Private Landlord adopting Office Hours telephone calls

babe-ruth

HI, as a landlord to 4 properties (no agent) i was wondering if it is ok for me to assume normal office hours - 9am -5pm, Mon - Fri,(except for emergencies) when it comes to receiveving telephone calls from tenants?

I have always responded to calls, which usually come in an evening or at weekends and frankly i'm getting a little tired of it, especially as it has not been a matter of emergency. Just wondered what you more experienced landlords thoughts were on this.

Thanks

Hump

Do your 4 properties really generate that many calls?

FATBALLZ

As a former tenant I'd say I'd be very !!!!ed off if any of my landlords did this, firstly most tenants are working during office hours (to earn money to pay to you), and secondly you need to cover out of hours in case of emergency. Being a landlord isn't a 9-5 job. I'd probably have moved out pretty quickly if I'd had to put up with this. If the hours bother you use an agent.

19lottie82

If this is too much hassle for you then you're obviously not suited to self managing your properties - I suggest you employ the services of a letting agent.

babe-ruth

Fatballs, If i had an agent would tenants have to accept their office hours? (except in emergencies of course)

Also, i accept that folk work 9 - 5, but that doesn't usually stop them from making phone calls during that time slot.

Hump. No it doesn't generate that many but just lately iv'e a one very annoying tenant that likes to call us late at night for some reason.

Hump

Tell the annoying tenant that any calls after 8pm will generate a s21 notice unless the house is burning down!

googler

babe-ruth wrote: »

.....just lately iv'e a one very annoying tenant that likes to call us late at night for some reason.

So you let the answering machine screen your calls, and phone back if it's a genuine emergency......

sharpe106

I would think have a polite word with them and most people would appreciate that and would phone 9-5 if they could and it was not an emergency

googler

FATBALLZ wrote: »

................firstly most tenants are working during office hours (to earn money to pay to you), and secondly you need to cover out of hours in case of emergency. Being a landlord isn't a 9-5 job.

Firstly, are you suggesting all tenants are in jobs where they have no access to, or leeway to use a phone at any time during the day?

If being a landlord isn't 9-5, then what is it? What hours do you expect to call and expect the phone to be picked up? Are landlords forbidden to, say, go to a concert, or the theatre in order that their tenants can get hold of them?

Do you seriously expect every landlord in the country to maintain a 24/7/365 call centre?

babe-ruth

On the contrary Lottie, i have been doing it for about 10 years and am very suited to it and being a very concerned landlord about both my properties and my tenants reply promptly to any phone calls, text or emails that i get.

Just thought it about time that i started acting like an agent and adopting agent open hours like most tenants have to accept.

Are you an experienced landlord?

Annisele

It sounds as though you have a problem with one tenant - so I think you should just deal with them, without implementing a general policy that might annoy all of your other tenants.

If a polite word with the annoying tenant doesn't cut it, then I'd do what other posters have suggested. Short term, buy an answering machine. Medium to long term, serve a s21 and get rid of annoying tenant (if tenancy is periodic) / [STRIKE]wait for end of fixed term and then[/STRIKE] serve a s21 to coincide with the end of the fixed term (if it isn't).

Edit: Amended in view of G_M's post #14.