Entering rented property (just because you have a key)

owls1867

If you check your tenancy agreement, most likely they only need to give you at least 24 hours notice for access, unless its in extreme emergencies where they need to get into the house straight away (usually a threat to life or a threat to the property). 

However, if they start to abuse this power and come round more often that normal then they would be breaking your right to quiet enjoyment. 

I wouldn't be overly concerned about the fact they havent given you a specific time - they are probably trying to do you a favour so you're not having to hang around for them.

sheramber

I doubt the landlord can give an exact time. He may be doing maintenance elsewhere or attending to something else and will come when he is free.
 

I think , as already said, that if the son did not want to be there all day waiting for him, he could let himself in. 

 The alternative is for your son to be there from first thing until the landlord arrives. 

ReadySteadyPop

Tabieth said:

Another reason I’m so very glad that I no longer rent. The number of people who seem to think it perfectly ok for the landlord to just let themselves in to the property. As a woman who lives alone I always felt vaguely uneasy about the number of people who could access my rental property. Luckily I always had decent landlords who respected boundaries but the feeling was there nonetheless.  This post is an eye opener! 

If you pop the key in the lock and turn it they can`t get in while you are there.

Kittenplump_2

ReadySteadyPop said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

housebuyer143 said:

I think you are being a bit sensitive. Lots of landlords just let themselves in and most people don't care.. If you do, then that's completely fine just reply with something along the lines of "thanks for letting me know, I would prefer someone be at the property rather than you just coming in with the key, so my son will be there to meet you".

Hopefully this also gives them pause for next time they are thinking of just using the key.

A bit sensitive? We have a contract signed and as tenants should not expect landlords to just turn up and let themselves in. It may be their property but it’s courtesy to actually ask if someone is around and just not express they have a key so will come in anyway. We have possession of the property under the contract we have signed. Landlords should just not be letting themselves in! Not just dropping a message informing just to let us know etc. 

They are fitting smoke alarms which could save your life, and also oiling a garage door which they probably don`t need to do, and it is probably illegal for you to be in the flat/house without compliant smoke detectors anyway? I would let this one go TBH.

At what point did I have an issue then doing the smoke alarms?! In fact the alarms were out of date as of Jan 2025 this was highlighted in the inventory check in.. My point is the communication that it was were are coming round and when i asked what time in told and then they stated they have a key anyway. It’s not an issue them doing what they need! It’s the fact we are renting and key or not they can’t just think it’s ok to enter regardless! 

_Penny_Dreadful

Kittenplump_2 said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

housebuyer143 said:

I think you are being a bit sensitive. Lots of landlords just let themselves in and most people don't care.. If you do, then that's completely fine just reply with something along the lines of "thanks for letting me know, I would prefer someone be at the property rather than you just coming in with the key, so my son will be there to meet you".

Hopefully this also gives them pause for next time they are thinking of just using the key.

A bit sensitive? We have a contract signed and as tenants should not expect landlords to just turn up and let themselves in. It may be their property but it’s courtesy to actually ask if someone is around and just not express they have a key so will come in anyway. We have possession of the property under the contract we have signed. Landlords should just not be letting themselves in! Not just dropping a message informing just to let us know etc. 

They are fitting smoke alarms which could save your life, and also oiling a garage door which they probably don`t need to do, and it is probably illegal for you to be in the flat/house without compliant smoke detectors anyway? I would let this one go TBH.

At what point did I have an issue then doing the smoke alarms?! In fact the alarms were out of date as of Jan 2025 this was highlighted in the inventory check in.. My point is the communication that it was were are coming round and when i asked what time in told and then they stated they have a key anyway. It’s not an issue them doing what they need! It’s the fact we are renting and key or not they can’t just think it’s ok to enter regardless! 

I think you’re getting bent out of shape over nothing. The way I read the LL’s message is that someone in your household doesn’t need to hang around for hours waiting for someone to arrive because the landlord can arrange their own access to the property. 

BikingBud

_Penny_Dreadful said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

housebuyer143 said:

I think you are being a bit sensitive. Lots of landlords just let themselves in and most people don't care.. If you do, then that's completely fine just reply with something along the lines of "thanks for letting me know, I would prefer someone be at the property rather than you just coming in with the key, so my son will be there to meet you".

Hopefully this also gives them pause for next time they are thinking of just using the key.

A bit sensitive? We have a contract signed and as tenants should not expect landlords to just turn up and let themselves in. It may be their property but it’s courtesy to actually ask if someone is around and just not express they have a key so will come in anyway. We have possession of the property under the contract we have signed. Landlords should just not be letting themselves in! Not just dropping a message informing just to let us know etc. 

They are fitting smoke alarms which could save your life, and also oiling a garage door which they probably don`t need to do, and it is probably illegal for you to be in the flat/house without compliant smoke detectors anyway? I would let this one go TBH.

At what point did I have an issue then doing the smoke alarms?! In fact the alarms were out of date as of Jan 2025 this was highlighted in the inventory check in.. My point is the communication that it was were are coming round and when i asked what time in told and then they stated they have a key anyway. It’s not an issue them doing what they need! It’s the fact we are renting and key or not they can’t just think it’s ok to enter regardless! 

I think you’re getting bent out of shape over nothing. The way I read the LL’s message is that someone in your household doesn’t need to hang around for hours waiting for someone to arrive because the landlord can arrange their own access to the property. 

And I think that is the point that most are missing the LL seems to feel it is OK to enter when the tenant is not present.

An active and competent landlord would have changed the smoke alarms in Dec or Jan and at the very latest before the new tenant took over the property. The fact that they were not and had to be prompted indicates the LL is not on top of these things.

If they do not keep in top of periodic maintenance without prompting and feel they can swan in as they fancy I would be concerned, you might call it bent out of shape but I would call it reasonable concern.

I asked earlier how many would trust trades to be in their house when not present but got no responses.

twopenny

Texts etc don't give an impression of how something is being said.
I've known lots of occasions where one person reads them one way and not as they were intended to be read.

She could have thought she was being helpful by saying they had a key so you didn't have to put yourself out finding someone if that was a problem for you and abbreviating the message.
If she had said 'dont worry, we can access to do the work for you ' it would have come across better.
Though you would still want to say that it makes you uncomfortable to have people in your home when you're not there and it's in future could you arrange for when I'm there.

They could be totally fine with that.

If they're not then that's the time to worry.

Remember you must be a bit stressed out with your plans going awry and the move. 
But  I agree with you that I would want someone there.

_Penny_Dreadful

BikingBud said:

_Penny_Dreadful said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

housebuyer143 said:

I think you are being a bit sensitive. Lots of landlords just let themselves in and most people don't care.. If you do, then that's completely fine just reply with something along the lines of "thanks for letting me know, I would prefer someone be at the property rather than you just coming in with the key, so my son will be there to meet you".

Hopefully this also gives them pause for next time they are thinking of just using the key.

A bit sensitive? We have a contract signed and as tenants should not expect landlords to just turn up and let themselves in. It may be their property but it’s courtesy to actually ask if someone is around and just not express they have a key so will come in anyway. We have possession of the property under the contract we have signed. Landlords should just not be letting themselves in! Not just dropping a message informing just to let us know etc. 

They are fitting smoke alarms which could save your life, and also oiling a garage door which they probably don`t need to do, and it is probably illegal for you to be in the flat/house without compliant smoke detectors anyway? I would let this one go TBH.

At what point did I have an issue then doing the smoke alarms?! In fact the alarms were out of date as of Jan 2025 this was highlighted in the inventory check in.. My point is the communication that it was were are coming round and when i asked what time in told and then they stated they have a key anyway. It’s not an issue them doing what they need! It’s the fact we are renting and key or not they can’t just think it’s ok to enter regardless! 

I think you’re getting bent out of shape over nothing. The way I read the LL’s message is that someone in your household doesn’t need to hang around for hours waiting for someone to arrive because the landlord can arrange their own access to the property. 

And I think that is the point that most are missing the LL seems to feel it is OK to enter when the tenant is not present.

An active and competent landlord would have changed the smoke alarms in Dec or Jan and at the very latest before the new tenant took over the property. The fact that they were not and had to be prompted indicates the LL is not on top of these things.

If they do not keep in top of periodic maintenance without prompting and feel they can swan in as they fancy I would be concerned, you might call it bent out of shape but I would call it reasonable concern.

I asked earlier how many would trust trades to be in their house when not present but got no responses.

I don't think anyone is missing that point.  The tenant doesn't have to be present or spend hours hanging around for someone to arrive. There's nothing in any of the 3 acts I mentioned earlier that says the tenant must be present and I doubt the tenancy agreement specifies that the tenant must be present either. I certainly never used up my annual leave waiting for a landlord's tradesperson to arrive or for the letting agent to conduct a routine inspection.

I do think the landlord should have sorted out the smoke alarms before the tenancy started but I don't get the impression that the landlord feels they can swan in when they fancy.  If they did they wouldn't say on a Tuesday then intend to get the smoke alarms sorted on the Friday, they'd just have rocked up on the Friday.

Only in May was the OP asking a very similar question about access for viewings.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6609296/rights-for-viewings

ReadySteadyPop

Kittenplump_2 said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

housebuyer143 said:

I think you are being a bit sensitive. Lots of landlords just let themselves in and most people don't care.. If you do, then that's completely fine just reply with something along the lines of "thanks for letting me know, I would prefer someone be at the property rather than you just coming in with the key, so my son will be there to meet you".

Hopefully this also gives them pause for next time they are thinking of just using the key.

A bit sensitive? We have a contract signed and as tenants should not expect landlords to just turn up and let themselves in. It may be their property but it’s courtesy to actually ask if someone is around and just not express they have a key so will come in anyway. We have possession of the property under the contract we have signed. Landlords should just not be letting themselves in! Not just dropping a message informing just to let us know etc. 

They are fitting smoke alarms which could save your life, and also oiling a garage door which they probably don`t need to do, and it is probably illegal for you to be in the flat/house without compliant smoke detectors anyway? I would let this one go TBH.

At what point did I have an issue then doing the smoke alarms?! In fact the alarms were out of date as of Jan 2025 this was highlighted in the inventory check in.. My point is the communication that it was were are coming round and when i asked what time in told and then they stated they have a key anyway. It’s not an issue them doing what they need! It’s the fact we are renting and key or not they can’t just think it’s ok to enter regardless! 

Yes, there is the hint of "we will just come in when we like", maybe, you would need other examples though I think to claim a pattern. All landlords will retain a key for their property in case of emergency, what works is politely telling them that you will move out if they access when not invited, most landlords will get focussed at that point as voids can be so expensive nowadays.

_Penny_Dreadful

ReadySteadyPop said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Kittenplump_2 said:

housebuyer143 said:

I think you are being a bit sensitive. Lots of landlords just let themselves in and most people don't care.. If you do, then that's completely fine just reply with something along the lines of "thanks for letting me know, I would prefer someone be at the property rather than you just coming in with the key, so my son will be there to meet you".

Hopefully this also gives them pause for next time they are thinking of just using the key.

A bit sensitive? We have a contract signed and as tenants should not expect landlords to just turn up and let themselves in. It may be their property but it’s courtesy to actually ask if someone is around and just not express they have a key so will come in anyway. We have possession of the property under the contract we have signed. Landlords should just not be letting themselves in! Not just dropping a message informing just to let us know etc. 

They are fitting smoke alarms which could save your life, and also oiling a garage door which they probably don`t need to do, and it is probably illegal for you to be in the flat/house without compliant smoke detectors anyway? I would let this one go TBH.

At what point did I have an issue then doing the smoke alarms?! In fact the alarms were out of date as of Jan 2025 this was highlighted in the inventory check in.. My point is the communication that it was were are coming round and when i asked what time in told and then they stated they have a key anyway. It’s not an issue them doing what they need! It’s the fact we are renting and key or not they can’t just think it’s ok to enter regardless! 

Yes, there is the hint of "we will just come in when we like", maybe, you would need other examples though I think to claim a pattern. All landlords will retain a key for their property in case of emergency, what works is politely telling them that you will move out if they access when not invited, most landlords will get focussed at that point as voids can be so expensive nowadays.

The OP has been in the property for a week so that would be an empty threat. Also, the landlord isn’t a vampire, they don’t need to be invited into the property. 

Demand is outstripping supply in many parts of the UK just now so most landlords aren’t worried about voids.