Are landlords allowed?

mhoc

In the shared house my daughter is living in the landlord advertised for new students to let the rooms from September. When she was showing people around the house not all of the current room renters were at home and so the landlord used her keys and let herself into peoples rooms.

I dont think she gave them prior notice of this, possbily she might have said "I am going to be showing people around the house today" to whoever was about but I dont think she informed everyone personally by letter ( not even a note stuck on the fridge) or by bulk text message.

Is it Ok for landlords to do this, just let themselves and strangers into someones room?

M

BigBouncyBall

Depends on the terms of your contract. There may be a clause that says that they have to give "notice and it shouldn't be unreasonably refused". A note on the fridge may be considered enough notice.

black-saturn

I gather this is a student house in multiple occupation (HMO - more than 1 student with their own rooms and shared living room, bathroom, kitchen etc) and is only seen as temporary accommodation (i.e. just whilst on course)? If so then yes the landlord is allowed to show prospective tenants into any part of the house. If however this is an assured shorthold tenancy (AST - one family or one person lives in it and has sole occuoancy of the house) they would have to give notice if they wanted to show people round.

mhoc

What is classed as temporary? They are on a twelve month lease.

Two of the girls live so far from home they have only been back once so this is very much their home. Another girls parents sold up as soon as she went to uni so all her worldy goods are in her room. There is no bedroom for her now at her parents new house so she goes to her siisters who is local when she has a break.

m

BigBouncyBall

I'm sure it will be an AST (assured shorthold tennancy) all it means is they have the right to be there for 12 months (or whatever the contract says) and cant just be thrown out without an extremely good reason.

If you dont mind me saying you seem to know an awful lot about this house, the people in it and their problems. Take a break from it all, it will all sort itself out; there are only a few months left, get your daughter home for the easter holidays and sort things out then, its no good trying to do this over email, phone and a clearly unsafe postal service (?) Talk to her face to face over easter. Dont worry, you'e only got another 2 1/2 years of univeristy housing problems!!

mhoc

No sadly there are six months left, the contract is until September and these will be the crucial full on months - deadlines,exams, work experience, holiday jobs etc

And we cant get my daughter home ever so everything has to be done over the phone or by text but she is also starting to email and MSM now which is better.

Firstly every day of the week she is either at uni or doing some sort of essay, working at the pub, (also a better job in the offing with more shifts )and then there is the boyfriend who lives and works locally. So she has really gone for good, she does not think of home as home any more. The few weekends she has been back she is such a city girl now our small town seems very small. All her mates have moved on with their lives, the culture shock hits her like a brick when she is back so she gets the first train back.

She actually left home over a year ago, when she was just 18, to move in with her nan when she was diagnosed. She continued living at the house after her death because it was close to college until she went to uni. I think she has only slept at home for a few nights in the last year.

We do have frequent breaks from her various problems because quite often she will break contact and not speak to us for weeks on end. Mind you the problems dont go away thye just lie in wait for us!

m

kittiwoz

Right. I'll say it plain and I think everyone else is thinking it. You're smothering the girl. Maybe it is because she's moved away and "doesn't think of home as home anymore" and trying to run her life for her is your way of trying to hold onto her as your little girl but you know what? It is not working. That's probably why she breaks contact and doesn't speak to you for weeks on end. You're making it impossible for her to have contact with you and still maintain her independence because you're being so interfering. You really need to step back and try to relax. She needs you to be friendly and supportive but let her live her own life, sort out her own problems and even make her own mistakes and learn from them.

Oldernotwiser

The problems only lie in wait for you because you keep getting involved! You're obviously really concerned about your daughter but you need to back away; let her sort her own problems out. You're really not doing yourself or her any favours, in fact you seem to be becoming quite obsessive about the finer points of your daughter's life and living arrangements.

Blacksheep1979

Nope the landlord cannot enter the property, unless it is an emergency, without giving 24 hours notice in writing - even then it has to be at a convinient time. Get your daughter to write to the landlord stating that she must give notice to enter the property and if she fails to do so will be in breech of contract. If the landlord allows people round the property without the tennants there then the landlord is liable for any damages or losses (ie theft) that occur, if that is pointed out to her it may make her think twice as well.

BigBouncyBall

You have to check what clause is in the contract about access to the house, you may find the landlord has sneekily left out the fact he needs to give notice

there is no 'law' reguarding landlord access, in one house i lived in the landlord had to give 2 weeks notice!!

mhoc

Well I suppose the landlord could have access to your room when you were out, at least you know who your landlord it. I think I personally would not like it. I know I wont go into my daughters room at uni unless she invites me in, its her personal world and I know I have no rights to go into it. And its very messy as well :rotfl:

But a landlord showing strangers around the house on veiwing days I think is another matter. The people thye are showing around the house could just be anyone getting the geography of the house, access points, how the house its set out, very easy pickings for low lifes to break into a student house during the day and go through their rooms. At least if the landlord lets you know its a viewing day you can cover up your valubles or put them out of sight

m