Moving out of flat in 3 weeks, landlord wants to visit...

neas

So heres the situation:

We moving out of our periodic tenancy on the 17th march. We have agreed a final check out with our letting agency... (which at first they wanted to conduct without us... hell no i said).

Then. today i get a letter stating:

Your Landlord, X wishes to visit the flat on Sat 6th march, late morning. It is not necessary for you tio be present as he can use pass keys.

Please fee free to call the office should you wish to discuss this further.


I feel this is a ploy for the landlord to do his own 'final check' ... which i feel a bit miffed off about doing two in a 2 week period. I've never even met the landlord before in 13 month period.

Where do I stand?

poppysarah

You could say it's not convenient.

neas

Does anyone feel he is right to do this? All along in this tenancy the letting agency have been smoes....

8 weeks to get a boiler fixed, that leaked....

3 months to get a mattress replaced.... which when replaced was the cheapest mattress possible (99 quid one! in a premium quality flat... and it took a while to get funds from landlord supposedly)

clutton_2

a LL does not have to invite a tenant to do a checkout inspection - but he would be very foolish not to do so. its not always convenient for everyone for trying to make an appointment - i have just had to say to one of my leaving tenants "check out time is x - you are welcome to come" as she made it so difficult for me in terms of refusing different appointments - if you think it is really important - then be there - if you dont go and there is an issue with the check out inventory you will only have yourself to blame

neas

cliuttong you missing the point.

Final Checkout of inventory is 17th march (arranged by the letting agent). For which im booking time off work to be present at.

The landlord ALSO wants to come around on a seperate occasion (no excuse/reason given just he wants to 'visit) on the 5th march.

So you saying im fine doing 2 checkouts? Come off it mate even landlords know thats taking the mick.
Is it reasonable for me to bend over backwards for 2 visits in 2 weeks.. one by lanlord then one by letting agent for final inventory. Landlords not even qualified to do inventory as he aint seen the flat in 2 years!

clutton_2

i frequently do 2 visits in the last month of a tenancy - i go the first time to talk through the inventory with the tenant so that we are each agreed what works are going to be needed to bring the property back to standard - then i do the final checkout after the repairs/redecorations have been done. if you think there is likely to be an issue with your deposit being returned, then it really is in your best interest to be there.

The LL has every right to ask to see the property - he may want to see if the LA has been doing his job - this might be your opportunity to tell the LL exactly what an awful agent he is using - he may not know

did you get a full and detailed inventory when you moved in ? are there photographs ?

Planner

If you dont want the visit from the LL, say it isnt convenient.

I think your focusing to much on the landlords visit and trying to prevent the inevatable. Whether its 6th March or 1 minute after you move out, he his going to see it at some point to conduct his own unaccompanied checkout, im not sure why you see this as such a threat?

Geenie

Look at your agreement and see if states that the LL has a right to visit with due notice. Even if they haven't been around for over 2 years, they are giving you plenty of notice to come around now. If you are miffed about the 2 visits and taking time out to be about for both, suggest that the LL comes at the same time as the LA.

skint-student-nurse

neas, ive just had the same thing. my tennancy is due to end 2nd april, the letting agent knows im moving out as i had to give consent for them to do a reference but i havent given a formal notice to quit to them yet. my suspicion was the same as yours, is it a way for them to do a final check? my check isnt until end of march so it got my back up,but i was powerless as they provided me with enough notice.

neas

aye, obv its a landlord check... not much i can do but i wont be taking no prisoners as we got photo evidence of state of flat when we moved in etc.

tbs624

clutton wrote: »

i frequently do 2 visits in the last month of a tenancy - i go the first time to talk through the inventory with the tenant so that we are each agreed what works are going to be needed to bring the property back to standard - then i do the final checkout after the repairs/redecorations have been done. if you think there is likely to be an issue with your deposit being returned, then it really is in your best interest to be there.

..... but as your T is still paying the rent, and the property is still their home, you should of course aim for mutually convenient appointments. I would always suggest that a T invited a LL/LA round a week or 10days prior to moving out to smooth the swift & straightforward return of that deposit, but LAs shouldn't word things in an inflammatory way - a LL may not simply "use his pass key" without the tenants consent at any point in during the tenancy, save for a genuine emergency. Such phraseology is a tactic employed to make the T believe they have no option.

clutton wrote: »

The LL has every right to ask to see the property - he may want to see if the LA has been doing his job - this might be your opportunity to tell the LL exactly what an awful agent he is using - he may not know

I agree with you - the LL has every right to *ask*. However, if the LA is already doing a check out inspection then does the LL want to have a dog or bark himself? If a T is moving out why should s/he care about whether the LA is doing a good job for the LL ? If the LA has been lousy then the T can publicise that elsewhere, such as at https://www.allagents.co.uk or via word of mouth. If the LL was genuinely concerned about whether the LA was doing a good job he could always have phoned/emailed the T during the tenancy, when it counted.