Rules : Allowing Rental Viewings

BitterAndTwisted

You don't have to give any formal notice if you want to surrender the property at the end of the fixed-term. However, considering that you want to be present for the check-out I would give written notice as far ahead as you can and request at the same time that the agent contacts you to arrange a mutually-convenient time to carry it out

theartfullodger

- as B&T says - and take loads of "very flattering..." photos & have an "independent" witness , both to cover issues if agent is daft enuf to argue later...

FireWyrm

Ahh, thanks B&T. I think 1 month should do it. That's reasonable and I can put up with the disruption for a few weeks. I've read the documents someone pointed me to and it seems that what the previous LA did would be considered 'betterment'. I guess that repainting the walls is not necessary which is a relief. I am quite prepared to clean and consider this a duty, but painting is such a bloody hassle. We've lived there for 2.5 years and so it's not reasonable to expect that there will be zero marks on the walls despite what I was told before about returning the house in exactly the same condition. I do remember mentioning 'fair wear' but they just dismissed my claims last time and said I was wrong to count marks as 'wear'. That the only marks that would be considered would be a 'light patch' where a settee had been standing for instance and not childrens finger marks on the stairs. I'll have the carpets cleaned like I did last time and clean all the appliances and surfaces, but I'm not going to kill myself doing it. I've found that they have to prove that my cleaning was not sufficient, not that I have to prove it was! I'm a bit worried about the inventory since it's a little sparse to say the least. It's only 2 pages long and doesnt seem to cover everything. It's a worse inventory than the other lot managed.

However, I would like to say one thing to landlords in general. I can seriously understand why people trash houses. I consider myself to be fairly reasonable and I really tried to leave the last house in a good condition. I must have spent several full days cleaning everywhere and spent several hundred pounds of my own money on professionals to do the carpets and the LA and LL in collusion still stopped over half of my money for the minutest infractions. They lied to me about arbitration too, and this was a proper letting agency, not some fly-by-night shark landlord. If that's how the best in the industry treat tenants, no wonder LL's get their houses handed back in a shameful condition. If you know you're going to lose your deposit no-matter what, why bother at all?

may_fair

FireWyrm wrote: »

I know I have a right to be at the checkout, but they dont have an obligation to tell me when this is, meaning that I miss it....same effect.

You don't have a right to attend the check out, assuming it's conducted after the tenancy has ended.