Landlady - am I being unreasonable

Poodlecrazy

Hi!

I have rented several times before without any difficulties but I am currently finding my landlady particularly difficult to deal with and I was wondering if anyone had any advice.

The property is rented by myself and a friend, we are both single professionals. Property is a two bed flat in a nice part of town. We pay on time by standing order every month, as set up by the landlady's husband when we first moved in.

Some works were recently done on our flat (to the communal area but access was required so the landlady went in, with our permission to 'supervise'). Whilst she was there she clearly had a good snoop around, can't say I'm that bothered as she is a nosey type and we have nothing to hide.

That evening she phoned me to tell me that we hadn't defrosted the freezer and this had to be done every 3 months without fail. When I got back to the flat I realised she had cleaned the sink and chucked out our reusable shopping bags :mad:.

Anyhow she then wanted to do an inspection. Insisted on early evening, despite knowing we both work. During this inspection she pointed out the following:

1) residue washing powder in the washing machine;
2) washing machine door had been left closed, must be open at all times (there was washing in it at the time);
3) sink guards on all sinks at all times;
4) a plastic bag had to be put in our (also plastic) kitchen bin;
5) table in sitting room had to be moved around every week to prevent marks on carpet;
6) sofa cushions should be 'puffed up' every week; and
7) cord that is used to switch bathroom light on has come off - she says we must have been heavy handed, in reality it simply broke. Must call electrician to fix (yes to put a cord through a plastic loop...).

I was furious, she told me she would be back in a month and if we hadn't improved she would serve notice. To be honest, I don't want to move but gladly will if I get rid of this woman!!:p Am I being over sensitive or is this woman crazy?? Any thoughts / ideas welcome!

P
x

neverdespairgirl

Are you still within your AST? She can't then serve notice.

I don't think you are being at all unreasonable. Tell her where she can stick her next inspection - it is your home, not hers.

Doozergirl

She's as mad as a hatter! :eek:

I'd start looking for something else personally and serve her notice with just about one months to go to give as little notice as you can. Of course, offer to do viewings!

Is your deposit protected? Please tell me it is because you know this sort of woman will try and keep money for everything - we had a crazy landlady who tried to charged us for damaging the grout on the kitchen floor amongst other total rubbish

I knew what was coming because she was batty as well. We had viewings, I was polite, the house was clean and tidy but when they asked what it was like to live there etc I just smiled.

G-G_4

Oh my god! How annoying...!

I would be annoyed too.. that's just plain rude and obnoxious.. is it in your contract to fluff the damn cushions? jeeez..

dapa

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

Hi!

I have rented several times before without any difficulties but I am currently finding my landlady particularly difficult to deal with and I was wondering if anyone had any advice.

1) residue washing powder in the washing machine;
Not sure why this is a problem? It doesn't cause lasting damage and could be cleaned to new at any time in future.

2) washing machine door had been left closed, must be open at all times (there was washing in it at the time);
Did see give a reason? Prevent rusting or something? Sounds reasonable enough, though.

3) sink guards on all sinks at all times;
Sounds reasonable

4) a plastic bag had to be put in our (also plastic) kitchen bin;
You use a kitchen bin without a bin liner? Yuck!

5) table in sitting room had to be moved around every week to prevent marks on carpet;
S'pose it makes some sense, but sounds a but OTT to me.

6) sofa cushions should be 'puffed up' every week; and
Daft!

7) cord that is used to switch bathroom light on has come off - she says we must have been heavy handed, in reality it simply broke. Must call electrician to fix (yes to put a cord through a plastic loop...).
One of the easiest things in the world to replace. I'd risk it myself, up to you on this one.

I was furious, she told me she would be back in a month and if we hadn't improved she would serve notice. To be honest, I don't want to move but gladly will if I get rid of this woman!!:p Am I being over sensitive or is this woman crazy?? Any thoughts / ideas welcome!
She sounds like she's had problem tenants in the pasts and want to imply her standards on you. It also sounds like she has a slight mental problem and nothing better to do!

slipp_digby

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

1) residue washing powder in the washing machine;

did you remember the calgon though? (washing machines live longer with calgon)

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

2) washing machine door had been left closed, must be open at all times (there was washing in it at the time);

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

3) sink guards on all sinks at all times;

OCD alert

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

4) a plastic bag had to be put in our (also plastic) kitchen bin;

I agree with this to catch 'bin juice' as noone likes cleaning the bin

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

5) table in sitting room had to be moved around every week to prevent marks on carpet;

perhaps she should have mounted it on the wall a la macdonalds so it doesnt touch the floor? are you allowed to walk on it?

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

6) sofa cushions should be 'puffed up' every week;

Good quality cushions don't need doing that regularly.

I suspect she is being a little over protective, maybe this is her first or only let. You are going to find it tough to get your deposit back, or may need to turn into Howard Hughes to meet her exacting standards. The later may require you to bottle your own p*ss and invent outlandish large aeroplanes.

So maybe begin looking for somewhere else.

Catblue

It does seem unreasonable.

Did the landlady live in this house before you rented it from her? Sounds as if she is emotionally attached to the house, I think.

What does your tenancy agreement state with regards to inspections?

If she can only do an inspection every 6 months or so, then I would be tempted to thank her for her input and just ignore her.

I find it difficult to imagine that a landlady who gets paid on time would terminate a tenancy on the basis of failure to puff up cushions frequently enough.

Lavendyr

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

That evening she phoned me to tell me that we hadn't defrosted the freezer and this had to be done every 3 months without fail.

Even if this were in your contract I can't see it being viewed as a 'reasonable' clause.

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

Insisted on early evening, despite knowing we both work. During this inspection she pointed out the following:

She cannot 'insist' on a time for an inspection, it must be agreed by mutual consent and at least 24 hours' notice must be given.

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

1) residue washing powder in the washing machine;

Not her business

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

2) washing machine door had been left closed, must be open at all times (there was washing in it at the time);

Definitely not her business

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

3) sink guards on all sinks at all times;

Not her business

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

4) a plastic bag had to be put in our (also plastic) kitchen bin;

...do you see where I'm going here?

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

5) table in sitting room had to be moved around every week to prevent marks on carpet;

...not her business!

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

6) sofa cushions should be 'puffed up' every week;

silly woman she is

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

7) cord that is used to switch bathroom light on has come off - she says we must have been heavy handed, in reality it simply broke. Must call electrician to fix (yes to put a cord through a plastic loop...).

In reality you need to report these things as soon as they happen, for your protection as much as anything, but again she can't prove you've been heavy-handed.

Poodlecrazy wrote: »

I was furious, she told me she would be back in a month and if we hadn't improved she would serve notice. To be honest, I don't want to move but gladly will if I get rid of this woman!!:p Am I being over sensitive or is this woman crazy?? Any thoughts / ideas welcome!

She's bonkers! For the period during which you are a tenant, it is for all intents and purposes your home, and you are entitled to live in it without disturbance and as you like. If there are any damages when you move out, that is the time she can kick off about it and withhold your deposit to make good on any damage caused.

However, if you are coming to the end of the period of your AST or are in a periodic tenancy, unfortunately an S21 can be served without any reason being required, and you could find yourself moving out with 2 months' notice. Sounds like you're better off out of it, though make sure you fight her to the end for your deposit - I'd expect you'll have to, from what you've said!

Gorgeous_George

1) residue washing powder in the washing machine;

Cleanliness is next to Godliness but this only should be an issue when you move out.

2) washing machine door had been left closed, must be open at all times (there was washing in it at the time);

Probably as recommended by the manufacturer. Also prevents smells.

3) sink guards on all sinks at all times;

Personal choice and only an issue at exit

4) a plastic bag had to be put in our (also plastic) kitchen bin;

Might be considered best practise but none of her business until you leave

5) table in sitting room had to be moved around every week to prevent marks on carpet;

She should remind you that your deposit is at risk if the carpet is damaged

6) sofa cushions should be 'puffed up' every week; and

None of her business

7) cord that is used to switch bathroom light on has come off - she says we must have been heavy handed, in reality it simply broke. Must call electrician to fix (yes to put a cord through a plastic loop...).

Electrician not required but it should be fixed before you move out. Takes less than 5 minutes.


Am I being over sensitive or is this woman crazy??

Yes and yes


GG

moneysavinmonkey

mad as a hatter.

Had a similar landlady you would tell us all kinds of nonsense such as we weren't to open windows, erect a satellite dish (there was one already there when we moved in although we didn't use it) that we had to agree to a rent increase or let her rent out the dining room, entered the property without permission, would sort through our post, didn't fix heating and complained that we were harassing her... she just got worse and worse so we moved out.

We got advice from shelter, the council and even local police... they all said we were in the right and she was in the wrong but at the end of the day we just couldn't communicate this to her and it wasn't worth the hassel. It's seriously stressfull to be thinking when you come home what is she going to have done today, and not being able to relax in your own home incase she just lets herself in.

Found out later that she'd been in a serious car accident and had brain damage... she thought she was fully recovered buy I think a couple vital bits were missing! Your landlady sounds really similar (do you live in the midlands???!)

Bottom line advice is to get out as soon as you can, in the meantime get advice from shelter + local police station and possible send her a letter in writing telling her she does not have permission to enter the property.

when did you tenancy start - is your deposit protected in the new scheme.. need to know this to advice you on getting it back!

roguebrogue

Only posting to echo what everyone else has said.

None of her business at all. As long as at the end everything's left the way it was when you moved in then she shouldn't be nosing around and moaning about the way you live.