Landlord wants photos, viewings etc... can I refuse?

dearlouise

I gave a month's notice on my rental, as I'm moving 200 miles away for a new job. The landlord has asked to visit this week or at the weekend during daylight hours to take photos with my furniture in. He's also asked if he can arrange viewings for prospective tenants.

Now, I've got 22 days left on my lease. I have a super busy job, work long hours & spend my weekend either working, seeing family or running errands.

Re: the photos... my house is already a bomb site from trying to declutter & downsize before relocating so I really don't want to have to 'tidy up' for the sake of some photos. When he could just use the original ones from my listing.

Re: the viewings... I'm normally so busy I don't have time to meet my own appointments, let alone have people booking in. Not to mention, things like, I put my PJ's on the second I walk through the door, I might not wash up after a meal until the next day, I might have a pile of 'to do' washing on the floor... I haven't the time or the brain capacity at the moment to make 'show home' every time someone wants to view! I can't see why a landlord would WANT people to view a property with someone else's stuff in...!

Can I say no? And if so, how do I do it nicely? Thus far I've had no issues with my landlord & vice versa.

da_rule

Check your tenancy. Most will say that you have to allow reasonable access during the last month of the tenancy or during a notice period to allow the landlord/agent to market the property, including viewings. The photo's is a bit of a moot point, if it isn't expressly included then you could refuse. You could try asking the landlord if they still have the photo's from the last time they had the property on the rental market.

G_M

It's not an unreasonable request, and the LL appears to be asking, rather than demanding, and I get the impression from your post he'd be flexible over times.

What does your tenancy agreement say about access in the finalmonth?

Why not ring him and eplain your preferences, and offer, say, Saturdays, or Thursdays betwen 5 & 7 PM (or whatever is convenient) and come to some agreement?

MyOnlyPost

I agree with the above and also add that by playing nice with the landlord he is more likely to play nice in return (returning deposit quickly, good reference) I realise he should do that anyway but people don't always do what they should.

All that said, if you don't want to then I don't see what they could do about it.

AnotherJoe

Who said you had to tidy up ??? Or do the washing up? LL can work around it amd use original photos if new ones don't work
. It seems churlish not to allow some visits when he's been a decent LL. Have him visit when you aren't there or do without earning PJs fir an hour or two once in a while (frankly these all seem like invented excuses)

ThePants999

Your tenancy agreement probably requires you to allow reasonable access for viewings etc. It's highly unlikely that it would require you to tidy up! I'd let your landlord go ahead, but warn that it's not going to be in top viewing condition...

dearlouise

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Who said you had to tidy up ??? Or do the washing up? LL can work around it amd use original photos if new ones don't work
. It seems churlish not to allow some visits when he's been a decent LL. Have him visit when you aren't there or do without earning PJs fir an hour or two once in a while (frankly these all seem like invented excuses)

True, I was simply making the assumption that the landlord would want the place looking 'nice' for viewings.
And they're not invented excuses. I'm a teacher who works a 70 hour week. If I'm actually at home it's in 'sleep' mode... otherwise I'm at work. Depending on the day I've had, I might be in bed for 8pm! But I can't see into the future...
I certainly won't be allowing him to view while I'm not there.

usefulmale

How on Earth did you manage to find time to view the house in the first place or travel 200 miles every time you wanted to view a place for your new job.

Stop being precious. The world does not revolve around you.

AnotherJoe

dearlouise wrote: »

True, I was simply making the assumption that the landlord would want the place looking 'nice' for viewings.
And they're not invented excuses. I'm a teacher who works a 70 hour week. If I'm actually at home it's in 'sleep' mode... otherwise I'm at work. Depending on the day I've had, I might be in bed for 8pm! But I can't see into the future...
I certainly won't be allowing him to view while I'm not there.

That its seemingly mandatory for you to wear PJ's when at home isn't an "invented excuse? That you are literally never at home unless asleep isn't invented? That you are never at home at weekends?

You'll be packing some time, right?* So let him come round whilst you are doing that at a weekend, or whilst you are marking one evening, i presume its not actually mandatory to put your PJ's on the instant you come in through the door ? You could presumably bear not to put them on for an hour or two?

Precious certainly is how you come across. And if you want to be an obnoxious tenant for your last three weeks I guess there's little he can do about it, just dont pretend its the awful cruel landlord.


* though I am confused by your reference to how messy the place is due to you decluttering, if that's true, you are doing it wrong

dearlouise

usefulmale wrote: »

How on Earth did you manage to find time to view the house in the first place or travel 200 miles every time you wanted to view a place for your new job.

Stop being precious. The world does not revolve around you.

It was the school holidays & I don't have a place to live 200 miles away yet. I'm going down in half term or will be living in a B&B until I do!

Unfortunately, my world does revolve around me. That's how life works. I don't have to pander to a greedy landlord that wants tenants back to back in his property that doesn't have a mortgage... just to make sure he doesn't have a day where he's not earning rent.

dearlouise

AnotherJoe wrote: »

That its seemingly mandatory for you to wear PJ's when at home isn't an "invented excuse? That you are literally never at home unless asleep isn't invented? That you are never at home at weekends?

You'll be packing some time, right?* So let him come round whilst you are doing that at a weekend, or whilst you are marking one evening, i presume its not actually mandatory to put your PJ's on the instant you come in through the door ? You could presumably bear not to put them on for an hour or two?

Precious certainly is how you come across. And if you want to be an obnoxious tenant for your last three weeks I guess there's little he can do about it, just dont pretend its the awful cruel landlord.


* though I am confused by your reference to how messy the place is due to you decluttering, if that's true, you are doing it wrong

True. It's just inconvenient. I pay rent to live how I like, rather than be inconvenienced in 'my own home'. Maybe this renting lark isn't for me. I own, but rent closer to work to try to claw back hours in the day that were spent on a commute.