What is reasonable for landlord inspections?

subjecttocontract

We make it clear to tenants moving into our properties that we inspect EVERY 3 months. We've added a clause in the AST to this affect and before anybody comments ......it would be regarded as a perfectly fair requirement.

We carry out inspections at greater intervals for tenants who have been with us for more than 18 months.

Sisyphus

subjecttocontract wrote: »

We make it clear to tenants moving into our properties that we inspect EVERY 3 months. We've added a clause in the AST to this affect and before anybody comments ......it would be regarded as a perfectly fair requirement.

We carry out inspections at greater intervals for tenants who have been with us for more than 18 months.

What recourse do you have if the tenant refuses having agreed at the outset and has this been tested?

subjecttocontract

Sisyphus wrote: »

What recourse do you have if the tenant refuses having agreed at the outset and has this been tested?

I've never had a tenant refuse. But, I do put a lot of effort into very carefully selecting the tenants that I want. I only do 6 month AST's and I issue everyone with a Section 21 notice shortly after the AST starts. So, if they want to refuse, they will need to look for somewhere else to live after the 6 months is up. I've got better things to do than deal with awkward tenants.

emmy05

yes thats about right, plus it gives a great opportunity if theres anything bothering you as well to have anything put right, sure youll be fine, sounds like you sailed thru the october check, or youd have definately have heard anything about a concern before then x

gingin_2

If I was asked to sign up for 3 month inspections I would live somewhere else. Our landlords asked to inspect 6 months in to our rental which was fine and then again 6 months later, husband politely explined that yes this would be fine but we hope to remain in the property a long time and treat it like we would our own home and find them a bit of a nuisance and intrusion. We haven't seen them in 3 1/2 years now and hope to be here 6 years in total. In turn we have never asked them to fix small niggles in the house, we have done them them ourselves. I forget we rent it sometimes, that's probably why we are still here.

TediousPhoenix

I've been in my flat for just over a year now - originally had a six month contract and now on a year contract with a 6 month break.

I've seen my landlord three times now. The first time was shortly after I moved in to say 'hello'. The next was just after that when he came back to fix bathroom problems the previous tenant never told him about (he couldn't understand that!). I wasn't around, he had the keys so I said it was OK for him to enter, after all, he was fixing the problems. The other time was when there was an electrical wiring fault. (That reminds me; I still have all the flat keys - the electrician needed access to the loft and I didn't have a key so the LL *I think* put ALL the keys he had in an envelope... including the master keys for the doors. I need to contact him about that.)

I really don't mind if my landlord checks the property, because in my mind it's his asset and needs to make sure it's being looked after. I've made that clear to him, I hope.

But I've never had a check from the agency and apart from those occasions, my landlord has never bothered me. It makes me wonder had there not been any problems I would only have seen him a year ago. I'd like to think it's my wiliness to be accommodating - it suits me whatever it is though.

I hope I'm a good tenant. My only flaw is my boyfriend who seems to have a past-time of spilling things on the carpet.

I live here all the time. Number of things spilt on carpet: zero.

He pops round occasionally. Number of things spilt on carpet: four.

ramellous1

LandyAndy wrote: »

If you don't want people looking around your house the answer is to buy;) .

We are buying in the summer. We sold our house last year to get out of any chain.
This is the first time we have rented apart from 20 years ago before I left home in my parents council house. I was surprised they want to look around our bedrooms. We have kids and it bothers them as well as us.

roguebrogue

It's just a quick inspection.
When we rented through an agency they came every 3 months and we put up with it, it is not a great put out.
As others have said, this is somebodys investement/asset and they want to check it's ok,

I don't see what the big problem is, every 3 months is hardly invasive.

But then, each to their own

ExchangeMonkey

It might well be thier asset / investment, but it's also your home. If you don't want the inspections then you're well within your rights to refuse them, even if it is mentioned on your AST.

takoo

Hi All
If you have gas appliances the landlord is obliged to have them inspected every 12 months and you should receive a certificate (CORGI) from the landlord.

Takoo