My landlord wants me to "de-clutter" the flat for viewings

m0bov

Change locks, no more viewings.

Indigo_and_Violet

I think it's probably worth being open to the chat to find out what he means about 'decluttering'. 

I take decluttering to mean (as other have described) putting toiletries in cupboards, laundry in the wardrobe, generally aiming for clear surfaces. It sounds like you think you're already doing this. However, your landlord might want you to do more, and its possibly not worth a big argument over the sake of some under the bed storage boxes when you're already planning to move out.

However, from what you are saying, it seem like you think the landlord wants you to do more i.e. remove furniture that you currently need to carry out your job. If that's the case then I think I'd probably push back that you're really sorry but you do need those and that actually you think for incoming tenants its important to be able to see there is space to work from home as they're likely to be doing the same.

Without knowing whether he wants a to declutter the little things (easy) or the big things (harder) its hard to give a good answer so I think I'd probably have an amicable chat but know where my red lines are in terms of what I really need in the flat to make life work. 

Edit: Given your need for him to release you from your contract early, I might even be willing to compromise on furniture. It's 6 weeks. Could you cope eating on your desk or working at your table for that time period? 

m0bov

If you have in writing the early surrender then that's a done deal. He cannot evict you, so he has more to loose. So I'd decline the declutter and consider no more viewings due to covid.

HampshireH

m0bov said:

Change locks, no more viewings.

How unhelpful.

OP will just have to pay rent till October in that case

buythedip

Obvs a difference between furniture and general declutteredness (not a word!). The former is not reasonable although it might offer you a chance to get the landlord to help dispose of anything that you won’t want in the next place. And as above... Covid is a pretty good excuse to refuse entry. 

[Deleted User]

m0bov said:

If you have in writing the early surrender then that's a done deal. He cannot evict you, so he has more to loose. So I'd decline the declutter and consider no more viewings due to covid.

Its going to be contingent on landlord finding a replacement. Landlords need to stay one step ahead of tenants who think they are clever.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Deleted_User said:

I think, given the fact you want to move out before the end of the fixed term, you might have to tread carefully (for your own benefit!), but that doesn't mean he can make unreasonable demands of you. 

Of course it does.  He can make as many unreasonable demands as he likes, and if the tenant doesn't like them, the tenant can refuse them and pay rent until the end of the fixed term.

Irishpearce26

OP you sound like you want your cake and to eat it as well.

The LL is trying to help you out by finding a new tenent before your fixed term as you want to leave early so surely you would have realised that there would have been viewings. You cant really have any grievance here.

Yes the LL asking you to declutter is inconvenient but I revert to the reason they are having viewings, you wanting to move out early and LL accommodating this.

You either put up and get on with it or send an email as the others have suggested which could likely result in you having to pay the rent until October and not getting a reference for another rental.

A_Lert

Have you actually agreed the tenancy surrender, in writing, already? If not, you can expect your landlord won't hesitate to stiff you. For example by one day saying you need to leave immediately or he won't allow surrender and you'll be paying the rent until October. So act accordingly yourself. At the moment you're giving an inch and he's taking a mile.

[Deleted User]

A_Lert said:

Have you actually agreed the tenancy surrender, in writing, already? If not, you can expect your landlord won't hesitate to stiff you. For example by one day saying you need to leave immediately or he won't allow surrender and you'll be paying the rent until October. So act accordingly yourself. At the moment you're giving an inch and he's taking a mile.

By stiffing you mean adhering to the contract until October as agreed.