tenant changing the locks - wrong?

cran81

princeofpounds wrote: »

Ah yes maybe I too was harsh with my backbone comment (though it was meant to be more friendly than it sounds).

It's easy to be assertive when you are sure of your position. Less so otherwise.

I wasn't being sarcastic when I said I was growing one - as I said, it is growing slowly but surely. I probably needed that kick up the backside . Btw the articles you ercommended were amazing reading showing that the police do get it wrong - and I recommended them to another poster on another thread.

Just a question for you knwledgeable people - advice really. Whilst I've been in my rented property obviously I've allowed the agent to do the inspections 2 or 3 times yearly.
Landlord is now using the clause in the tenancy agreement regarding being able to enter with 24 hours notice as a means of entering the property. Now, I've not got a cannabis factory going on here nor committing any criminal offences but given the situation I am reluctant to allow him access. He wants to know what work needs to be done so he can budget for them (his agents have told me he is now going to court for a possession order). This makes no sense as surely you look at the work that needs to be done AFTER I've left. So, I suppose he thinks that he's getting me out of here asap.

So, do you advise that I let him do an inspection to stop him thinking I may be hiding something (or that's his excuse anyway) or just totally ignore him and all requests for an inspection. I don't want him to use tis as the only example of me being a 'bad tenant' in court. I'm up to date with my payments, etc.

Out of curiosity, has anyone been taken to court for refusing to allow access for reasons other than the gas check? Or will it be my luck that I'll be the first one to have this happen lol!

TIA

Werdnal

You either accept the LL's request to inspect and let him in, or you refuse and if you think he might still walk in, do something to prevent it!

How many times have you got to be told - CHANGE THE &^%%$£$ LOCKS!

A lot of very helpful knowledgable and very patient people have given you very valuable and legally valid information here, yet several says later you are back with virtually the same question "LL wants to enter, what do I do!"

(or are you trying to satisfy your trolling addiction by perpetuating this thread further - sorry but you'e got to admit its wearing a little thin now - no wonder we get suspicious!)

2nd thoughts, ask your sister, you seem to take more notice of her :rotfl:

Sorry if I'm beginning to lose it but :mad:

picklepick

Woah, as far as I can see, it wasn't the same question at all!

Cran, if I were you I'd not allow the inspection, I don't think it will make you look like a bad tennant. Especially if the agent have already done their usual inspections.

BitterAndTwisted

I don't advise allowing an inspection and I don't advise you ignoring their requests either UNLESS you have changed the sodding locks! If you believe that this proposed landlord's inspection is going to be used as a ruse to gain entry and abuse you or an attempt at an illegal eviction, then WRITE and tell the landlord and their agent that you are denying them entry for the time being, and why.

As you have said, you believe that the landlord is going to apply for possession, which he must do if he needs you to leave and not turn up at the property to terrorise or threaten you.

cran81

Werdnal wrote: »

You either accept the LL's request to inspect and let him in, or you refuse and if you think he might still walk in, do something to prevent it!

How many times have you got to be told - CHANGE THE &^%%$£$ LOCKS!

A lot of very helpful knowledgable and very patient people have given you very valuable and legally valid information here, yet several says later you are back with virtually the same question "LL wants to enter, what do I do!"

(or are you trying to satisfy your trolling addiction by perpetuating this thread further - sorry but you'e got to admit its wearing a little thin now - no qwonder we get suspicious!)

2nd thoughts, ask your sister, you seem to take more notice of her :rotfl:

Sorry if I'm beginning to lose it but :mad:

I'm confused Werdnal, at what point in the post did I say that i wanted to change the locks? I'd already done them after the replies I'd recieved - it remains changed.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt - perhaps that time of the day. And Werdnal, don't feel obliged to reply, all that angst replying - just don't. If you'd read the above posts some people had discussed gas inspections, etc. Because of people who have some weird notion about 'trolls' I certainly wouldn't have gone on with this thread - it had already been bumped by others. As respected as you are in your advice (and I respect it) please don't lose it over a post, calm down.
Another poster on another thread had mentioned the landlord bringing up a section in her TA that said landlord had 24hours notice. Similar to mine.
I have a changed lock and a new set of keys - myself. I was just wondering whether despite it all you'd still allow a landlord access for a legitimate inspection with my permission. Obviously people have been taken to court for not allwoing a landlord inspection for gas checks.

Please don't feel the need to reply to the troll. Or perhaps Werdnall, you may have changed into a troll and now I'm feeding your attention seeking. Bless. (Backbone growing).

thanks picklepick for noticing it was a different queston. I will ignore their requests then. I'd spoken to a housing officer from the council who said they were entitled to an inspection but I guess I have nthing to lose at this point.

cran81

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I don't advise allowing an inspection and I don't advise you ignoring their requests either UNLESS you have changed the sodding locks! If you believe that this proposed landlord's inspection is going to be used as a ruse to gain entry and abuse you or an attempt at an illegal eviction, then WRITE and tell the landlord and their agent that you are denying them entry for the time being, and why.

As you have said, you believe that the landlord is going to apply for possession, which he must do if he needs you to leave and not turn up at the property to terrorise or threaten you.

Thanks bitterandtwisted. I had changed the locks. Just didn't want a failure to allow inspection to be used against me in court. I will write to them to cover my back. I'll also at some point get an independent person in to show that the house is fine.

BitterAndTwisted

Your landlord doesn't need any particular reason to request possession from the court when they've correctly issued a Section 21 Notice. So your not allowing any viewings at this time cannot have any effect on your security of tenure or be used as a stick to beat you with.

I'm presuming that all you want is to receive the appropriate notice so that you can plan your onward move, rather than having the landlord believe that he can turn up on your doorstep and turf you and your belongings out illegally.....

DVardysShadow

cran81 wrote: »

I wasn't being sarcastic when I said I was growing one - as I said, it is growing slowly but surely. I probably needed that kick up the backside . Btw the articles you ercommended were amazing reading showing that the police do get it wrong - and I recommended them to another poster on another thread.

Just a question for you knwledgeable people - advice really. Whilst I've been in my rented property obviously I've allowed the agent to do the inspections 2 or 3 times yearly.
Landlord is now using the clause in the tenancy agreement regarding being able to enter with 24 hours notice as a means of entering the property. Now, I've not got a cannabis factory going on here nor committing any criminal offences but given the situation I am reluctant to allow him access. He wants to know what work needs to be done so he can budget for them (his agents have told me he is now going to court for a possession order). This makes no sense as surely you look at the work that needs to be done AFTER I've left. So, I suppose he thinks that he's getting me out of here asap.

So, do you advise that I let him do an inspection to stop him thinking I may be hiding something (or that's his excuse anyway) or just totally ignore him and all requests for an inspection. I don't want him to use tis as the only example of me being a 'bad tenant' in court. I'm up to date with my payments, etc.

Out of curiosity, has anyone been taken to court for refusing to allow access for reasons other than the gas check? Or will it be my luck that I'll be the first one to have this happen lol!

TIA

I think you are catching on to the way of thinking around here and I like it. If the LL has a reason to request access which is to do with keeping the place under good repair for your benefit as tenant or to do with an emergency, then granting access is fair enough.

But while you are under threat of repo, the range of reasons which might be acceptable to you could narrow considerably - not in terms of the list but in terms of the interpretation of that list IYSWIM

cran81

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Your landlord doesn't need any particular reason to request possession from the court when they've correctly issued a Section 21 Notice. So your not allowing any viewings at this time cannot have any effect on your security of tenure or be used as a stick to beat you with.

I'm presuming that all you want is to receive the appropriate notice so that you can plan your onward move, rather than having the landlord believe that he can turn up on your doorstep and turf you and your belongings out illegally.....

Yes, you're right in your post. I didn't want him to have an excuse in court.

Yes, I just want the appropriate notice. As I mentioned somewhere I'm unsure whether landlord believes notice was served. But I just care about myself now (see that backbone?!!). I hadn't recieved it. If I had I wouldn't be on here. I'd have found someone else willing to take my money. Anyway, will see soon enough if notice was served - if it hadn't then he's foolish, he should have started another s21 as soon as he realised I didn't have a clue what he was talking about.

Heliflyguy

On the subject of changing locks the following is from the TDS website.

It shows it is important to change the locks back again but the adudicators decision to award £150 for changing the locks without permission and in order to safegaurd the property seems odd considering this could give landlords the oppotunity to change the locks everytime a tenant vacates and put the cost onto the tenant, on the other hand it allows the tenant to change the locks when moving in.
On a property with a £300 depostit £150 to change the locks is in my opinion a bit steep.

The landlord’s second claim was for a cost of £150.00 for changing the lock to the front door at the end of the tenancy due to the tenants having replaced it without permission. The tenants state that they changed the lock as it broke and that they handed in the new keys at check out. There was no evidence to show that they had reported the broken lock to the agent or landlord during the tenancy, given the landlord or agent the opportunity to remedy it first, and the existing lock had been disposed of.
The adjudicator took the view that the tenants should have reported the broken lock to the agents at the time it occurred and that the landlord was entitled to the reasonable cost of changing the lock in order to safeguard the property.

http://blog.tds.gb.com/blog/but-i-told-you-it-was-there-the-importance-of-a-good-check-in