Inspections and photos every 12 weeks?

[Deleted User]

Hello,

I'm looking for advice because I am slowly going mad with worry. We moved into our rented property in September and I read the lease carefully, compared it to standard forms, argued a few points and went ahead and signed.

Last month I received a letter telling me that they will be doing inspections every three months. We are a professional couple in our late twenties, they have a massive deposit, we have given them no hassle and made no requests, rent has been paid on time... what do they want? I've never had this before in years of renting.

I can completely understand one inspection but they want to take photos of the interior and I can't bear the thought of some random bloke coming in every twelve weeks, taking digital photos of my bedroom then putting them goodness knows where Plus I have to take time off work and I will be on my own for the inspection - I'm female and I am terrified at the thought of being alone in the flat with someone I don't know from Adam.

I can't sleep and am constantly shaking and crying from the stress. We just want to be left alone to live peacefully in a property that we are paying a ridiculous amount for. Is there anything that I can do?

Thank you so much in advance for your help.

- Carezza

InkZ

You are entitled to quiet enjoyment so should be able to say no. Downside of saying no, is that there is nothing to prevent them giving you three months notice if they don't like it.

Frances99

Is it in the lease that they will do this? If it is, I'm afraid you will have to let them as you signed it.

And insist the landlord or agent is there for the inspection - you shouldn't have to take time off for it.

jjlandlord

As a tenant through a large-ish regional agent I had these inspections carried out as well.
They only took pictures of things of interest, not of every single room and details, and they sent me their report and pictures. 15 minutes tops.

If done professionally it can be a good thing even from T's perspective: It can show that you're taking care of the property and if you report an issue it shows when and how long before it got fixed.

Carezza wrote: »

I can't sleep and am constantly shaking and crying from the stress.

Let's not go overboard for such a minor thing...

InkZ wrote: »

You are entitled to quiet enjoyment so should be able to say no.

In itself this is not a breach of quiet enjoyment.

sooz

If it's not in the contract I'd reply to the letter in writing thanking them for their letter, & asking them to point out where exactly it says on the signed AST that you have agreed to such an inspection period.

By the sounds of it the LL has paid the agency for full management, so inspections will normally be a part of that service. Between every 3 and 6 months is normal, although every 3 months is a little on the intrusive side.

You don't have to be in if you don't want to, as part of full management they should be key holders, so could come in if you granted permission.

You don't have to be alone if you want to be in. Ask a friend or neighbour to be in if you insist on being there.

It is most unlikely that photographs of your bedroom will be put anywhere other than in a report to the landlord who is paying them. You could, of course, ask for written confirmation from the agency as to what they do with the photos.

It doesn't have to be a man in your home. Some agencies employ women too. You could ask for a female letting agency employee.

If you are really suffering that much stress at the thought of an announced & pre-arranged visit from the agency you are renting through, I'd suggest you talk to you gp.

clutton_2

as a LL i am shocked that they want to take photographs at such frequent intervals. Photos are really only necessary at the beginning and end of a tenancy to enable the inventory to have some meaning. I would rate this as bordering on completely unnecessary. I suggest a friendly letter say that you are in full time work, and that you dont have anyone who can stand in for you, and are not really happy to have to take 4 days holiday each year for these inspections, and that you dont agree to inspections while you are not there.

If you had a friend/neighour who could come in on a Saturday, you could offer them that as an alternative date, so showing your cooperation. When the letting agent arrives and finds an utterly pristine clean property, you can then say, that you are not happy with photographs and would rather he didn't take them. He will then be able to report back that he has found a brilliant property and the LL will be appeased at least.

[Deleted User]

Thank you everyone for your help.

sooz wrote: »

It doesn't have to be a man in your home. Some agencies employ women too. You could ask for a female letting agency employee.

It is a man.

sooz wrote: »

If you are really suffering that much stress at the thought of an announced & pre-arranged visit from the agency you are renting through, I'd suggest you talk to you gp.

I have done. I've been attacked in my home before and been robbed, so I am more sensitive - that is NOT the LL's problem, I know, but I just want to feel that my home is my own so wanted to find out if this is standard.

Werdnal

Was this a term in your original contract which you have already stated you read and signed acceptance of?

If not, I would write to the agent, stating that the frequency of these inspections are excessive, and, after the initial check, you would be happy to accept 6 monthly visits, but feel the 3 monthly intrusion is encroaching on your quiet enjoyment of the property. Also send a copy of this direct to the landlord - if you do not have the LL's address, ask the agent for it in writing - they are legally obliged to supply it to you on a formal request.

I think you are over reacting a little by getting yourself so wound up over this, but also agree it is totally unnecessary. One of our long term tenants was a single elderly chap (excellent tenant in all ways who stayed for over 5 years), and our agent at the time went a little OTT and started 3 monthly inspections. We heard from a neighbour that our tenant was getting worried that we were checking up on him, when we had no idea that the agent was actually doing this. I rang the agent and gave them a blast over it and they went back 6 monthlies instead. Infact we would even been happy with annual inspections!

Please do not get yourself in such a state over this. Unless you have a bedroom full of bondage gear and a slave chained to the bed, I hardly think the photos will even warrant a 2nd glance by the agent - they must have 100's of these photos on file, and after they have sent a copy to the LL, they likely archive or bin them anyway! In the long-run they are trying to justify the commission they are charging the LL, as its the condition the property is returned in that matters - not how you choose to live whilst you have a valid tenancy agreement. LL (as I was) may be totally unware the agent is doing this, hence my suggestion of a copy direct to them. I would hate to feel I was jeopardising the chance of a good tenant staying long-term and being happy in my property, just because of an over-zealous agent trying to prove themselves worthy of their extortionate fees!

[Deleted User]

Thanks everyone. You have a good point that having an inspection may be favourable from my side as well. I'll just deal with it and if they have no issues, I'll put in a polite request that the next inspection be in six months' time.

- Carezza

LandyAndy

We rented for 10 months about 6 years ago.

We had 3-monthly inspections.

So what? Hardly a big deal for the LA to come round for 15-20 minutes at an agreed time. They didn't take pictures but I wouldn't have objected if they had wanted to.

[Deleted User]

Werdnal wrote: »

I think you are over reacting a little by getting yourself so wound up over this, but also agree it is totally unnecessary. One of our long term tenants was a single elderly chap (excellent tenant in all ways who stayed for over 5 years), and our agent at the time went a little OTT and started 3 monthly inspections. We heard from a neighbour that our tenant was getting worried that we were checking up on him, when we had no idea that the agent was actually doing this. I rang the agent and gave them a blast over it and they went back 6 monthlies instead. Infact we would even been happy with annual inspections!

Thanks for a reassuring reply! Some people may be fine with a monthly look while other people feel that visits every three months mean they are being "checked up on". People just have different levels of privacy/sensitivity I support.

I guess I just want to find some middle ground with the agency.