Inspections and photos every 12 weeks?

poppysarah

Photos are intrusive.

A 3 month initial check up should be ok if they want to confirm you've moved in, are nice people and aren't cooking up crack in the basement.
But further 3 month checks will be over the top imo.

Use this visit to your advantage.
make a list of anything that needs sorting out.
Give them a five minute window to come in and look round and leave.

They are not there to tell you to tidy up - that would be utterly wrong. (unless you collect wet fish and have piled them up against the walls in a heap... etc)

sooz

Carezza wrote: »

Thank you everyone for your help.



It is a man.



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.

In which case I'd write to the agency, as suggested above, & ask if you can have a female employee conduct any necessary inspections, for the reasons you have given above. Is there someone at the agency that you have met & spoken to already who you would feel happier conducting the inspection?

In general, yes inspections are normal, a little annoying at the feeling of being checked up on, but do view it as a good opportunity to point out problems or potential problems with the property, rather than them being there to check on your levels of tidiness.

As a LL, I personally don't do inspections as such, but then I do, with permission, accompany tradesmen to the property to resolve any issues, so dont feel the need. When I've rented and been subject to such frequent inspections, I've handed the LA a typed list of every single little fault, or soon to be issue, I could think of, followed them round pointing the same out.

G_M

Option 1.
Use these inspections as an opportunity to point out any and every repair that needs doing. Make sure they are recorded and you are sent a copy of the record afterwards, or follow up with a letter of your own confirming them. Also include any comments the agent makes eg "it all looks very tidy" whatever. May be useful in the future.
Arrange to have a friend there too a) for support and b) as a witness.

Option 2.
As above, but insist the inspections are done at a time to suit you. A polite letter saying xx/xx/xx is inconvenient, please come at X O'Clock on XX/XX/XX or Y O'Clockk onn Y/YY/YY instead.

Option 3
As 1 and 2 above, but insist you do not want photos taken. Put this in writing. Make clear it is a condition of your agreement to the inspection taking place. Explain you are not trying to be difficult but find it intrusive, as well as unecessary.

Option 4
If you have concerns they may ignore your letter and/or just let themselves in with their key, change the lock barrel. Keep the old one to replace when you end the tenancy. 10 minutes and £5 with a screwdriver! (it's also very satisfying to have succesfully done some DIY, and made yourself feel more secure!)

Option 5
Ask politely for 6 monthly inspections. Do it in writing. Point out your good record as a tenant.

Option 6
Refuse all inspections. In writing. (AND change the lock). But bear in mind that
a) they can insist, but would need a court order (unlikely)
b) you will seriously annoy both agent and landlord, so are likely to be given Notice.

[Deleted User]

G_M wrote: »

Option 5
Ask politely for 6 monthly inspections. Do it in writing. Point out your good record as a tenant.

Option 6
Refuse all inspections. In writing. (AND change the lock). But bear in mind that
a) they can insist, but would need a court order (unlikely)
b) you will seriously annoy both agent and landlord, so are likely to be given Notice.

Thank you. In ten years I've always had fantastic relationships with landlords (and never had a penny taken from any deposit!) so dealing with a stubborn/unhelpful agency is really depressing when I just want to have a positive relationship.

Thanks to everyone who has given advice, it has really helped. I may have different comfort levels to others and want some privacy, but that doesn't mean that I am a bad tenant or a bad person.

princeofpounds

Even if you had agreed in your contract to the inspections, that does not mean you need to accept them. Your right to quiet enjoyment means that clause is totally unenforceable, should you withdraw permission (It can act as standing permission unless you actively cancel it).

It's quite normal to get an inspection at 3 months, but after that it is not normal to get them nearly so frequently. It is not normal to have photos taken unless they are of specific disrepair in which case I suppose I could see some reason to take them.

roger196

By all means ask for the inspection to be carried out by a female employee ( it would be advisable to give reasons).
Use the opportunity to point out all faults / repairs. ASK when they will be done. At the next visit, you can follow up on whether a repair was carried out, within an appropriate time scale and to a satisfactory standard. An inspection should be seen as a positive point by a LL who will be expected to keep the property in good repair. There are many threads on this board about LL's being very dilatory about carrying out repairs.
ps have you got a copy of the gas certificate.
pps ask agents to confirm that LL has permission to let from his lender.

Euphoria1z

personally, id use G_M's option number 2, and say your available out of office hours where chances are they wont be able to make it, and unfortunately your never available on the days that they request due to work, family commitments, interviews etc etc etc. or, how about u offer to send them photos as both parties cant seem to be able to agree on a suitable date? i mean your very very BUSY, right? But your trying your best to accomodate by offering to send them photos?

tbs624

Carezza wrote: »

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

There is an implied covenant to your tenancy agreement that you will permit access so that the LL can inspect the condition of the property and its state of repair.

It's tied in to the LL's repairing obligations so use the occasion to highlight any issues that you are aware of.

As other have said you *can* simply refuse access and then the LLs only recourse is to seek a court order. That, however, is the surest way to ensure that you get to move on after the end of your fixed term.

The LL/LA has to give you a min of 24 hours written notice ( except in a genuine emergency) but you *can* suggest alternative times/dates. Perhaps a date when your partner could do the honours, rather than you? You are under no obligation to explain about your past experience of being attacked.

Anyone can set up as an LA - they don't have to have any training, qualification or specific expertise. It's unfortunate that many LAs have an over formal, rather pompous way of wording letters to Ts.

You can insist that they only take *relevant* photos, ie those which show a repairs and maintenance issue. Is the furniture yours or the LLs btw?

Rather than let the LA make his own way round, you show him round - it's your home, so take control. You may even choose to ask the LA to remove his shoes.

As others have said, sometimes LLs are not aware of what their LA does in their name and after this first visit you should perhaps talk direct to the LL and ask that the inspections are spaced further apart.

Don't feel that your lifestyle is under scrutiny - you don't have to tidy up/scrub and polish etc, as Poppy Sarah says. So long as you not committing a criminal act and/or are doing nothing to cause damage or deterioration to the property then how you live during the tenancy is nothing to do with the LA. ( Obviously you will be returning the property in the same condition as when let to you, except for fair wear and tear)

Hope you manage to get a mutually convenient appointment sorted out, along with an agreement on greater intervals between future visits.

jjlandlord

princeofpounds wrote: »

Even if you had agreed in your contract to the inspections, that does not mean you need to accept them.

Well, yes she does. That's the point of a contract term, isn't it?

princeofpounds wrote: »

Your right to quiet enjoyment means that clause is totally unenforceable

Quiet enjoyment does not imply being unreasonable and disregarding agreed upon contract. Nasty things tend to ensue.

Of course the key is that breaching that clause of the contract most likely does not cause the landlord any loss so that OP does not risk being liable for any such loss.
On the other hand, as others have mentioned, alienating the agent for such a seemingly trivial issue may not be the wisest thing to do.

[Deleted User]

Turns out it didn't go so well. He turned up early while I was getting dressed - I ran to answer the door in a dressing gown with wet hair because I thought it was the postman, but it was the inspection agent. I asked him to come back half an hour later at the agreed time but he just walked in and started taking photos while I was throwing some clothes on.

I explicitly asked him not to take photos of the bedroom since I hadn't had a chance to clear up after getting dressed but he just snapped away even as I was asking him to give me a moment. Apparently since it is furnished it was his "legal right". There's nothing about that in the contract.

He took photos of the carpet because I "hadn't vacuumed" and commented on the fact that we haven't finished unpacking and asked why. I quote - "it's not really a home, is it? More like somewhere you are camping out". Thanks

He left the place stinking of fags and we still haven't got the gas safety certificate. By the end I just wanted him to get out so just went with it.

Forumites - thanks for all your help, anyway. 14 months left on the contract but I'll just sit it out and hope for a good reference!