Warning: rant. (viewings on my rental house)

butler_helen

franklee wrote: »

Unlike when selling a house, when any move hasn't been arranged yet, you can't make it pristine before viewings when physically in the middle of moving. Helen wrote "our storage boxes are sky high" which if they are anything like mine are tidy piles of removals boxes 6ft plus filling a room. Why should a tenant unpack them before moving and at just the time when they need to be packed? I've not even unpacked many of mine as there isn't time given I only have two months security of tenure.

Besides if the rightmove description is different to reality it's hardly the OP's fault. Perhaps you should be asking why the agent/LL are misrepresenting the property?

It's clean and tidy with the exception of dishes and under the cats bowls.

The agent basically wants it to look like a normal house, which it won't as we have now run out of time to pack for the move. No more weekends, just week nights after 7pm so we can't really help the piles of neat and mainly uniform boxes.

I was thinking that if they are misselling the house then we are having pointless viewings. Accurate description means more who are genuinely likely to be interested.

Wyndham

butler_helen wrote: »

It's clean and tidy with the exception of dishes and under the cats bowls.

The agent basically wants it to look like a normal house, which it won't as we have now run out of time to pack for the move. No more weekends, just week nights after 7pm so we can't really help the piles of neat and mainly uniform boxes.

I was thinking that if they are misselling the house then we are having pointless viewings. Accurate description means more who are genuinely likely to be interested.

And that's just how it is, and they need to accept that. You have the right to live how you like, so long as when you move out the property is put back into the state you found it in. So, to give a daft example, you could paint a magnolia wall bright pink if you wanted to, so long as you painted it magnolia again before you left.

Stick to your guns, be polite but firm. I've currently given notice on my flat and have asked for notice of viewings at least 24 hours in advance, and in writing - this is not an unreasonable request. As it happened someone was looking at one of the other flats on Friday with the building manager, and as it was convenient I let them see mine - but that was my choice. I would not put up with as many viewings as you seem to be getting.

G_M

For goodness sake! Is this thread still going?

It's really very simple and the OP was given advice way back at the start.

Tenant can decide how many viewings (if any), and when.
Tenant can live how they want till the tenancy ends.
Tenant should put any objections/conditions in writing to landlord and coppy agent.

Sorted. What on earth is all the ongoing concern?

edit:
Patient can get medical advice from GP or NHS Direct.

inmypocketnottheirs

franklee wrote: »

Tickles me how so many landlords think they will be just passing by when the emergency happens. The tenant can give the keys to a friend or relative and let the neighbours know who to call in an emergency. However if they do not know the neighbours or don't do that it's unlikely a neighbour would call the landlord anyway. I certainly don't know how to contact my neighbour's landlord so if I saw the house on fire I'd be calling the fire brigade and not their landlord. If water was flooding from an above flat then I'd call the flat's managing agent.

However if it comes down to an emergency and the landlord in on the scene then he can arrange for an emergency call out for a locksmith to gain entry. (Locksmiths do it easily enough when people lock themselves out). In that case then the tenant would pay for the locksmith but it's a small price to pay for piece of mind. However if time is of the essence why would a landlord delay while he travels to the property, surely he'd call out emergency services without delay and the door would be forced anyway. Therefore I do not think any short delay while waiting for a locksmith would cause any more damage than would happen anyway whist the landlord travels to the scene. It's not as if landlords appear instantly even when the tenant is home asking them for help directly.

Besides if the landlord has gone in for viewings against the tenant's wishes and the tenant has sent him a written complaint then I do not think the tenant would be liable if changing the locks as they will have proof the landlord had given them good reason to.

A lot of assumptions here!!!

I find that both parties being reasonable is the best solution. Fortunately I respect my tenant's privacy and they respect my property. Seems to be a quality lacking these days.

butler_helen

G_M wrote: »

For goodness sake! Is this thread still going?

It's really very simple and the OP was given advice way back at the start.

Tenant can decide how many viewings (if any), and when.
Tenant can live how they want till the tenancy ends.
Tenant should put any objections/conditions in writing to landlord and coppy agent.

Sorted. What on earth is all the ongoing concern?

edit:
Patient can get medical advice from GP or NHS Direct.

Sorry.

I am more than happy with everyones advice. I just thought it was polite to reply

melancholly

I like it when threads run where the OP comes back with updates. I like it even better when there's some sort of resolution. It's nice to hear of problems being solved rather than just hearing problems!

Horace

You have my sympathy - I gave notice to my LL last week to say that I would be moving out at the end of June, he has told his letting agents who have just started turning up with prospective tenants. It seems that they can come and go as they see fit without contacting me (I know that they cannot enter my flat without my permission). Although my flat was untidy it was clean and anyway it is even more untidy now as I have boxes, bags, crates and piles of stuff everywhere. It sure is amazing how much stuff you can accumulate in 5 years:rotfl:

inmypocketnottheirs

butler_helen wrote: »

Sorry.

I am more than happy with everyones advice. I just thought it was polite to reply

It's poor old G_M being a bit irascible. Seems to have a grudge against landlords!!

tbs624

inmypocketnottheirs wrote: »

It's poor old G_M being a bit irascible. Seems to have a grudge against landlords!!

...according to some of his posts he is himself a LL

My general view is that if people view a thread as having run its course they do not have to carry on reading it and/or contributing to it ( and ironically by continuing to contribute the thread expands still further)

However, G_M is one of the more helpful regular posters on this board so maybe he can be forguven the occasional "harumph" moment;)

allthingsmustpass

inmypocketnottheirs wrote: »

Seems to have a grudge against landlords!!

Many tenants have been priced out of home ownership by the buy to let brigade, and are charged extortionate (and I literally mean extortion) amounts to not have to live on the streets.


And of course a tenant is treated like dirt as we see on this thread.

So, a dislike of landlords? You don't say?