Inspections by letting agents- 9 to 10 times a year seems excessive?

Legacy_user

Hello,

I've been looking at renting a flat, and have come accross a letting agency that has a section for landlords on its website, which mentions that it is able to keep on top of any potential problems by doing regular inspections every 6 weeks (9 to 10 per year), and that any letting agent that inspects a rental property less than 9 times a year cannot be effective, and is offering a low standard of service..?!

Not that (after having read this!) I'm planning on renting through this angency, but this inspection rate seems a little over the top to me - how could you ever relax knowing the next inspection was only weeks away. How often is "normal" for letting agent inspections?

Cheers

PasturesNew

Totally bonkers imho. One inspection's enough for normal people... any more would only be (possibly) necessary if the tenant was of a troublesome nature, with a chaotic lifestyle and if they'd received complaints from neighbours/whoever.

Renting under those terms would really be just like paying to be imprisoned.

Alias_Omega

might inspect communal areas.

greenmoneysaver_2

Our LL has instructed the agents to inspect us every 3 months for the first year and then every 6 months.

Agent is apologetic and realises it is a bit OTT, but last tenant totally destroyed the flat, it has had new kitchen, carpets and been deocrated throughout, and we have pets (as did prev tenant, and flat flea infested when they left)!!!!!!!! Therefore I think LL is "once bitten twice shy!"

They write to us 2 weeks in advance give 3 hr window and we can change the time and date to suit us, so all amicable. It is also good to be in when they are there as you can point out stuff, like mould on wall (failing damp proof) etc that are little things, but it helps show you care about the property.

However every 6 weeks seems a bit mad!

bbl_2

Ive lived in my rented property for 9 months and have only had two inspections. They were fine with both. When ive had problems they have been sorted immediately. Sounds a bit like a joke saying anything less then 9-10 a year is ineffective from the letting agents

caeler

bbl wrote: »

Ive lived in my rented property for 9 months and have only had two inspections.

I've been in mine 9 months too, but I'm yet to have even one! LL has said he won't step inside the place again and LA doesn't seem overly worried about me. Plus I've massively improved the place since being here so I suppose I'm keeping my end up!

Lance

My Landlord told L.A not to do inspections as they charge for it....... they still keep trying though. If the LL will pay up I imagine the L.A will 'inspect' as often as possible.

Old_Git

I suspect the LA is simply trying to get business .I dont think many LL would pay for an inspection every 6 weeks .They may offer the service but that means nothing really .

PasturesNew

I lived in my last place for nearly 2.5 years and never had ONE inspection.

It's a bit like a parent inspecting a naughty child's bedroom.

FTBFun

I've been in my flat for nearly 3 years, and have never had an inspection, mainly because there is no agent and the landlord lives 500 miles away.

LittleMissAspie

Ours are every 4 months.