Take room after rushed & restricted viewing?

Solarsystem24

Hi, I travelled over 4 hours to view a houseshare only for the landlady to not even bother showing me around the house properly. I was told not to take photos, so not to include the tenants’ personal belongings, but there weren’t any outside of the bedroom. Once we entered the common area, the landlady then said she had to check everything was ok and disappeared (I assume she was referring to the bedroom), leaving me to make conversation with some of the tenants. When she returned, she immediately said lets look at the room, and I hadn’t even had a chance to look around the kitchen, living room and garden, which I was looking forward to.

She kept saying she was in a rush because she had other appointments, even though she picked the time. Once I entered the bedroom, she held out her hand and said I wasn’t to go over an imaginary line, preventing me from moving anywhere in the bedroom and I had to stretch my head to glimpse at either side of the long room while my feet remained stuck in a single spot. At one end set the current tenant at her desk, which will not remain in the room. The landlady said she’ll put a desk, but I don’t know what it’ll look like. The tenant kept giving me disapproving looks for trying to have a good look at the area around her from where I stood a distance away, in particularly a large gap under a cupboard right next to her. I asked what this was, neither her or the landlady answered and the tenant was bothered by me paying attention to it. The entire viewing of the house was over in 8 minutes. All other viewings I had allowed me a good look at the house and bedroom, even if photos weren’t allowed (most did allow it). Interestingly the tenant left the room just after I did, which made me wonder if she was sitting there as an excuse for me not to look around the room. The landlady said the photos on her ad are accurate enough, but there are none of the ensuite, of which I remember little of now. The furniture in the photo of the bedroom is different and it’s taken at an angle at which I can’t see details like that gap under the cupboard. I visited the area 5 times to view houseshares and there was always a serious problem which prevented me from taking a room. My new job starts in 1 week and it’s tempting to take this place as I saw no problems, but that could be because unlike the other viewings, it was rushed and very restricted. Could this landlady be attempting to scam me by preventing me from spotting problems?

loubel

Ask for another viewing. If you don't like how the landlady treated you and you don't know whether the room and common areas are suitable for you then don't rent it. 

gwynlas

It appears that you are being very picky and people buy houses having only been in them 10 minutes. If the room is basically okay and in the area you need to be why not take it on the basis that you  can find somewhere else if need be.

Solarsystem24

loubel said:

Ask for another viewing. If you don't like how the landlady treated you and you don't know whether the room and common areas are suitable for you then don't rent it. 

I never came across a second viewing in renting, the landlady certainly wouldn’t allow that and in theory if there was one, there would be the same restrictions in viewing the house again. I was able to see the common areas, but like with the bedroom, I was standing in 1 place and waiting for the landlady to come down. When she did, she immediately said lets look at the room while all the time saying she has other appointments. The common areas looked fine from where I was, although I should have been able to walk around and check out the garden.

Solarsystem24

gwynlas said:

It appears that you are being very picky and people buy houses having only been in them 10 minutes. If the room is basically okay and in the area you need to be why not take it on the basis that you  can find somewhere else if need be.

It’s a 6 month fixed term contract. I had very bad experience of renting where I could view everything, but problems were hidden by using paint, tenants’ belongings and distractions like crowding the room with other people. I’m referring to serious problems which drove me out within days to weeks. This included extensive filth, broken window frames (which I always check now, but couldn’t in this bedroom), faulty appliances and sewage leakage. It happened to me more than once and landlord/agent wouldn’t fix the problems, (but rather cancel the contract). I then had to move to hotels to find another place. I cannot go through anything like that again.

RHemmings

Solarsystem24 said:

loubel said:

Ask for another viewing. If you don't like how the landlady treated you and you don't know whether the room and common areas are suitable for you then don't rent it. 

I never came across a second viewing in renting, the landlady certainly wouldn’t allow that and in theory if there was one, there would be the same restrictions in viewing the house again. I was able to see the common areas, but like with the bedroom, I was standing in 1 place and waiting for the landlady to come down. When she did, she immediately said lets look at the room while all the time saying she has other appointments. The common areas looked fine from where I was, although I should have been able to walk around and check out the garden.

The tenants who are moving into my previous house had a second viewing on Friday last week. It may be rare, but it does happen. 

To me, the situation of the OP sounds very discouraging and if it were me I would look elsewhere. If the landlady is a nightmare when viewing, imagine what things will be later. It's possible that the tenant was annoyed at a viewing without warning or similar. (Note: possible, not probable). 

Solarsystem24

RHemmings said:

To me, the situation of the OP sounds very discouraging and if it were me I would look elsewhere. If the landlady is a nightmare when viewing, imagine what things will be later. It's possible that the tenant was annoyed at a viewing without warning or similar. (Note: possible, not probable). 

Thanks for the advice. Tenants, including the one in the bedroom, said they lived there for 3-4 years, which gave the impression everything is fine. People do live for years with serious problems, and I have done so when I was younger. Something I do wonder about is if the gap below the cupboard in the distance, next to the tenant, has a boiler, water pipes or another utility like a fusebox? This is based on my experience that some bedrooms have these in cupboards and they can be noisy.

MobileSaver

Solarsystem24 said:

RHemmings said:

To me, the situation of the OP sounds very discouraging and if it were me I would look elsewhere. If the landlady is a nightmare when viewing, imagine what things will be later. It's possible that the tenant was annoyed at a viewing without warning or similar. (Note: possible, not probable). 

Thanks for the advice. Tenants, including the one in the bedroom, said they lived there for 3-4 years, which gave the impression everything is fine. People do live for years with serious problems, and I have done so when I was younger. Something I do wonder about is if the gap below the cupboard in the distance, next to the tenant, has a boiler, water pipes or another utility like a fusebox? This is based on my experience that some bedrooms have these in cupboards and they can be noisy.

None of us can know whether your experience was a red flag or just an innocent but disorganised landlady who had forgotten to let the existing tenant know about the viewing.

If you don't want to risk six months of nightmares then maybe AirBnb for a week or two to give you chance to look at more suitable properties may be an option?

Section62

MobileSaver said:

If you don't want to risk six months of nightmares then maybe AirBnb for a week or two to give you chance to look at more suitable properties may be an option?

This^

If you aren't made to feel welcome when viewing then it doesn't bode well for a six month commitment.

Solarsystem24

You all make good points. I had terrible experience with airbnb. I have extensively researched serviced apartments through other companies like sliverdoor, but they’re too expensive and people write terrible reviews of the flats. They also write terrible reviews of hotels. The hospitality industry has really gone downhill. That’s why I’m stuck in a conundrum. My job is starting so soon, and I’m running out of options. I can’t even guarantee I’ll be able to find a place even if I found something temporary to live, as most people don’t reply to viewing requests and most houses are too far to travel via public transport. I haven’t signed the job contract yet because of not finding accommodation, and it looks like this area just might not be somewhere I can find a place.

RHemmings

How long is the fixed term for the lodgings? If it's only six months or you can negotiate it to be six months, then that's less serious than signing up for a year.