Can Landlord show people round before we move out?

joolesw1972

We've lived in a rented house for about 5 1/2 years, we are moving out on 26th Nov and have given our notice to the Landlord, ending our tenancy on 3rd December as that tied in with the rent date and allowed us time to come back and give it a clean.
Today they've been and put a for rent sign up, which is fine, but where do we stand if the landlord wants people to look round before we move out?
I feel a bit uncomfortable about it, especially if we're out?
(I've no evidence that he'll want to just want to know where we stand if he does)

Beckyy

I'm not sure if this applies the same, as it's regardig a landlord selling up. But according to the Shelter website:

Is your Landlord selling the property?
In some cases your landlord may be trying to sell the property and bringing people round to view your home at times that are inconvenient to you. Unless you have agreed clearly in advance, your landlord does not have the right to show people around your home without your permission. If you prefer not to allow this, your landlord will have to wait until they have evicted you using the proper eviction procedures before showing potential buyers around.

Werdnal

LL has no automatic right of access, and neither do his agents. They must ask your permission to enter or bring viewers to see the property and you have a right to refuse if it is not convenient. If you suspect your LL may ignore this, you can even change the locks, as long as you return the originals before you leave.

However, depending upon your relationship with your LL - if you have been there that long, I suspect you have got on well with them, perhaps you can meet them halfway? Suggest maybe viewings can only be arranged on a Wednesday or Friday between 6pm-8pm and Saturday mornings 10-12 (obviously adjust times/days to suit you). You must also ask that the agent/LL confirm 24 hours ahead that appointments have been made for the suggested times, rather than just turn up!

It is up to you whether you want to refuse all viewings or make an allowance for them.

joolesw1972

Thanks for your help, we have a good relationship as in repairs have generally been done quickly, he's never given us any problems and we haven't given him any, I'm ok with people coming whilst we're in (as long as it's not every day!) just feel a bit odd about people coming when we're out, plus everything is a bit topsy turvy at the moment as we're having a big sort out and packing everything up!

G_M

As Werdnal says above, decide what suits you, what you are willing to agree to and what is not acceptable (ie visits in your absence).

Discuss/agree this with your landlord, then follow up with a letter setting out what you've agreed. If an agent is involved, make sure the landlord instructs them accordingly and/.or send them a copy of your letter.

KateLiana27

No, your landlord does not have an automatic right to hold viewings. But it is very helpful to allow him access, and it is not an unusual or unreasonable request for him to make. If you have a good relationship, I'd advise you not to ruin it just before he decides how much of your deposit to return to you. (We allowed our old landlord to hold viewings before moving out, and he was very generous in his interpretation of "wear and tear" in the check-out inventory, if you get my drift).

Just set some ground rules regarding convenient times, make sure all valuables are hidden away in a secure place, and don't feel obliged to tidy up before viewings - topsy turvy is fine!

thegirlintheattic

You can refuse all viewings, if you are going to do this do it in writing just to be clear. LL must ask your permission for viewings.

However you can be flexible and agree to viewings on say Saturday mornings whilst you are in, which will keep things friendly.

Mrs_Z

As others have said, the landlord does not have an automatic permission to enter the property. If you look at the situation from his point of view, he will want to minimise the time that the property is empty. Quite often when you show people around, they are moving from one rented property to another and have not yet given notice at the point of viewing as they have not found something that they like. Normally the standard notice period of 1 month. Therefore, if your landlord can only start showing people around when you have vacated the property from 3/12 - with Christmas coming up as well, he is not likely to have a tenant in place much before February at the very earliest. Not ideal for him as for every week the property is empty, he'll have to pay the bills and the mortgage on it.

I equally realise that you do not want strange people in your home every night - so why don't you have a word with the landlord and agree maybe 2 mutually convenient times per week for him to do viewings; ie. every Tuesday evening from 6-8.30pm or something like that?

JodieMasonMummy

Check your contract, this is on mine that landlord can show people round the house as resonable times and so on. So double check yours.

DVardysShadow

JodieMasonMummy wrote: »

Check your contract, this is on mine that landlord can show people round the house as resonable times and so on. So double check yours.

It is quite established here that even if the right is written into the contract, it is totally unenforcable for the landlord to show people around without the consent of the tenant. This is because the viewings would infringe the 'right to quiet enjoyment' already enshrined in law.

Werdnal

JodieMasonMummy wrote: »

Check your contract, this is on mine that landlord can show people round the house as resonable times and so on. So double check yours.

Quite agree with above - LL can put anything they like in a tenancy, but doesn't mean it is enforceable. Even if LL waves agreement under your nose and tells you its in the contract, they cannot force entry without your co-operation and agreement. They must get your permission to legally enter unless they get a court order first!