Problems with Landlady at student let is there anything they can do.....

no.1swimmum

My son lives in a student let with 3 other students, one of whom is not mentioned as a tenant on contract because they are the son of the Landlady, they have no locks on their doors although this has been queried so were give a 2 drawer cabinet on wheels that locks - problem is the keys open each others! DS is in his second year of living there and has had numerous issues of the landlady just turning up and staying without notice.


At first this wasn't an issue but since August it has been getting worse. In August DS had a national competition about an hour away so stayed there until it ended and then travelled back to London via student let to collect his clothes etc, on turning up it both parents and large Alsatian dog were staying there, although out at the time. The whole house smelt dreadful as they had left a large bowl of dog food in front of back door with the sun shining in on it, there was dog hair everywhere and someone had been in DS room as he always shuts the door but it was wide open and things had been moved, he text the landlady and complained, to which she apologised.


Fast forward a couple of months and she's staying again, DS and others go to bed reasonably early due to be up at 4.30 am for 5.00 training, she knocked on DS door just after he got into bed and told him to get up as someone was coming to look at the house in view of renting next academic year it was just gone 11.30pm, DS said no as he needed to be up early - well she opened his door again 10 minutes later to show someone the room!
Fast forward to today, DS had a text from one of the other students who had to go back early, and found that the landlady was once again staying, with the dog again, but this time, she had been in all there rooms and tidied up as she had more people looking around and signing up for next year!
So sorry for long post, I have tried to keep it short but I really don't know what to advise them other than to write to her a letter of complaint asking for her to leave them alone until the end of the tenancy! which is obviously awkward due to her son living there

Annisele

Does your son have a tenancy in his sole name for just his room, or do he and the other tenants have a joint tenancy for the whole house?

In either case, the housing officer at his student's union ought to be able to give him some advice; unfortunately they deal with this sort of thing all the time.

penguingirl

I'm sure others will be able to advise more, but could he get a temporary lock like this for his bedroom door?

no.1swimmum

Thanks for quick reply Annisele, DS is currently on the train going back, he intends to look at the contract when he gets back. I am not sure but I think they all signed the same tenancy agreement, not individual ones it was then copied and given to them.


He said that he will call into the uni after his lecture tomorrow and see if they can advise.


As you can imagine it is now making things strained between the others and the Landladies son, which is not making for harmonious living.

no.1swimmum

Thanks penguingirl I have forwarded the link to him, I didn't know such things existed but it would certainly be an idea.