Rental Photos

theartfullodger

Change the locks (keep old ones to put back when you leave..) and write (maybe email as well but WRITE) to LA/Landlord noting you will accept no visits, inspections, surveys, viewings etc without your prior written agreement which you are not yet giving..

That the tenancy agreement says you can't do these things is interesting but enforceable without a court order which will take longer to get than the time you'll be there...

I'd also write stating your requirement that they take down any photos with your property in them unless&untill you agree to them being used, in writing...

I'd say you have a (very marginal..) case for harassment...

Cheers!

Artful (Landlord)

amy104

Thank you for all the comments.

It differs because, as you say, owners allow agents into their homes and grant permission for photos a) to be taken and b) then displayed.

OP had no knowledge that photos were going to be taken or displayed. Therefore had no choice regarding whether to a) allow the agent in, b) remove anything sensitive or valuable before photos were taken, or c) veto subsequent photos which may show things they don't want to be seen.

This was exactly my thinking. I was not insinuating that a burgular would feel more inclined to rob me in particular its just that I was not given opportunity to remove items I deam particularly valuable.

I have asked them to remove the photos, two of which they have already done, but I will ask for the rest to also be removed. I've also inisted that due to the misuse of my trust that they can only do further viewings whilst I am present.

I consider myself a reasonable person, I have no inclination to get petty with them or make life awkward, I just want a bit of communication from them.

RedFraggle

Does your contract allow them in within giving you notice? If they have been in without telling you and it does, then they are in breach of contract. I would not recommend changing the locks because this would probably put you in breach of the contract. At the moment, you have the higher ground. When I was renting and at the end of the agreement (I had bought a house to move out into) there was a knock at the door, I wasn't expecting anyone so I ignored it. Next thing I knew the agent was letting himself in with a couple to view. Good job I wasn't in the bath!!!!

amy104

I don't know if they have been entering without permission - they have done in the past and I wrote to them asking them not to do it again so I'm assuming either they haven't or they have and not been stupid enough to leave behind evidence this time.

I imagine the photos were taken when they supposedly had a viewing. Had they of asked I'd just of moved the things I didn't want in the pictures. But they didn't, and it was a big shock finding my personal belongings displayed on the internet.

theartfullodger

amy104 wrote: »

I don't know if they have been entering without permission - they have done in the past and I wrote to them asking them not to do it again so I'm assuming either they haven't or they have and not been stupid enough to leave behind evidence this time.

I imagine the photos were taken when they supposedly had a viewing. Had they of asked I'd just of moved the things I didn't want in the pictures. But they didn't, and it was a big shock finding my personal belongings displayed on the internet.

Harassment

see..

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/40/section/1

For the purposes of this section, the person whose course of conduct is in question ought to know that it amounts to harassment of another if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think the course of conduct amounted to harassment of the other.

(Can be up to 6 months in prison..)

&
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/43/section/1

[F1(3A)Subject to subsection (3B) below, the landlord of a residential occupier or an agent of the landlord shall be guilty of an offence if—
(a)he does acts likely to interfere with the peace or comfort of the residential occupier or members of his household, or

*miaomiao*

RedFraggle wrote: »

Does your contract allow them in within giving you notice? If they have been in without telling you and it does, then they are in breach of contract. I would not recommend changing the locks because this would probably put you in breach of the contract.

I believe that housing law supersedes clauses like these, even when it is written into a contract, which means that LAs and LLs can't just come into your property when they want to even if they dropped you a text/wrote with advance notice/dropped by *unless you agree to it*. Whether or not you agree or disagree, it's best to do that in writing. *Emergencies are entirely different. And yes, they have to be proper emergencies.*

Same goes for changing the barrel of the lock.

(Queue those who disagree...)

dimbo61

Like I said what do you want from this!
The Landlord has taken down the pictures or some of them and wants to get in new tenants
If he was a good landlord he would look after the tenants and do reasonable repairs /maintence required and keep his/her tenants happy. Long term tenancy helps pay the bills and saves on looking for new tenants.
Someone posted on here only a few weeks ago that the landlord wanted to bring a gas safety engineer in to do a " gas safety check" as required by law every 12 months !!!!
No gas safety check ! no hot water, no central heating but it saves on the gas bill

franklee

googler wrote: »

I'm sorry, but how does your situation differ from every other home in the country where owners allow their agents into their homes to photograph them with all the furniture that isn't included in the sale?

The owners have arranged the viewing so give their consent they are happy with how it looks in the photos and even then they can get any photos they aren't happy with changed. Anyway it doesn't need defending that different people have different preferences in their own home. I would not want my home photographed either as being in rented it doesn't look that great, mismatched furniture and boxes etc. (BTW If I'd sneaked into yours yesterday when you were out and posted the photos on the forum would you mind).

amy104 wrote: »

I have asked them to remove the photos, two of which they have already done, but I will ask for the rest to also be removed. I've also inisted that due to the misuse of my trust that they can only do further viewings whilst I am present.

Like Artful suggests I'd back that up with a polite complaint in writing so that if they later complain about lack of viewings you can counter that with proof of their unreasonable behaviour being the reason why unaccompanied viewings were stopped.

Frankly I'd only allow accompanied viewings in the first place as that's my preference.

amy104

Like Artful suggests I'd back that up with a polite complaint in writing so that if they later complain about lack of viewings you can counter that with proof of their unreasonable behaviour being the reason why unaccompanied viewings were stopped.

Frankly I'd only allow accompanied viewings in the fist place as that's my preference.

This is what I've done. Thank You.

Like I said what do you want from this!
The Landlord has taken down the pictures or some of them and wants to get in new tenants
If he was a good landlord he would look after the tenants and do reasonable repairs /maintence required and keep his/her tenants happy. Long term tenancy helps pay the bills and saves on looking for new tenants.
Someone posted on here only a few weeks ago that the landlord wanted to bring a gas safety engineer in to do a " gas safety check" as required by law every 12 months !!!!
No gas safety check ! no hot water, no central heating but it saves on the gas bill

I don't understand what is meant by this. I always let them in for inspections, safety checks etc but I cannot always accompany them due to work comittments so it has to work on a trust basis. I feel I am justified in being upset that they entered the property and took unauthorised pictures when I have always been reasonable and it would of took two mins for them to ring me and ask. The purpose of the thread was to ascertain whether what they did was ok or not as I like to play fair and by the rules. My question has now been answered by other members.

franklee

dimbo61 wrote: »

Someone posted on here only a few weeks ago that the landlord wanted to bring a gas safety engineer in to do a " gas safety check" as required by law every 12 months !!!!

Not quite, I think they complained about lack of notice and the time being inconvenient. I am at a loss as to why this point is missed, do so people really have so much trouble with the concept of making an appointment. That is to agree a time that suits both sides.