Tenant question

Lord_Baltimore

I wouldn't like anyone to be tramping through my home in my absence. Tell the Agent you will allow access but at a time convenient to you. I wouldn't change the locks as it might become adversarial. If the Agent won't honour the request, speak to your landlady about it.

You're not a doormat; you're a rent-paying tenant and you don't have to accept every Tom, !!!!!! or Harry walking through your place. The privacy you expect is reasonable.

Try to keep it all amicable if you can though - it's much better that way for everyone.

Pixie5740

j1n wrote: »

The agents give us a week's notice but are not willing to negotiate on days or times. I am hourly paid but they say they will be here between 10 am and 4 pm. I lose a day's wages or take a day's holiday.
As for the maintenance people, we didn't even know they had a key to the place. We don't know them at all.
Also, we have an oil boiler that was due for service on 18th Sept this year bu t agent said it is the landlord's choice whether the want it serviced or not! We regularly have no heating or hot water some days! And now the landlord is going to send in a plumber! I don't get it! Very frustrating, to say the least.

It's up to you but I just agree to letting agents doing inspections without me being present. So far nothing has ever gone missing and I'm fairly confident nobody has rummaged through my knicker drawer or that my contents insurance has been invalidated. I'd prefer to keep my time off for fun things. When you rent other people have sets of keys to your home and I've only ever had a problem with that in 1 rental property.

The maintenance people are not allowed to just enter your property when they feel like it. You require 24 hours written notice unless it's an emergency.

Have you reported the heating and hot water problems in WRITING (letter not email) to the address for the serving of notices in your tenancy agreement?

jjlandlord

Guest101 wrote: »

Because in the event of an emergency they don't need your permission.

They don't need notice.

Guest101 wrote: »

It's usually in the tenancy, usually 24 hours notice. Otherwise it's reasonable notice.

kinger101 wrote: »

It's 24 hours written notice by statute.

It's in the tenancy, but by statute

Guest101 wrote: »

Otherwise it's reasonable notice.

Otherwise it's nothing, because they are not entitled to just give notice.

Guest101

jjlandlord wrote: »

They don't nee notice.




It's in the tenancy, but by statute



Otherwise it's nothing, because they are not entitled to just give notice.

Yes I stand corrected- it's that it must be at reasonable times.

kinger101

jjlandlord wrote: »

They don't nee notice.




It's in the tenancy, but by statute



Otherwise it's nothing, because they are not entitled to just give notice.

Neither of us have read is tenancy agreement to be fair. If for some reason it had been omitted (which would be unusual), wouldn't they still have the right to visit for property inspection as it's statute?

jjlandlord

kinger101 wrote: »

Neither of us have read is tenancy agreement to be fair. If for some reason it had been omitted (which would be unusual), wouldn't they still have the right to visit for property inspection as it's statute?

It is a term of the tenancy by statute: This means that it is so even if not explicitly written in the agreement.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I know it's a personal thing, but I rented for years and was never bothered about the agent or one of their nominated representatives (ie handyman) entering when I was out (with reasonable notice, of course). One of the benefits of renting is that maintenance is totally not your problem in terms of time and money. Now I have a mortgage, I waste days and days of my annual leave waiting in for deliveries and workmen which is seriously annoying.

kinger101

jjlandlord wrote: »

It is a term of the tenancy by statute: This means that it is so even if not explicitly written in the agreement.

OK, think we were cross talking here as Guest101 appeared to be using "tenancy" to mean the "tenancy agreement document".

Satansallsmiles

I would note that the insurance may well be invalidated if its a theft claim - Most policies require 'forcible and violent entry or exit' to a premises to pay a theft claim. If it is theft where you've given someone access, then the claim would be declined in 99% of cases.

kinger101

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I know it's a personal thing, but I rented for years and was never bothered about the agent or one of their nominated representatives (ie handyman) entering when I was out (with reasonable notice, of course). One of the benefits of renting is that maintenance is totally not your problem in terms of time and money. Now I have a mortgage, I waste days and days of my annual leave waiting in for deliveries and workmen which is seriously annoying.

That can be a benefit, but some people don't like their homes being visited by strangers when they're not there. At the end of the day, particularly where the tenant is otherwise worth keeping, it's sensible to be pragmatic about these things. If I was a LL, I'd be annoyed if a letting agent wasn't willing to show any flexibility toward the tenant. Incidentally, many letting agents expect the tenant to take time off work to let maintenance professionals in.