How to politely refuse viewings?

evoke

OP: stop being a precious Prima Donna and allow the viewings. It's not your house. It belongs to someone else. You're jeopardising a reference and, if I was your landlord, i'd screw you for every penny of the deposit too.

People viewing aren't going to be bothered about your junk lying around in boxes. They're probably going to be glad that you are actually leaving. LOL.

sequence

evoke wrote: »

OP: stop being a precious Prima Donna and allow the viewings. It's not your house. It belongs to someone else. You're jeopardising a reference and, if I was your landlord, i'd screw you for every penny of the deposit too.

People viewing aren't going to be bothered about your junk lying around in boxes. They're probably going to be glad that you are actually leaving. LOL.

The house belongs to the tenant for duration of the tenancy.

BitterAndTwisted

abbadon3 wrote: »

Don't listen to BitterandTwisted - you'll end up with everyone hating you and getting into arguments.

Don't be daft!

The purpose of giving the OP the facts is so that they can make a decision about what they want to do as well as informing anyone else viewing this thread,

This discussion about viewings and a tenant's right to decline them if they wish comes up every single day of the week. To my knowledge there are two of them currently on the first page.

No grown adult needs to be told how to act reasonably, I hope.

abbadon3

Presenting facts as information to allow someone to make a more informed decision (i.e. knowing the different options open to them) is of course a good thing.

But your posts are more "this is what you should do...gogogo!"

abbadon3

Or atleast it seems that way to me - maybe i misinterpret what you're trying to get across due to writing style or some such.

mchale

G_M wrote: »

Now is the time to duck!

Tessa Shepperson is a respected property lawyer. She covers this aspect of tenants' right to quiet enjoyment here.

Thanks for that, but it still doesn't clarify the legal definition, the comments would appear to be her opinion,

and the point raised "So if you keep going into your tenants property, without their permission, that is unlawful" over what time frame does that refer to, ie once every week or once every 6 months, its biased on opinion, no one seems to be able to give reference to a court case where "quiet enjoyment" has been defined

bosseyed

valten wrote: »

I’m currently on notice for my property and am due to move out on about 3 weeks. I just had a voice message from my letting agents saying there is a viewing of my property tomorrow at 11am!

Now firstly, I am very uncomfortable with this. I value my privacy and the idea of strangers entering my house is not something I am happy with. I tolerate the 6 monthly inspections but having total strangers in the property is a definite no-no.

Secondly I am preparing to move out. My house is a mess and filled with piles of boxes and piles of clothes and other possessions ready to be packed. Lots of furniture has been dismantled and I certainly wouldn’t be happy with people poking about and passing judgement in its current state.

No I understand I have the right to refuse, but I’m unsure as to how. I don’t want to appear aggressive and uncooperative but I still want to make it clear that I don’t want viewings to commence until after I am gone. I think I would prefer to refuse in writing but I understand that I have only 24 hours to make sure this gets called off. Do I start quoting laws and referring the right to ‘quiet enjoyment’ or do I start with a polite request for the view to be cancelled.

Any suggestions?

To my mind the best option is simply to suck it up and accept the fact that your landlord wants to get new tenants signed up ASAP and that the only way this is going to happen is if the current tenant, ie you, is willing to let people look around the house.

It all depends on how difficult you wish to be really - I know, for the duration of your tenancy its 'your' house and as such you can refuse viewings. But in my view, neither of those is a particularly good reason to cause issues with the future letting of the property - if its an invasion of privacy you object to, perhaps ask the agents to arrange viewings when you're out, that way you can pretend it never happened. If the issue is you have many valuable items, faberge eggs, diamond rings knocking about which you would rather strangers didn't see, then just hide them all prior to viewings.

Having stuff out ready to be packed - to be fair, who is going to 'judge' you (what is there to judge!), why would anyone judge a bit of clutter for a tenant clearly about to move out? Propsective tenants are highly unlikely to be 'poking about' in boxes and cupboards are they, if my experience is anything to go by, they'll fly around getting a feel for the size and space, they ask questions which the estate agent won't be able to answer (what band council tax etc...) and thats about it - then they'll leave. Maybe 10 minutes max. And frankly, why should you care what people think anyway? Essentially you're saying you don't want people in the house as they might think you're messy and say nasty things about you behind your back - hardly a good reason to refuse viewings in my opinion.

Essentially, I'm saying just put up with it. Be nice, make things easy for your landlord who will then be more likely to cough up the deposit with good grace and be happy to provide a good reference.

Mr_Thrifty

Tell them you are happy for the viewings to go ahead, providing that you are given the results of a full CRB check carried out on everyone who will be viewing the property at least 48 hours before the viewing is to be carried out. Tell them that you require this information for Health & Safety purposes. LOL.

Because, let's face it, they are total strangers and could be thieves or even worse (what's to say they're not sickos and won't spit in your food or urinate in bottles of cola they find in the fridge). If you're not there, well... anything could happen! There is a reason locks have doors - it's to keep strangers out! Yet the EA expects you just to let anyone and everyone enter your home??

abbadon3

I should imagine the expectation is that potential future clients (who have shown to be suitable candidates) are allowed to be shown around the property accompanied by the LL/LA and/or the tennant at a time that fits with both.

I very much doubt the LL is saying - i'm gonna let a load of random people into your house while your not there. I don't know any of them and have never spoken to them before - they could be nutters. I won't be going with them either, i'll just give them the keys and let them know when the house will be empty.

housesitter

I'd ask for a discount on the last months rent for your inconvenience.
Your terms are that you must be present with all viewings.
If they agree then give them some times and dates when you can do it.

If not and they argue then state the law as above over the phone.
Follow up with a letter stating that you expect your stance will not prejudice your deposit, and also remind them that you will of course be present during the check out stage.


In ten years of renting with 6 or so agents I've not once been asked for a reference. Money talks TBH.