Sick to death of novice, difficult landlord

ViolaLass

top_drawer wrote: »

Well I've been looking at properties all this week - I'm really struggling to find ones which are not let by letting agents as as after reading everything I have on here I didnt want to deal with them.

Choosing to avoid all letting agents because of stories you've read seems OTT to me. My LA, for example, is great - people don't tend to write about things that are working as they ought to be. By the same reasoning, given the trouble you've had with your LL, you should also avoid houses being let by LLs - so where will you go?

top_drawer_2

ViolaLass wrote: »

Choosing to avoid all letting agents because of stories you've read seems OTT to me. My LA, for example, is great - people don't tend to write about things that are working as they ought to be. By the same reasoning, given the trouble you've had with your LL, you should also avoid houses being let by LLs - so where will you go?

True. I've always found LL to be ok in the past. I have managed to find some places through findaproperty and rightmove that aren't nearly as bad as I thought they would be but was worried that that was a ploy....

I was quite frustrated last week that I found a lovely little flat in a converted pub, separate bedroom and a proper bathroom with overhead shower. Small lounge but big enough for two 2-seater sofa chairs of which one was the current tenants so was leaving with them.... then I asked what they would require from me to be considered for it. They wanted a refs, a £49 fee which was all no problem but then also a f/t permanent employment contract which I simply dont have. I work on a zero hour contract and so said that I can provide a guarantor but they said they just wont accept that so I cant have that property.

I have found that they will sometimes say they want this that and the other from you and then you are not allowed this and that but then admit that they wont actually go ahead with that.... just up to yet its not been on one of the ones I really liked.

TD

BitterAndTwisted

I agree with ViolaLass: in your situation I would cast aside my reservations about letting-agents, pay their fees to find you another suitable property. Give notice and then move out, using the deposit as the last month's rent and not stay there any longer. It would be money worth spending to me, just to be free of this wholly terrible situation and the abuse.

real1314

top_drawer wrote: »

Thanks Sonastin - believe me I am not a nasty person by an measure but for the first time in my life I actually feel something close to hate for this women. She has spent the last two and half years hanging over my shoulder dictating my time, my homelife and being an all round pain in the bum.

TD

Aren't you getting this a bit out of perspective?

At the start of the thread you said she hardly ever came round, but that you had to deal with this or that issue; which I'd presume to be repair men, gas checks etc?

Given that you live in the property, it's pretty standard to need to be in for that sort of stuff. The alternative is the LL or their workmen entering without you there, which plenty of tenants complain about!

And, there are more people there than just you, so aren't these visits shared?

You're now suggesting she stops you re-arranging the furniture, but she rarely calls, so how would she know?

And now that you've looked around, you find other places are more expensive; perhaps this place was cheap for a reason; i.e the compromises she expects and to which you have agreed / complied.

I'll go back to my original advice. Get out, the simple way. :cool:

Emmzi

As I recall top-drawer has previously had issues with flatmates etc also.

Stopping looking for drama and thinking pragmatically may go a long way to a happier life.

BitterAndTwisted

real1314: the OP has stated that something else happened at the weekend which she has chosen not to disclose. We don't know what that was obviously, but it seems to have been the straw etcetera. Going backwards and telling someone who is unhappy that the things which are causing it are not being seen in perspective isn't always helpful.

real1314

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

real1314: the OP has stated that something else happened at the weekend which she has chosen not to disclose. We don't know what that was obviously, but it seems to have been the straw etcetera. Going backwards and telling someone who is unhappy that the things which are causing it are not being seen in perspective isn't always helpful.

Building what may be simple mis-understandings into something that ends up as hateful is not a good way to live a life. If the OP is doing this, they need to get some perspective.

The OP has described the LL as having her at her beck-and-call, but original posts do not really suggest this. Hence, it is possible that the OP is losing perspective and perhaps needs to get a view from someone, perhaps one of the other house sharers, on whether they are being fair or not?

Pointing this out to the OP should help them ensure they are acting appropriately.
No-one knows what went on at the weekend, but the OP started the thread on monday; after this unknown event. It may have been something major, but the OP has chosen not to say, so i can only comment on what the OP has said, none of which should result in feeling "hatred".
:cool:

tbs624

Op - as a priority *write* to the LL and insist that she deals with the deposit registration pronto.

Registration can be completed online in just a few minutes so give her 3 working days to get it done and give you the scheme's prescribed information.

Head the letter "letter before action" and at the bottom type the words cc: private sector tenancy relations officer, x town Council.

Tell her that should she not comply with the law you intend to proceed to court. Keep a copy for your own records.

Focus on finding somewhere new and maximising your chances of getting your deposit returned to you. You may want to try to contact LLs who self manage - try going via the Council's private sector office and Preston Accredited Lettings Scheme (PALs)

Note that your current LL needs your consent to access your personal room.

top_drawer_2

real1314 wrote: »

Aren't you getting this a bit out of perspective?

At the start of the thread you said she hardly ever came round, but that you had to deal with this or that issue; which I'd presume to be repair men, gas checks etc?

Given that you live in the property, it's pretty standard to need to be in for that sort of stuff. The alternative is the LL or their workmen entering without you there, which plenty of tenants complain about!

And, there are more people there than just you, so aren't these visits shared?

You're now suggesting she stops you re-arranging the furniture, but she rarely calls, so how would she know?

And now that you've looked around, you find other places are more expensive; perhaps this place was cheap for a reason; i.e the compromises she expects and to which you have agreed / complied.

I'll go back to my original advice. Get out, the simple way. :cool:

Possibly I am getting it all a bit out of perspective as I do tend to worry a lot about things, but this is my home and she has invaded it on numberous occassions when it suits, we don't see much of her thankfully but when we do we all know about it. There is all the checks but there also her "visits" in which she pops round in spates every few months for a few hours at a time to do a job which should take 30 minutes at the most but normally takes all afternoon. She has poked through other housemates things and I suspect she has been through mine too although I cant prove it - her whole attitude is "This is MY house, I am entitled TO DO EXACTLY as I wish in relation to it any you scrubby lot are ALLOWED to live here on my tolerance."

She decided at some stage that I was responsible it seems for everything in this house and when something needs doing she rings me and demands I do it. end of. So no none it is shared between the other housemates. During the summer I couldnt be available as I was working away and she was rude in repeatedly asking Are you refusing to be available for the Gas safety man to do his yearly check? She also implied I would be responsible if the boiler should go wrong due to my "refusal" I explained I dont know how many times I couldnt and she just didnt care - she said why she she have to take a day off work to be in to let him in? Then there was a drains man, and then a plumber as we had a problem and I the same issue in being able to be here.

We lost our water for no apparent reason awhile ago so after going through all the obvious things we rang her and asked her to look into it as soon as.... it was two hours before she finally arrived and then after doing ALL the obvious things again that we had already done finally she rang the various services to get them to look into by which time they could deal with it until much later that week.

Its more that she wanders in and starts moving things around that she thinks would be better elsewhere; has no-one ever had someone come in your house without an appointment or at short notice and start telling you how this or that picture is all wrong for the room, she nearly had a coronary at because I have an oil burner on the mantal piece not so long ago, popped into my room to show a complete stranger (to me) the "beautiful" fireplace (read garish and OTT).

For an extra £45 a month I can rent my own place .... but then like I said there is also the LA fees, the requirements to meet and additional stuff to arrange like council tax (£25 a week ish), services to deal with. I KNOW it will be worth it but I still dont like change, moving house etc. Of course I'm looking at it positively ... new changes/more space, chance to decorate, new people in the area etc but still its still a pain in the bum and out of my control.

Yep, I've had issues with housemates in the past as most housesharers do.

There is no chance it was all "mis-understanding" in the way that black isnt white. I dont hate her; I certainly feel a strong sense of dislike that someone can behave so badly and win; get one over me be cause someone was willing to give her a mortagage and not me and now despite her terrible behavior I have to move.

I have been housesharing for the past 9 years; through uni and then as a young professional - I am well aware of whats reasonable. I am acting extremely well considering how she has behaved. I havent been rude or shouted and she has no idea as yet that I've not just accepted her behavior as I normally have in the past and moved on.

yvonne13_2

OP your spending to much energy talking about what your LL is doing wrong, just save up some money and move.