Unexpectedly drop-in to tenants?

Pukeko

UPDATE!!

Hi all, first of all thank you to all who have taken the time to read and respond. Your varying responses have been very interesting and helpful. :A

When I met up with my husband later on on Friday and mentioned my thought about popping by the house next weekend with the flowers he was horrified. I said "it's funny you should say that coz 145 other people mentioned that as well!"

I have to admit that at first I was alarmed that people would think that I would continually pop around (which I personally would find very stressful, as a tenant or otherwise), and then I remembered that this is the internet and you all don't know me and my initial post might indeed make me look like I would begin as I meant to carry on!! Ooops!!

To everyone who suggested ringing, I thought about this long and hard and while it was obviously the solution to popping by unannounced, I came to the conclusion that it's probably just as intrusive.

We have just got back from the property this evening, having finished off a few things and given it a final once over. After thinking through the flowers thing I decided instead to buy a really nice box of chocolates. As they move in this week, I've left it on the side with a welcome card and a letter about where useful things are.
(I thought the chocolates would be MSE :money: - if they don't like or eat chocolate (they would be wierd - kidding ) they can 'recycle' them as a Christmas present or whatever.)

Once again, thank you to everyone who replied, and thank you to those who understood my well-meaning if misguided intentions. Special thanks to Sooz for the tips (which influenced my chocolates decision!!), you are already a great landlady by the sounds of it.

Cheers MSErs :T


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Original message:

Hello I'd just like some feedback - I want to drop by our new tenants (we're first time landlords here) and put a face to the name (for her & us) and drop off a bouquet of "welcome" flowers.
If you were a tenant would you think this is ok or think we were invading your privacy? Is it 'illegal' to just drop by? I don't want to inspect the house, just say hello, thanks for renting from us, here are some flowers for you.
In my own experience, we had landlords who used to drop by with a box of biscuits at Christmas time, they were lovely (the landlords and the biscuits ).


Edit:

Thanks all for your feedback!
Just to clarify, no I wouldn't want to go in (and I'm very shy myself), we just want to stand at gate/front door (!) and say hello and thanks for renting from us and hope they will like it there and here's some flowers (non-hayfever type!). Thanks for the tip about saying we are going somewhere, that would be a good idea, I could say that incase they feel duty-bound to invite us in.
Re "creepy", hmm I definitely don't want to be creepy!!! :eek:
Maybe it would be a better idea to get them delivered with a note, it just seems impersonal and I wanted to put faces to names as well I guess.
We will be overseas for most of the tenancy, so no problems with being "smothered" lol
Thanks all

2nd Edit:

yes we are with agents

3rd Edit ( :laugh: )

Ok from everybody's feedback, I think we will send off a welcome note and get the flowers delivered. I would drop by for the names to faces thing* but I don't want them to feel awkward or annoyed or creeped out. I've also put together a few things I thought they find useful - where the closest shops are and stuff like that (I know they are from out of town), so I will send that in the mail.

*I thought it might help to put names to faces especially since we will be away. I know when we had the lovely LL described above, because they were caring we were more careful about the property. I'm sure it will come through that we care about our tenants' welfare and our property if we make sure we respond to problems and stuff like that anyway.

Thanks again everybody that responded

carpetbelly

If I had that happen I'd be gobsmacked... Hence why I ended up buying
But I personally think that's a lovely gesture, just dont invite yourself in. I say that as I'm a very private type of person and dont like letting people in unless I really have to.

barnaby-bear

Pukeko wrote: »

Hello I'd just like some feedback - I want to drop by our new tenants (we're first time landlords here) and put a face to the name (for her & us) and drop off a bouquet of "welcome" flowers.
If you were a tenant would you think this is ok or think we were invading your privacy? Is it 'illegal' to just drop by? I don't want to inspect the house, just say hello, thanks for renting from us, here are some flowers for you.
In my own experience, we had landlords who used to drop by with a box of biscuits at Christmas time, they were lovely (the landlords and the biscuits ).

Urgh too friendly and unprofessional - creepy

Melissa177

I *think* you legally have to give 24 hours notice - even to drop in a bunch of flowers!

My landlord did this when I started to rent her property (and gave a bottle of wine) - this was a very nice gesture, and I took good care of her property.

Miss_Sparkly_Star

I think that's a lovely idea.

I would just drop by maybe when you are on the way to somewhere else and say just passing but wanted to say hi....

BUT for tenants that may be secretive/paranoid they may think oh they're trying to do an insepction, so presumuing you get invited in..don't look around, don't ask to go upstairs, maybe just lurk in the hall and living room and try not to look around at stuff (tenants may think oh the flowers are just for an excuse to look around)

BTW if you do want to do an inspection, I think it's 48 hours written notice but that may be wrong.

You sound like a lovely landlord - past ones of mine have been awful, and wouldn't have dreamed of doing anything like this.

rosysparkle

You can knock on the door without giving notice, but the tenant doesn't have to answer the door or let you in, and many tenants might feel that calling round unnannounced is an unwarranted invasion of their privacy. It may be that they would feel pressured to let you in, which of course they don't have to do.

Some tenants might welcome a present but others might not.

Guy_Montag

Why not give them a call the night before, to say that you just want to pop round so that you & they can put names to a faces. Explain that it's not an inspection & you don't want to look round, just say hi.

If they are happy with that then go round with some flowers or biscuits, have a chat about how they are settling in & if there's any problems.

Badger_Lady

Yes - it is a lovely thought but I'm afraid it might be misinterpreted... I rented a house tied to the pub where my OH worked for a while, so we knew the landlady very well, but were very uncomfortable whenever she knocked on the door. It would have been much easier if she'd phoned (not very MSE when you only live next door, I know), just to preserve our privacy.

Mind you, she did let herself in one morning when we were still in bed and start showing her friend (stranger to us) around! All my laundry was hanging in the front room and, well, we weren't exactly prepared for guests! And, oh yes, there was the time she climbed up a ladder and let herself in through the bedroom window...

Of course, this was completely illegal and I realise it's not what you're planning :-)

Ellie007

If you are worried as to how it may be construed, why not just pop a 'new home' card through the letter box, or have flowers delivered with a little note saying hi? I think your idea is lovely, but everyone is different with regards privacy.

nick_hill

can't help but would love to know what others fell about this

just had a problem with the boiler in my BTL and it's taken a couple of days to get it sorted (due to lack of availability of tenant to meet plumber mainly).

But feel bad as it's been so cold

was thinking of dropping round with a bunch of flowers

cheers

Nick

Badger_Lady

nick_hill wrote: »

can't help but would love to know what others fell about this

just had a problem with the boiler in my BTL and it's taken a couple of days to get it sorted (due to lack of availability of tenant to meet plumber mainly).

But feel bad as it's been so cold

was thinking of dropping round with a bunch of flowers

cheers

Nick

Yes - that would be lovely and would keep the relationship sweet. Just send by post / through door though, not in person!