Letting agency and contractors accessing flat

beatthebookienet

I have had some issues when the letting agency and contractors have accessed my flat while I am away and would like to know how I go about resolving this politely so that they can only come in when I am present. I get home from work at 4:30pm so it makes it difficult to be present during the day unless I used up my holidays. The letting agency sends different members of staff round so it's not the same as having a single landlord and knowing them well. They usually empty the electric meters in the morning so would it be troublesome to request that they do mine later in the afternoon?

I agreed to them emptying my electric meter before Christmas, however they didn't lock my door so it was left unopened whilst I was away visiting family for over a week.
Another time recently I reported an issue, then a few days later I came home from work and my light was left on with nothing to say anyone had been in and no permission was asked to access the flat.
In the past a parcel has been stolen whilst a contractor was working in the hallway so I am wary about letting anyone into my flat which contains valuable stock which I sell on ebay. It is not possible to hide them and would be a case of someone picking up some boxes to steal hundreds of pounds worth.

There are a few issues that need resolved with my flat but I am worried to report them because of random people coming in when I'm not here

anselld

The easiest and safest way is to change the lock barrel.

However, you will inevitably need to take time off during the working day if access for repairs is needed.  You cant expect contractors to turn up outside normal working hours.

_Penny_Dreadful

You can remind the letting agent that they are required to give you 24 hours written notice before entering your flat because you're legally entitled to that.  Only expecting contractors to work after 4:30pm is unreasonable though.

Are the electricity meter and washing machine inside your flat?

beatthebookienet

_Penny_Dreadful said:

You can remind the letting agent that they are required to give you 24 hours written notice before entering your flat because you're legally entitled to that.  Only expecting contractors to work after 4:30pm is unreasonable though.

Are the electricity meter and washing machine inside your flat?

I have a coin meter inside my flat unfortunately which means that the agency requries access to my flat a few times a year if you include inspections. Hopefully they wouldn't have a problem with them being done later in the afternoon since it's just a 5 minute job.

As for contractors I suppose taking days off work will be fine providing that they do turn up. The painter that done the hallway took 3 weeks to finish by just turning up an hour or two a day. The contractor that was supposed to do the hallway carpets 6 months ago never turned up at all

_Penny_Dreadful

beatthebookienet said:

_Penny_Dreadful said:

You can remind the letting agent that they are required to give you 24 hours written notice before entering your flat because you're legally entitled to that.  Only expecting contractors to work after 4:30pm is unreasonable though.

Are the electricity meter and washing machine inside your flat?

I have a coin meter inside my flat unfortunately which means that the agency requries access to my flat a few times a year if you include inspections. Hopefully they wouldn't have a problem with them being done later in the afternoon since it's just a 5 minute job.

As for contractors I suppose taking days off work will be fine providing that they do turn up. The painter that done the hallway took 3 weeks to finish by just turning up an hour or two a day. The contractor that was supposed to do the hallway carpets 6 months ago never turned up at all

That's the thing about contractors, it's a bit of a gamble as to when they will turn up, if they turn up at all that is which is something neither landlords nor letting agents have any control over.

Grumpy_chap

beatthebookienet said:

I have had some issues when the letting agency and contractors have accessed my flat while I am away and would like to know how I go about resolving this politely so that they can only come in when I am present. I get home from work at 4:30pm so it makes it difficult to be present during the day unless I used up my holidays. The letting agency sends different members of staff round so it's not the same as having a single landlord and knowing them well. They usually empty the electric meters in the morning so would it be troublesome to request that they do mine later in the afternoon?

I agreed to them emptying my electric meter before Christmas, however they didn't lock my door so it was left unopened whilst I was away visiting family for over a week.
Another time recently I reported an issue, then a few days later I came home from work and my light was left on with nothing to say anyone had been in and no permission was asked to access the flat.
In the past a parcel has been stolen whilst a contractor was working in the hallway so I am wary about letting anyone into my flat which contains valuable stock which I sell on ebay. It is not possible to hide them and would be a case of someone picking up some boxes to steal hundreds of pounds worth.

There are a few issues that need resolved with my flat but I am worried to report them because of random people coming in when I'm not here

There are a few points raised here and it is fair to treat them differently.

Leaving the flat unlocked (though, I assume, not wide open) merits a mention to the Letting Agent.  You need to decide how hard you make it between politely mentioning and expressing disappointment up to being a complaint.

The maintenance work.  Well, as a Tenant, you want this work done and the LA probably thought they had (at least implied) consent to enter if you had reported the issue.
How would you deal with maintenance issues if you owned the property?  Arrange access by some process or time off work?
See it as a positive that the LL attends to maintenance issues if you raise them.

The stolen parcel?  Did you ask whether it was picked up by mistake by the workmen?  Did you report the theft to the Police?

propertyrental

The electricity meter. Surely if it is emptied "a few times a year" it's not hard to agree a date /time when this is done? And to align it with the (6 monthly?) inspections?

The contractors. What work are they doing? Is it 'essential' work (eg boiler repair, gas safety inspection etc) or redecoration? Do you want the work done? Does it relate to repairing issues you have reported and want fixed? Again, do you want the repairs done?

If it's something you want done, you will have to accommodate the contractors access, either by being there in working hours, or by allowing them access in your absence.

You could, of course, simply deny them access (change the lock, write to the LL) bu then you won't get the repairs/improvements done.

SiliconChip

I didn't even know coin meters still existed (I last saw one in a bedsit I rented 40 years ago), why not just get it replaced by either a proper meter or a pre-payment meter so that there will never again be a need for emptying?

theartfullodger

Change locks, keep old one, change it back when you leave.

macman

SiliconChip said:

I didn't even know coin meters still existed (I last saw one in a bedsit I rented 40 years ago), why not just get it replaced by either a proper meter or a pre-payment meter so that there will never again be a need for emptying?

This will be a private meter owned by the LL, so the OP doesn't have that option. But they can ask.

theartfullodger

macman said:

SiliconChip said:

I didn't even know coin meters still existed (I last saw one in a bedsit I rented 40 years ago), why not just get it replaced by either a proper meter or a pre-payment meter so that there will never again be a need for emptying?

This will be a private meter owned by the LL, so the OP doesn't have that option. But they can ask.

And check being charged at or below the correct rate.