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Yorkie006
Posts: 203 Forumite
Hi,
we're been served Section 21 notice and are due to vacate in 5 weeks. 2 weeks ago LA put the property on rightmove.
A day ago we had a text message from LA asking for access to do a viewing. The text only mentioned date and time of the viewing but not how many people will be there. My partner was home alone (I was at work). We expected someone from the LA to turn up and 2-3 people.
Instead, nobody from the LA came and there were 12 people wanting to see the house. I was at work. My partner is disabled (mobility issues, the house if a typical semi with ground and first floor, access upstairs via stairs only - no stair lift) plus has mental health problems (anxiety and depression). Having so many strangers in the house all at once without anyone from the LA present has caused him to have a panic attack (not to mention the worries about being able to keep and eye on everyone to make sure nothing gets broken/stolen as the people were just freely walking around the house, some of them even went upstairs on their own as my partner couldn't get up the stairs fast enough, some of them were going back downstairs before he managed to get up the stairs).
When we phoned the LA later to complain about the situation we were told that is it common knowledge that tenants living at the property show potential new tenants around.
Is it reasonable to expect a disabled person on his own to be showing around 12 people without anyone from the LA present? There is another viewing booked for next weeks but we're seriously considering canceling that plus all future viewings. My partner is still shaken by today's experience and is dreading next viewing already. The whole situation is complete shambles as the LA didn't know who was actually there (they were very surprised to hear there were 12 people attending, apparently they didn't arrange for so many to be there). We haven't started packing yet so all our stuff (including bank statements, passports, cash etc) is easily accessible to anyone who opens a drawer while no-one is watching...). For all we know, some stuff could be missing without us noticing yet
So, my question is: is this normal or is the LA taking the p**s? We're not due to leave for another 5 weeks so they have plenty of time to organise things properly. It seems very poor practise to organise an unaccompanied mass viewing without informing the tenant about the number of people attending and that he's expected to show them the house. The fact the tenant who's supposed to show the people round is disabled makes it even worse.
we're been served Section 21 notice and are due to vacate in 5 weeks. 2 weeks ago LA put the property on rightmove.
A day ago we had a text message from LA asking for access to do a viewing. The text only mentioned date and time of the viewing but not how many people will be there. My partner was home alone (I was at work). We expected someone from the LA to turn up and 2-3 people.
Instead, nobody from the LA came and there were 12 people wanting to see the house. I was at work. My partner is disabled (mobility issues, the house if a typical semi with ground and first floor, access upstairs via stairs only - no stair lift) plus has mental health problems (anxiety and depression). Having so many strangers in the house all at once without anyone from the LA present has caused him to have a panic attack (not to mention the worries about being able to keep and eye on everyone to make sure nothing gets broken/stolen as the people were just freely walking around the house, some of them even went upstairs on their own as my partner couldn't get up the stairs fast enough, some of them were going back downstairs before he managed to get up the stairs).
When we phoned the LA later to complain about the situation we were told that is it common knowledge that tenants living at the property show potential new tenants around.
Is it reasonable to expect a disabled person on his own to be showing around 12 people without anyone from the LA present? There is another viewing booked for next weeks but we're seriously considering canceling that plus all future viewings. My partner is still shaken by today's experience and is dreading next viewing already. The whole situation is complete shambles as the LA didn't know who was actually there (they were very surprised to hear there were 12 people attending, apparently they didn't arrange for so many to be there). We haven't started packing yet so all our stuff (including bank statements, passports, cash etc) is easily accessible to anyone who opens a drawer while no-one is watching...). For all we know, some stuff could be missing without us noticing yet
So, my question is: is this normal or is the LA taking the p**s? We're not due to leave for another 5 weeks so they have plenty of time to organise things properly. It seems very poor practise to organise an unaccompanied mass viewing without informing the tenant about the number of people attending and that he's expected to show them the house. The fact the tenant who's supposed to show the people round is disabled makes it even worse.
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Comments
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Not reasonable. Why on earth did he let them all in?
"Sorry, you'll have to wait till the agent gets here." Then shut the door. If the visitors are unhappy, that is the agent's problem not yours.
Do you have a place arranged to go to in 5 weeks? Do you need a reference? This might affect how best to respond. However a possible response is a letter:
"Dear [landlord] (use the name on the tenancy agreement)
Further to my telephone conversation with your agent on xx/07/2018 about the viewing on yy/07/18, I am writing to repeat our concerns about the way this was managed.
* there was no representative of the letting agency present. As tenants it is not our job to undertake viewings - that is what your agent is presumably paid to do.
* there were X prospective tenants simultaneously viewing. I was unable to monitor so many people either to ensure security or to assist them
* being disabled, I was unable to accompany people upstairs - thus they had unhindered unaccompanied access to parts of the property
This was a stressful and potentially dangerous event, as well as being unsatisfactory from the prospective tenants' point of view.
Consequently, we cannot agree to a repeat occurrence. Any future viewings must be
a) accompanied by a member of the agency and
b) limited to 1 prospective tenant (or couple) at a time
c) at a date/time agreed in advance so that we can both be present as well as the agent
If more than one prospective tenant (or couple) requires a viewing, each viewing must be agreed as above, and the total number of viewings must not be unreasonable or unduly affect out right to Quiet Enjoyment.
I trust you will appreciate these reasonable terms and will instruct your agent accordingly.
Yours sincerely,
Yorkie
cc: xyz letting agency
* Address it to the landlord at the address provided on the tenancy agreement (even if that it c/o the agent)
* also send a copy to the agent separately.
Finally, change the front door lock (see how below). Keep the current lock so that when the tenancy ends you can replace it. This will guarantee that you can control who comes in and when.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXAo7zSN-9o (Yale rim lock)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1WP3o4jAFc (deadlock)0 -
I'd echo G_M's advice above but only if you are reliant on a reference, if you aren't then I'd just see my notice out and not allow any more viewings after they pulled a stunt like that on you.Be Alert..........Britain needs lerts.0
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Completely unreasonable and sounds very stressful. I cannot add to the excellent posts above.You're not your * could have not of * Debt not dept *0
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..totally unreasonable IMHO...go with the good advice given above......"It's everybody's fault but mine...."0
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I was going to say that sometimes a multiple viewing is better because it gets it out of the way in one go rather than having to show say 3 people round over the course of a day.
but 12 that's taking a liberty and you should have been given far more warning and at least the presence of someone from the agencyin S 38 T 2 F 50
out S 36 T 9 F 24 FF 4
2017-32 2018 -33 2019 -21 2020 -5 2021 -4 20220 -
The landlord and agency are both having a Turkish.0
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Far from reasonable, I think it is absolutely disgusting and typical agent behaviour. I would complain to the LL directly and report this to Shelter and/or the council. Some councils actually care about the behaviour of private LLs and their agents within their boundaries, or so I'm told.0
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Most definitely unreasonable!
I’d second the advice above, especially “sorry, I’m just the tenant, you’ll need to wait for your agent”. “Oh, they’ve not turned up? I suggest you contact them, or maybe the property has already been rented”0 -
What disgusting behaviour on the part of the agent. I'd agree with above, if you don't need a reference just decline any further viewings.0
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Most definitely unreasonable!
I’d second the advice above, especially “sorry, I’m just the tenant, you’ll need to wait for your agent”. “Oh, they’ve not turned up? I suggest you contact them, or maybe the property has already been rented”
Quite - and if I were one of the viewers, I'd be looking to avoid that agency if I could...0
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