A question to all you tenants

Milliewilly

Hi

This is not an attack it is a genuine question.

Background - my house is up for sale. If it doesn't sell I have toyed with renting it out whilst its on the market.

However reading some of the near hysterical posts from tenants on here about 24 hours notice and quiet enjoyment I have been seriously put off doing this.

So you tenants in rented accomodation - did the house go up for sale whilst you were already in situ? If so then I can understand your concerns. If though the house was on the market when you accepted the tenancy why all the fuss when an agent rings and asks for a viewing?

There is literally no flexibility with many of the posts and its a flat 'I am entitled to 24 hours notice and quiet enjoyment and thats what I am going to have' whether they could have accomodated the viewing or not. I see the same response from tenants when they are asked for insepctions - is it really such a big deal, its not like its every week??

As said its not an attack I am just interested in the reasons why the tenants are so defensive after all its bothered them so much they log onto here to write / vent about it and most of the posts I read are not repeated 'intrusions' of the tenancy?

BitterAndTwisted

People make a fuss because they are not aware of their rights and often neither is their lettings agent nor landlord. Have you seen the number of tenants posting on here who have landlords or agent who have duplicate sets of keys who think it's OK to let themselves in without the tenant present or even asking, never mind giving any notice whatsoever?

There was a lady who posted on here recently who found her landlord rooting about in her personal possessions while she was in the bloody shower!!

ETA: As far as I know, most tenants have been encouraged to appear reasonable about access for viewings once they have been informed of their right to quiet enjoyment. There's always a two-way street

Milliewilly

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

People make a fuss because they are not aware of their rights and often neither is their lettings agent nor landlord. Have you seen the number of tenants posting on here who have landlords or agent who have duplicate sets of keys who think it's OK to let themselves in without the tenant present or even asking, never mind giving any notice whatsoever?

There was a lady who posted on here recently who found her landlord rooting about in her personal possessions while she was in the bloody shower!!

ETA: As far as I know, most tenants have been encouraged to appear reasonable about access for viewings once they have been informed of their right to quiet enjoyment. There's always a two-way street

I m not talking about letting yourself in with Keys and going through posessions clearly that is unaaceptable. Its more the ringing up and asking to do a viewing or call round and getting the '24 hours' notice trotted out when in I suspenct many cases it would have been OK.

DVardysShadow

Milliewilly wrote: »

As said its not an attack I am just interested in the reasons why the tenants are so defensive after all its bothered them so much they log onto here to write / vent about it and most of the posts I read are not repeated 'intrusions' of the tenancy?

If you think of it as 'a property', you might ask the question. If you think of it as 'my home' you would understand the answer.

I was a tenant until a few months ago, and although our privacy was ALWAYS respected, I can see what the issue is.

Firstly, as tenant, it is your home. So if you want to leave your undies on the floor, you can choose to do so. Landlords who enter without knocking and on the key disrespect your rights to live how you want to. They assume rights that even the police don't have. And some Landlords even see fit to comment on your undies and where you have left them.

Secondly, people only normally come into your home by invitation and on your choice. But when Landlords and Agents do viewings and expect instant, short notice or unsupervised access, they are not respecting the tenants rights to choose whom to grant entry to and under what circumstances.

sequence

You should treat your tenants with the same respect as you would complete strangers....

It may be your house your letting but while I'm paying rent I expect to be left alone unless somethings broke - I don't want random members of the public looking round my house (it would be mine whilst I'm paying you rent). I don't care if you want to sell your house - it's not my problem. You want ME to waste my time so you can sell your house and I have to pay you for the privilege ?

Remember a tenant has nothing to gain by helping you sell your house and they may lose their time, and their home

If your so desperate you should pay your tenants per viewing.

adg1

In my experience I have no problem with people viewing my house and, even though I have a small child, I am quite amenable to agents ringing up to view even with short notice.

My current property is not for sale and I'm not moving out but I was nice to the agent who was trying to relet my last house and, subsequently, they were flexible with me when I actually did say no.

I find the posts on here from people demanding 'Quite Enjoyment', advice to change locks to stop people entering, and hard-balling the agents a corner as quite rude and particularly unhelpful.

If I was a landlord, with tenants, looking to sell my house and the tenants were blocking potential viewings and going about changing locks and refusing me or my instructed agent entry I'd be straight on to my lettigns agent to offer them a Section 21 to get them out. Fair enough to refuse access on the keys alone and change the lock barrels if you have a landlord who thinks its acceptable to turn up willy-nilly but thats a certian situation only.

In my experience, most tenants are very nice and amenable if they get notice for the viewings. Don't expect to call up and go an hour later but a call in the morning for that evening is probably fair enough. I don't see the point in refusing entry and destroying the relationship between you and your landlord as I will want things from them in the future like repairs for instance.

I don't like it when I see people on here advising total inflexibility and telling tenants to change locks and quote 'quiet enjoyment'. Its really not worth it in the long run.

Treat people as you wish to be treated and accomodate them if you can. If you are amenable to the agents/landlords viewings then they will be far more flexible to you if you actually can't have them round once or twice and you will probably not end up with them or your landlord in an arguement about access and viewings.

There endeth my rant. :T

pinkshoes

A tenant is entitled to quiet enjoyment of the property, and the LL can only have access in an emergency, and the tenant is quite entitled to refuse access for anything else.

Perhaps you could offer a rental agreement where the tenants are paid say £25 for every viewing they tolerate, on the basis they tidy up a bit?

Cannon_Fodder

I don't see what the problem is with giving 24 hours notice.

If I was to ring an EA for a viewing I wouldn't expect them to magically get instant access. I have other commitments/appointments. I recognise that everybody else has pre-existing arrangements. What's the problem with waiting a day or two? People ring mid-week to line up a weekend viewing, or vice versa. Only the truly stupid expect to ring at 11am and view at 6pm.

24 hours is nothing.


Also, you have to take what is posted on here by someone stressed about their story with a little pinch of salt, as this is as much a cathartic action as anything else.

But, the law/contract still exists and should be complied with.

Bottom line. If you don't like the notice and peaceful enjoyment elements of the law/tenancy agreements, don't become a landlord. Simples.

Hopejack

Milly - I am a tenant and also a landlord (until v recently anyway) and would deplore you not to rent your home out whilst trying to sell. Most tenants I have heard of would not necessarily make your home look the best for selling - it's not in their interest!

Believe me, I've had the worst week of my life due to my 'tenants' and the state of the place they've left. I'm never renting out again. And as I said earlier, I am a tenant myself but the difference is, I respect other people's property and believe that paying them money to live in it doesn't mean I can wreck it or treat it let respectfully.

Please, if you can afford it, leave it empty!

princessamy86

Cannon_Fodder wrote: »

. Only the truly stupid expect to ring at 11am and view at 6pm.

24 hours is nothing.

There are many, many truly stupid people. It's not uncommon for people to be annoyed that they can't go with half an hours notice, or immediately.

RobertoMoir

Milliewilly wrote: »

Hi

This is not an attack it is a genuine question.

Background - my house is up for sale. If it doesn't sell I have toyed with renting it out whilst its on the market.

However reading some of the near hysterical posts from tenants on here about 24 hours notice and quiet enjoyment I have been seriously put off doing this.

So you tenants in rented accomodation - did the house go up for sale whilst you were already in situ? If so then I can understand your concerns. If though the house was on the market when you accepted the tenancy why all the fuss when an agent rings and asks for a viewing?

There is literally no flexibility with many of the posts and its a flat 'I am entitled to 24 hours notice and quiet enjoyment and thats what I am going to have' whether they could have accomodated the viewing or not. I see the same response from tenants when they are asked for insepctions - is it really such a big deal, its not like its every week??

As said its not an attack I am just interested in the reasons why the tenants are so defensive after all its bothered them so much they log onto here to write / vent about it and most of the posts I read are not repeated 'intrusions' of the tenancy?

Imagine an alien landing in the carpark of your local hospital and wondering into A&E knowing nothing about humans, they might draw a conclusion from rooms and corridors full of sick people which is not representative of the human race as a whole.

I know, I know, you're wondering "what's the point of all this" right? Well... It's worth remembering that you're visiting a forum for dealing with problems. As such you're taking a sample of LLs and tenants, the majority of which have a problem with the property in question. There are lots of people out there who don't have a problem with these issues and need help with them. Lots of LLs and tenants who (whether aware of their rights or not) manage to settle these sort of issues amicably, without needing to refer to support forums, so don't assume that you'll always have problems.

As for the tenants rights, as has been said already, as the property owner, it's your property but while they are renting it, it is their home. How would you feel about random strangers turning up at your home? The tenant does have certain rights to peaceful enjoyment of the property they are renting and as a LL you will need to respect that. This doesn't mean that every tenant you meet will be unreasonable, and being aware of this matter means that you have an opportunity to be a reasonable LL and ask/negotiate access with tenants instead of making assumptions and demands, which is where the bad feelings tend to come from.