Is this unreasonable?

Angry-Confused

Please could I have a view on whether it is me or my estate agents who are not acting reasonably?


In short, I rent my flat via an estate agent, although the building is managed by a company who are responsible for maintaining the fabric of the building. A broken pane of glass needed replacing. The management company arranged for their contractor to do the work, but he apparently subcontracted it to one of his mates, who was not known by either the estate agents or the management company. The estate agents wrote to tell me that the contractor would be entering my property on ‘Monday or Tuesday’ but refused to give a time on the grounds that I did not need to know when he was coming because I did not need to be there.

I complained in writing to the Managing Director of the estate agency, saying they had handed over the keys to my flat to an unknown person and insisted I did not need to be present while he was there. The manager wrote back with a rambling letter saying, “We were aware that you may (or may not) have been in but it was not a requirement for you to be there as we had explained before”.

I do not think it is unreasonable to want to know when an unknown person will be entering my flat. I also think this is rather irresponsible of the estate agents. The estate agency do not seem to understand my concerns at all. Am I being unreasonable? If not, what could I do? Thank you

nidO

Change the locks.

mrginge

Is it really that big a deal?

Let them fix the glass and worry about something more important.

Pixie5740

I think it's a big deal for the letting agency to just hand the keys to the OP's home over to a stranger, especially with the letting agency only giving vague notice so the OP couldn't arrange to be there.

What you do about it depends on what you want to achieve. Since this is a first time offence I would write to the letting agency telling them that it's not acceptable for them to hand the keys for your home over to strangers and that in future you want 24 hours written notice before anyone enters your home. (You are legally entitled to this and, depending on what your TA says could say no to someone entering your home.) Maybe put something about hoping that this was a one off incident or something to make it sound like you're giving them the benefit of the doubt.

If you go in all guns blazing you'll just be issued with a Section 21.

Annie1960

Is anything missing?

Angry-Confused

Thank you Pixie for your reply. You are right that legally they need to give me 24 hours notice, but they claim that their letter saying 'Monday or Tuesday' gives me the notice I am entitled to.


Very sensible to recommend that I don't go in all guns blazing: bit late for that though... Ms Hot Head had struck again!


I will write to them again as you suggest. It is the irresponsible attitude that bugs me: "Yeah it's fine to hand your keys over to an unknown guy and he can enter your property whenever he likes, and we're not going to tell you when, because you don't need to be there!"


Annie, no he did not have the opportunity to nick anything because I cancelled my work that day so I could 'supervise' him. He made me very suspicious. I had told him I would be at work that afternoon and asked him to text me before he returned with the new pane of glass. He agreed and said he might return the next day instead. He then snuck back into my flat later that same day, without informing me first as we had agreed. Imagine his surprise when he literally crept (suspiciously hunched over) through my front door to see me standing there! He said he thought it would be a "nice surprise" for me...


Oh yes, that would definitely have been a surprise!


He then asked me to go on a date with him, which I declined. He is divorced and in his mid 50s; significantly older than me. I wouldn't usually be unkind enough to call someone sleazy, but given his 'keenness', I can't help wondering if he was intending to sneak back to my flat unannounced for a good old rummage through my underwear... I've heard accounts of workmen doing this kind of thing.
Unfortunately the estate agents could not understand these concerns of mine either. I can only conclude that they are either naïve or careless, possibly both.


Thank you again for your help.

Guest101

Angry-Confused wrote: »

Thank you Pixie for your reply. You are right that legally they need to give me 24 hours notice, but they claim that their letter saying 'Monday or Tuesday' gives me the notice I am entitled to.


Very sensible to recommend that I don't go in all guns blazing: bit late for that though... Ms Hot Head had struck again!


I will write to them again as you suggest. It is the irresponsible attitude that bugs me: "Yeah it's fine to hand your keys over to an unknown guy and he can enter your property whenever he likes, and we're not going to tell you when, because you don't need to be there!"


Annie, no he did not have the opportunity to nick anything because I cancelled my work that day so I could 'supervise' him. He made me very suspicious. I had told him I would be at work that afternoon and asked him to text me before he returned with the new pane of glass. He agreed and said he might return the next day instead. He then snuck back into my flat later that same day, without informing me first as we had agreed. Imagine his surprise when he literally crept (suspiciously hunched over) through my front door to see me standing there! He said he thought it would be a "nice surprise" for me...


Oh yes, that would definitely have been a surprise!


He then asked me to go on a date with him, which I declined. He is divorced and in his mid 50s; significantly older than me. I wouldn't usually be unkind enough to call someone sleazy, but given his 'keenness', I can't help wondering if he was intending to sneak back to my flat unannounced for a good old rummage through my underwear... I've heard accounts of workmen doing this kind of thing.
Unfortunately the estate agents could not understand these concerns of mine either. I can only conclude that they are either naïve or careless, possibly both.


Thank you again for your help.

Change the locks

G_M

Letter to LL with a copy to the LA:

Dear Mr Landlord,

Further to the recent misunderstaning over access to my home to repair the broken window, I am writing to clarify my position for the future. This is simply to avoid any future misunderstaning.

When you or your contractors (agents, workmen etc) require access, I should like to be present. If you give me 24 hours notice I shall then be able to arrange things, or if impossible, contact you to agree an alternative date time.

In the meantime, many thanks for arranging the repair promptly.

Yours sincerely

A Tenant

---

polite, (relatively) unconfrontational, offering compromise, but unambiguous.

If in doubt, also change the lock.

jjlandlord

Annie1960 wrote: »

Is anything missing?

A broken pane of glass. Bl**dy thieves!

Argghhh

if you havent changed your locks he may be sneaking back in in the middle of the night to rummage through your underwear?
1st thing to do in my opinion

Angry-Confused

G_M wrote: »

Letter to LL with a copy to the LA:

Dear Mr Landlord,

Further to the recent misunderstaning over access to my home to repair the broken window, I am writing to clarify my position for the future. This is simply to avoid any future misunderstaning.

When you or your contractors (agents, workmen etc) require access, I should like to be present. If you give me 24 hours notice I shall then be able to arrange things, or if impossible, contact you to agree an alternative date time.

In the meantime, many thanks for arranging the repair promptly.

Yours sincerely

A Tenant

---

polite, (relatively) unconfrontational, offering compromise, but unambiguous.

If in doubt, also change the lock.

GM, thank you for your suggestion. Wish I was as sensible-headed as you!


The tenancy Agreement states that I am supposed to pay £75 for the privilege of MOVING OUT! But I haven't paid any deposit so I can salvage a little pleasure when the time comes to move by moving out without giving them the 2 month notice period and without incurring the spurious £75 charge. Hur hur!