HMO - tenant query

Daisy2611

Hello. I currently live in an HMO (5 person house) and I want to check if these points are valid:

• Landlord testing fire alarms every single week (baring in mind we work from home, hearing fire alarms isn't ideal)
• There have been times when the landlord hasn't told us they will be testing the fire alarm and then all of a sudden the alarm goes off!
• Landlord not telling us they are coming round and let themselves come and go from house with key - is this normal? What notice should they be providing?
• Landlord arranging for repairs etc (which is great!) but then not telling us and workmen turning up at the door etc
• Other people coming and going from house with a key (electrician, cleaner, general helpers etc)
• Landlord controlling heating temperature from own home (ie, we can control heaters in bedrooms whether they are full blast or not but can't control the temp. we need to text and ask for it be up or down!)
• Landlord telling us where to store our belongings - ie, do not leave shoes at door.

I have lived in rented properties for many years but not an HMO and I have never had issues with landlords previously or even seen them regularly. I'm not sure if this because it's an HMO or because of other reasons. It makes me feel uncomfortable living here not knowing who's coming and going sometimes and particularly during covid.

I'd appreciate any help - thank you! Dais x

[Deleted User]

Daisy2611 said:

Hello. I currently live in an HMO (5 person house) and I want to check if these points are valid:

• Landlord testing fire alarms every single week (baring in mind we work from home, hearing fire alarms isn't ideal)
• There have been times when the landlord hasn't told us they will be testing the fire alarm and then all of a sudden the alarm goes off!
• Landlord not telling us they are coming round and let themselves come and go from house with key - is this normal? What notice should they be providing?
• Landlord arranging for repairs etc (which is great!) but then not telling us and workmen turning up at the door etc
• Other people coming and going from house with a key (electrician, cleaner, general helpers etc)
• Landlord controlling heating temperature from own home (ie, we can control heaters in bedrooms whether they are full blast or not but can't control the temp. we need to text and ask for it be up or down!)
• Landlord telling us where to store our belongings - ie, do not leave shoes at door.

I have lived in rented properties for many years but not an HMO and I have never had issues with landlords previously or even seen them regularly. I'm not sure if this because it's an HMO or because of other reasons. It makes me feel uncomfortable living here not knowing who's coming and going sometimes and particularly during covid.

I'd appreciate any help - thank you! Dais x

Is it a HMO where you all rent individual rooms on individual tenancies? If so the landlord doesn’t need to provide any notice to enter communal areas. 

Presumably the rent includes utilities which is why the landlord wants to control the heating. According to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which governs housing conditions, the heating should be controlled by the occupants. 

Under the new Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, residential tenancies in England granted, renewed or arising on expiry of a fixed term after 20 March 2019 are required to be free of hazards and cold temperatures indoors could be seen as a hazard. 

HampshireH

Your landlord sounds very proactive.

letsbetfair

Aside from what's legally ok, it might be worth a chat with your landlord - particularly if others in the house agree. It's generally not in the landlord's interest to annoy tenants, and it would be easy to do something like setup a house WhatsApp to message about planned visits or repairs. It's certainly in the landlord's interest to let you turn down the heating if you want!