a right to live here without interferance".

It's actually a house turned into two flats, and we have the first floor flat. When she comes over, she lets herself into the communal hallway and then knocks on my door at the bottom of the stairs, if I'm lucky.... other times she opens it and walks straight up, telling me she's here. That's only happened a few times though.