Problems with letting agent over inspections (tenant POV)

ayupmeduck

Why do you have so many inspections? We have one a year and have lived in this flat since 2015.

pinkshoes

chickadee13 said:

Thanks for your response and appreciate the comments. Any untidiness is on my own furniture (flat was unfurnished when I moved in). I clean the bathroom and kitchen every week and tidy/pick up as and when I have time. I did have to tell him it was none of his business, unfortunately, as the comments he was making were not OK (and nothing to do with damage or other more serious issues). The letting agent has historically been difficult to work with, so I probably have become fed up at this stage!

Do you have a contact address for the actual landlord?

I'd be tempted to write to them stating that you've lived there for 10 years, kept the property clean and tidy, always paid rent on time, but are getting really fed up with the agent constantly wanting inspections, and threatening tribunals if you don't let them inspect on their chosen date, then completely overlooking how well you've kept the house, but instead nit-picking about a bit of untidiness which was unavoidable due to their refusal to change inspection dates, and quite frankly none of their business.

This letting agent seems to have far too much time on their hands!! 

nicmyles

And as someone has pointed out, will be charging the landlord through the nose for this unnecessary work.

_Penny_Dreadful

la531983 said:

Right of access at a tribunal? How long do they think it would actually take them to do that, if it's even a thing? 

It is a thing. Usually the tenancy agreement sets out when the landlord, or an agent acting on their behalf, can access the property. The tenant agrees to these contractual terms when they sign the tenancy agreement so when a tenant refuses they are actually in breach of contract. 

To gain access the landlord would be unwise to force entry and will go to court to seeking an injunction instead. However, the time required to get an injunction is on par with an eviction using the 21 route so if I find myself with a tenant who refuses access for something like a gas safety certificate or maintenance then guess which is my preferred option. 

la531983

Exactly, its not quick, so if the OP said that the 4th Jan is not convenient but the 28th Jan is (as an example), it would be a stupid route for the letting agent to go down.

Ksw3

Luckily my last landlord never inspected, but the previous one did. I felt like I should apologise for breathing in their flat and they didn't like the fact the dishes had been left to dry or that we had moved a table out of the conservatory. I think a yearly inspection if you must would be adequate and then increase if problems. 

chickadee13

ayupmeduck said:

Why do you have so many inspections? We have one a year and have lived in this flat since 2015.

No idea! It's been this way since I moved in. The woman on the phone claimed she'd asked the landlord if they could be 6-monthly, but apparently he said no. But then I've no idea what they said to him and how they phrased it.

chickadee13

pinkshoes said:

chickadee13 said:

Thanks for your response and appreciate the comments. Any untidiness is on my own furniture (flat was unfurnished when I moved in). I clean the bathroom and kitchen every week and tidy/pick up as and when I have time. I did have to tell him it was none of his business, unfortunately, as the comments he was making were not OK (and nothing to do with damage or other more serious issues). The letting agent has historically been difficult to work with, so I probably have become fed up at this stage!

Do you have a contact address for the actual landlord?

I'd be tempted to write to them stating that you've lived there for 10 years, kept the property clean and tidy, always paid rent on time, but are getting really fed up with the agent constantly wanting inspections, and threatening tribunals if you don't let them inspect on their chosen date, then completely overlooking how well you've kept the house, but instead nit-picking about a bit of untidiness which was unavoidable due to their refusal to change inspection dates, and quite frankly none of their business.

This letting agent seems to have far too much time on their hands!! 

I don't, but I've been considering asking for it. I have no idea what they tell him, so he probably thinks I'm some kind of slob (but still happy enough to take my rent!). 

pinkshoes

chickadee13 said:

pinkshoes said:

chickadee13 said:

Thanks for your response and appreciate the comments. Any untidiness is on my own furniture (flat was unfurnished when I moved in). I clean the bathroom and kitchen every week and tidy/pick up as and when I have time. I did have to tell him it was none of his business, unfortunately, as the comments he was making were not OK (and nothing to do with damage or other more serious issues). The letting agent has historically been difficult to work with, so I probably have become fed up at this stage!

Do you have a contact address for the actual landlord?

I'd be tempted to write to them stating that you've lived there for 10 years, kept the property clean and tidy, always paid rent on time, but are getting really fed up with the agent constantly wanting inspections, and threatening tribunals if you don't let them inspect on their chosen date, then completely overlooking how well you've kept the house, but instead nit-picking about a bit of untidiness which was unavoidable due to their refusal to change inspection dates, and quite frankly none of their business.

This letting agent seems to have far too much time on their hands!! 

I don't, but I've been considering asking for it. I have no idea what they tell him, so he probably thinks I'm some kind of slob (but still happy enough to take my rent!). 

Actually it should be on your tenancy agreement. 

If it's not, then write to the letting agent and they have to supply you with the address of your LL.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/how_to_find_your_landlord

The LL might have no idea how irritating the agent is!

_Penny_Dreadful

pinkshoes said:

chickadee13 said:

pinkshoes said:

chickadee13 said:

Thanks for your response and appreciate the comments. Any untidiness is on my own furniture (flat was unfurnished when I moved in). I clean the bathroom and kitchen every week and tidy/pick up as and when I have time. I did have to tell him it was none of his business, unfortunately, as the comments he was making were not OK (and nothing to do with damage or other more serious issues). The letting agent has historically been difficult to work with, so I probably have become fed up at this stage!

Do you have a contact address for the actual landlord?

I'd be tempted to write to them stating that you've lived there for 10 years, kept the property clean and tidy, always paid rent on time, but are getting really fed up with the agent constantly wanting inspections, and threatening tribunals if you don't let them inspect on their chosen date, then completely overlooking how well you've kept the house, but instead nit-picking about a bit of untidiness which was unavoidable due to their refusal to change inspection dates, and quite frankly none of their business.

This letting agent seems to have far too much time on their hands!! 

I don't, but I've been considering asking for it. I have no idea what they tell him, so he probably thinks I'm some kind of slob (but still happy enough to take my rent!). 

Actually it should be on your tenancy agreement. 

If it's not, then write to the letting agent and they have to supply you with the address of your LL.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/how_to_find_your_landlord

The LL might have no idea how irritating the agent is!

The landlord’s address does not need to be on the tenancy agreement. The landlord needs to supply an address in England or Wales for the serving of notices in an AST but that address does not have to be the landlord’s home address. When a letting agent is engaged to manage the property more often than not the address belongs to the letting agent. 

The tenant is entitled to request the landlord’s address under section 1(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 though as the link you provided explains.