God Awful Landlady

surfer9 · 7 July 2018 at 2:04PM

Hi,

I live in a house share in London. Our landlady does not understand that she needs to give us notice, we have told her god knows how many times..... informing her that it was illegal for her, any workmen, or cleaners to just enter the house.....

And as I work from home, I am usually in the house. During the past 2 weeks I have had builders in and out the house, cleaners, I have had to let ppl in the house that I didn't even know were coming round. For all I know they could be dodgy criminals.

Not sure what to do now. She is acting like a child. I and fellow housemates have advised her so many times to give notice and she STILL doesn't, after years.

Anything I can do? report her? will that even do anything to make her come to sense?

theartfullodger · 7 July 2018 at 2:07PM

If you have individual tenancies (Mr A Tenant, room 3,,,) then here coming round for the "common parts" (kitchen, bathroom, stairs..) does not need notice, although it would be polite to give it.

Write her a calm polite letter, keep copy, noting your concerns. But frankly, given you are so unhappy, why haven't you left already?

Pixie5740 · 7 July 2018 at 2:09PM

surfer9 wrote: »

Hi,

I live in a house share. Our landlady does not understand that she needs to give us notice, we have told her god knows how many times.....so many times that I had to have a stern phone conversation about it with her, informing her that it was illegal for her, any workmen, or cleaners to just enter the house.....

She has now decided to inform everyone in the house when someone is coming round, but me...

And as I work from home, I am usually in the house. During the past 2 weeks I have had builders in and out the house, cleaners, and one day window cleaners appeared at my bedroom window. All with no pre-warning from the landlady. This is ridiculous.

I'm sure she wouldn't like it if some window cleaners appeared at her bedroom window. She is taking the !!!!.

Not sure what to do now. She is acting like a child. I and fellow housemates have advised her so many times to give notice and she STILL doesn't, after years.

Anything I can do? report her? will that even do anything to make her come to sense?

The another annoying thing about her is she lies and is over dramatic, she is a drama queen, and makes a big deal out of any minor thing she is displeased with, yet she thinks it's ok to just walk into our house or send workmen round unannounced.

Is this a house share where you each have your own separate tenancy agreement and rent a room or is there one joint tenancy agreement where all of you rent the whole property?

elsien · 7 July 2018 at 2:50PM

I regularly have my window cleaner turn up at my bedroom window without notice.
Nothing to do with carry on films and everything to do with him turning up at monthlyish intervals on different days/times depending on the weather.
Coming into the house without warning is one thing but getting worked up about a window cleaner when your LL probably had no idea when they'd turn up is a bit of an overreaction.

anselld · 7 July 2018 at 2:52PM

Sounds like a decent pro-active Landlady.
My window cleaner doesn't give me any notice as an owner occupier.
As others have stated, L has access to communal areas in a house-share unless it is a joint tenancy.

Not sure who is the drama queen here.

elsien · 7 July 2018 at 2:53PM

Just to add you were complaining about your landlady back in January because she wasn't doing anything. Now she's getting things done you're still complaining.
If she's so awful can't you look elsewhere?

coffeehound · 7 July 2018 at 3:08PM

Privacy is ignored in HMOs in my experience. You don't realistically have any leverage. Best to just walk if you find it unacceptable.

G_M · 7 July 2018 at 3:16PM

As others have said, the legal position (and your rights) depend on your status:

* England/Scotland
* tenant / lodger
* joint/several AST or HMO with individual ASTs

shortcrust · 7 July 2018 at 3:22PM

Who gets advance notice from window cleaners?! Everywhere I have lived they just turn up as and when.

surfer9 · 7 July 2018 at 7:40PM

elsien wrote: »

Just to add you were complaining about your landlady back in January because she wasn't doing anything. Now she's getting things done you're still complaining.
If she's so awful can't you look elsewhere?

Thanks for twisting what I said. I never complained that she is fixing things, I am complaining that she is letting everyone in the house know about when builders/her/window cleaners are coming round, apart from me. There is no respect, no courtesy.....

Are you telling me that if anyone comes to our house, knocks on the door claiming they are here to do work, and I have no idea if they are legit or not, because I have had no notice they are coming round.....I have to let them in? You can't be serious.?!!?

You have got to be joking!

surfer9 · 7 July 2018 at 7:46PM

When you sign an Assured Shorthold tenancy agreement, the landlord agrees to surrender the possession of the property to you for the agreed fixed term. Along with the possession, the tenant also automatically gains the right of quiet enjoyment.

Quiet enjoyment refers to the natural right to live peacefully and undisturbed in your home. This include how people access your home and what they do in direct conjunction of your home.

People who enter you home without permission by either you or the court, are trespassing and commit to a criminal offence.

Source: https://www.thetenantsvoice.co.uk/advice_from_us/landlord-access/#tenants_have_a_right_to_quiet_enjoyment_of_the_property

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God Awful Landlady

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