Tenancy quarterly inspection?

llh189

I have been in my rented two bed place for over a year, I rent as a single person, my life style, my stuff and my ability to pay the rent on my own screams professional person. My house is clean, tidy and well looked after!

Every quarter I get inspected by my letting agent and have also given my landlord full access to the property on several occasions when the boiler needed some work, when I needed a new fridge and when I needed a gas check. All done whilst I have been absent!

So when my letter arrived asking for access to the property during a working day ( ie I would be absent ) I allowed the inspection to happen, they just let themselves in.

I presumed it would be a quick shifty around the place, almost an in and out thing. I returned home from work and a door in the built in cupboard in the sitting room was a jar. The cupboard hasn't got anything in to do with the house ie no meters or anything but it does contain my printer. In order to fit the printer in I have to stand it slightly on edge, so when you open the cupboard door, it won't fit properly unless you fiddle with it and give it a bit of a shunt, once it is shunted you can then shut this door.

I was really surprised that during the inspection cupboards were actually opened. Whilst I am not planning to raise the issue with the letting agent but I wanted some opinions. I have been in during previous inspections albeit not this house or this agency and I am now wondering how in-depth they are being when they are alone in my home with my stuff.

The cupboard door would not open by it's self, and I have not been in the cupboard for months!

Whilst I am not going to lose any sleep over it I just wondered what other people thought!

Thanks

G_M

Well it is entirely up to you. Certainly 'inspecting' inside a cupboard iss excessive - more like nosying about.

Personally I would be unhappy allowing a stranger (or even a landlord I knew) into my home in my absence. Certainly not an agent who might send round the new recruit, nor a contractor.

You have choices.
1) Let things be and don't rock the boat.
2) request (insist) in writing that you have less frequent inspections now you've been there a while
3) insist (again, in writing) on being present when LL/agent/contractor comes round
4) If worried 3 above may be ignored, change the locks
5) refuse (write!) to allow any inspections
6) refuse any visits at all - even contractors (though you can't then complain the boiler doesn't work!)

Bear in mind that whilest you have a right to 'quiet enjoyment' hence can insist the above, the landlord also has a right of access. However to act on his right he'll need a court order, which may/may not be given depending why he wants access and what counter arguemnt you present in court.

rexmedorum

Actually quarterly inspections does seem excessive, you're not a kid anymore (I assume )!
I assume you are dealing with the landlord directly? (Quarterly inspections sound like far too much work for an agent)?

I would write a very politely letter (unfortuantely not my specialty ) requesting fewer inspections, and indicate that you would need to be present. Highlight that you have already prooven to be a good tenant.

Of course you could start refusing access but only do this if you are prepared to take a to vacate on the chin.

debsue

I rent with suelet and they do 3 monthly inspections. My partner rents out a house and his letting agent never set foot in the property even though they said that part of the management was 6 monthly inspections.

isobelj

I work for a lettings agency and we play it by ear with inspections. Usually we will do them six monthly but we wouldn't usually bother for tenants who have been in a while and have no problems. I definitely wouldn't go looking in anyone's cupboards while doing an inspection! Perhaps I might look under the sink to make sure there's no leak or anything, but I think anything more than that is nosy.

But to give them the benefit of the doubt, could it have been knocked open by accident?

tuftyclub

If I were you, I wouldn't let them inspect without you there. I had (I thought) a good relationship with my landlord - and allowed them to pop in if they needed to do anything

This degenerated me coming home one day to find the toilet seat up( I am a single female) after he had been doing some work in a local garden. Another day I came home to find the mail (generally on floor when It came through the letterbox) moved onto a unit. They'd been in again.

I'd never give a landlord or letting agency unrescorted access again

G_M

tuftyclub wrote: »

...
This degenerated me coming home one day to find the toilet seat up( I am a single female) after he had been doing some work in a local garden. ...I'd never give a landlord or letting agency unrescorted access again

worse if the seat had been down but the window needed opening......

tuftyclub

true - that would have been worse!

Kira000

I had agents turning up unannounced in a previous rented property when they were showing prospective purchasers around. We were being most accommodating, allowing visits with 24 hours , sometimes less notice (our agreement said we could have asked for more), evenings, daytimes, weekends. They started taking the pee and turning up with people with no notice at all, at 8am, 8pm, whenever, and not telling us, so anything could have gone missing an we would have no idea who had been in. Final straw was when they turned up at 8am on a Saturday morning, unnannounced, letting themselves in without knocking and using their spare key, we were in the living room still in PJs eating breakfast! From then on we insisted on the full notice (72 hours) and made it clear we were setting the burglar alarm whenever we left the house and that they didnt have the code. They werent happy, but had no choice.

moromir

I disagree with the other posters on one specific point - this appears to be a built in cupboard rather than free standing furniture.

Cupboards like this are notorious for condensation/mould problems depending on where they are located/whether any heating/water pipes / vents run through them (that why they often have a vent in teh door in older properties to try and keep some flow going to prevent moisture build up).

martindow

I think it is very helpful for you to be there when an inspection is made. It is a good opportunity to show the LL problems that need repair or maintenance. Then follow this up in writing.

It could well discourage frequent inspections.