Can a tenant let someone stay in rented property when they are away

aitchjg

deleted post

Comms69

aitchjg wrote: »

I sent a tenant a letter requesting them to arrange the gas inspection and gave a date to do a home check. - why aren't you arranging it? She replied by text saying away on holiday for at least 3 weeks and a friend had found my "note" (letter in sealed envelope) Can I let the gas engineer in as the certificate is needed? - if you provide sufficient notice Also she has left upstairs window open and when I asked how long she will be away she says a friend will be house sitting for the last week (I believe she has someone staying there already) - that's perfectly fine. Have noticed she has painted front door and also has obviously installed some system as there are now wires going up the front of the house up to the roof. Can she allow people to stay in the property if she is not there?

Ofcourse she can, it's her home.

theartfullodger

What does the tenancy agreement you - presumably provided and - agreed and both signed state on the matter?

So sorry but I'm unable to read it from here.

It is for landlord to arrange , supervise and let in engineers and workpersons. Sometimes tenants will agree to do so but don't have to. Why should a tenant take time off work and lose wages to accommodate a lazy landlord, please?

Artful:. Landlord since 2000

lookstraightahead

You're not her keeper.

pinkteapot

Isn't it a good thing? My parents-in-law house and cat sit when we're away. We've been doing that since a few years ago, when we got home from a holiday to find water had been leaking in the loft for who knows how long. Also reduces the risk of burglary.

We're currently renting and recently did the same again. We checked with the agency and they had no issue with it.

hazyjo

Do you believe her or are you trying to say you think she might have moved out and is sub-letting?

Cakeguts

This will only become a problem if they do what one of our tenants did. Moved a family member in to basically house sit while he went to look after his sick mother. It came to light when the family member tried to claim housing benefit to pay the rent and were not on the tenancy agreement. The council housing department rang the letting agents to find out who the actual tenant was because there was a case of housing benefit fraud beginning. The housing benefit claim was refused.



We issued a section 21 to end the tenancy of the tenant and they left before we needed to go to court. I think probably because their nice little plan was foiled by the council housing benefit department.

DigitalSheppard

Unless if specified otherwise in the tenancy agreement, it's fine. People can stay there.

However, you should really be arranging the gas inspection - not the tenant. The only thing here that I would take issue with is the painting of the front door and the wires. Just worth having a friendly chat about.

aitchjg

Firstly I am not a lazy landlord. I have arranged appointments, she has let traders down (and changed the locks before asking but that's another story) so now I get in touch with the gas engineer/tradesmen if needed to sort the costs and then ask her to arrange the appointment. This is what she prefers as she is there all the time and it has worked . I have now found out she is using the loft as a room . The loft is meant to be out of bounds as I have things stored there. Also she should have not painted/changed things in the house without my permission. I am not meant to keep an eye on her and it is not possible.

Comms69

aitchjg wrote: »

Firstly I am not a lazy landlord. I have arranged appointments, she has let traders down (and changed the locks before asking but that's another story) so now I get in touch with the gas engineer/tradesmen if needed to sort the costs and then ask her to arrange the appointment. - right so if the locks are changed you cant let them in can you? This is what she prefers as she is there all the time and it has worked . I have now found out she is using the loft as a room . The loft is meant to be out of bounds as I have things stored there. - tough. You let a house. Move your belongings out Also she should have not painted/changed things in the house without my permission. I am not meant to keep an eye on her and it is not possible.

- she can do what she likes. You have the right to have the property returned as let, you have no say on what happens whilst it's let.

aitchjg

I believe she has moved her partner in (she receives housing benefit). Also going away and leaving a top window open is not good in my books. No one was staying there for the first 2 weeks. See my previous reply re using the loft.....her youngest child let slip before that her elder sister was sleeping in the loft and tenant quickly replied she uses it to watch tv. I stated the loft was for storage. She rents privately from me, I was new to all this and was hoping for support. I now intend to give notice anyway so the problems will cease!