Rules for Landlords requesting access to a property

Even in cases where the let has been managed by an agent id expect the tenancy agreement to have your landlords details if you actually want to get in contact with them

the let might be managed by the agent but its still an agreement between you and the landlord, the only way it would be otherwise would be if the agent is letting the place and subletting it to you
 
Bear in mind that you are legally entitled to your LL's ACTUAL address if you ask for it. LA must provide it within 21 days or they are breaking the law.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/content/landlords-address

XE11 said:
sorry, i should have mentioned it . it''s latter. they are sending request to T saying LL wants them out. they then tell the LL that the T wants to leave with reasonable amount of notice.
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Agents manipulate ignorant landlords. New tenant means new tenant-find fees. As we all know, some agents in England charge silly money to new tenants. It's one of the main ways agents make money.
 
Cupra said:
It's not your house.
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THIS. If he wants to sell it, tough. Just move on - I know its inconvenient but ultimately its his house and he is free to do what he likes with it.

Its probably damned annoying but having a tantrum about people viewing it isn't going to help. The agent also has a responsibility to manage those who view the property and have a duty of care towards you and their client in this regard.
 
He can't sell it if you are in your contract term without compensating you, amateur landlords are a gift to tenants who have half a brain
 
Had similar myself some years ago.

I was advised by the letting agent to tell the estate agents selling the house that viewings would not be allowed whilst I was not there (they said it was unreasonable to expect this). That I would ensure we would be there and available [insert one night a week] and that outside that we would do our best to be accomodating but we were NOT willing to allow access to anyone from the estate agents unsupervised.

Lo and behold about 1 week after the house hit the market we got the first call, "we have arranged for a viewing today 3pm" reponse "well you better cancel it we are both at work and that time it unsuitable". A bit of tooing and froing and they accepted that they had no right to access and reluctantly agreed to reschedule for the agreed time.

We had viewings 2 or 3 times and then the house sold.

We moved out and went into a holiday let for a few weeks (different story on the property we were supposed to move into).
We got a call about 1 week after moving out to please visit the letting agents we had been with. The landlord had sent us 12 bottles of wine for being accomodating and leaving the house in good order.

Summary, be firm but fair and you should be fine.
 
fastwunz said:
I know its inconvenient but ultimately its his house and he is free to do what he likes with it.
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No he has given up the vast majority of his rights over that property for a fixed period of time by letting it out.
Ha has basically only got his rights to ensure its not being damaged (by tenants) and to maintain it in order to retain its value.

The break clause in skeeters contract is a bit extreme, as said its not cheap to agree leases (letting agents fees, credit searches etc). These he will have to pay again if hes forced to move out.
 
Moved to Home and Garden. How random.

Well this thread is effectively dead now, so thanks to those who helped out.
 
Skeeter said:
Moved to Home and Garden. How random.

Well this thread is effectively dead now, so thanks to those who helped out.
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You sound upset that the thread got moved to the correct forum section, seems you have a massive issue with what advise you have been given here and are throwing your teddies out of the pram cos of it.
 
Skeeter said:
Another year, another thread about being shafted by Landlords.

Anyway...
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What a weird opening to a thread, it appears your landlord is doing the perfectly reasonable thing and selling his asset that is one of the risks you take renting property. He has gone about things in a thoroughly professional manner the letting agents have given you plenty of notice of the planned viewing and they may well have been willing to organise an alternative convenient time (you don't say either way). Your response to this is to try and be a total arse and make it as difficult as possible for the landlord to sell his property I really think your thread should have started

'Another year, another thread about shafting my Landlord.'

as it appears he has done nothing wrong and is actually being a good landlord.
 
Ace Modder said:
You sound upset that the thread got moved to the correct forum section, seems you have a massive issue with what advise you have been given here and are throwing your teddies out of the pram cos of it.
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I didn't really see how looking for clarification on the law fits with thread about improving gardens? And what massive issue have I got with the advice I have? 90% of people who said 'just bend over' seemed to have zero understanding of the rights tenants have or how deposits work. For those that had their head screwed on I was given good advice and pointed in the right direction for the legal side.

a1ex2001 said:
What a weird opening to a thread, it appears your landlord is doing the perfectly reasonable thing and selling his asset that is one of the risks you take renting property. He has gone about things in a thoroughly professional manner the letting agents have given you plenty of notice of the planned viewing and they may well have been willing to organise an alternative convenient time (you don't say either way). Your response to this is to try and be a total arse and make it as difficult as possible for the landlord to sell his property I really think your thread should have started

'Another year, another thread about shafting my Landlord.'

as it appears he has done nothing wrong and is actually being a good landlord.
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2 years ago when I lived somewhere else I got a letter on Christmas Eve telling me the flat I lived in would be repossessed on the 12th January as my landlord had not paid the mortgage for 8 months. I made a thread about it and got some decent advice.

And the landlord of my current place isn't selling the house, he's toying with the idea without committing to it, yet wants me to let people in. I have no issue at all with them wanting to sell, thats fine, but they should do it the proper way. Serve us notice, advertise the house or arrange the private sale,and we will let people in. I'm not keen on just letting anyone in if I don't have to, and legally it looks like I don't. The letting agent also agree. We are letting this one couple come see the house when its convenient for us, but have an understanding that any other visits from potential buyers will require us to first be given notice.

I don't get why the "yeah your screwed, just bend over and take it" response that is completely misleading from a legal viewpoint is somehow the acceptable opinion on here, yet actually researching my legal rights and wanting to exercise them sees me labelled as having an issue with the advice I was given, and 'shafting' my landlord? :confused:
 
Peerzy said:
Out of interest who is the agent?
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Lines and James. They are actually really good.

I genuinely think the landlord simply doesn't understand what the regulations are around access to properties he rents out. Given the wide misunderstanding of rights or the law held by a lot of tenants and landlord it wouldn't surprise me.
 
MrMoonX said:
He can't sell it if you are in your contract term without compensating you, amateur landlords are a gift to tenants who have half a brain
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Our contract was drawn up by the Letting Agent, and includes specifically that after 4 months (we are just under 6 months in) either party can give 2 months notice to terminate.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Had similar myself some years ago.

I was advised by the letting agent to tell the estate agents selling the house that viewings would not be allowed whilst I was not there (they said it was unreasonable to expect this). That I would ensure we would be there and available [insert one night a week] and that outside that we would do our best to be accomodating but we were NOT willing to allow access to anyone from the estate agents unsupervised.

Lo and behold about 1 week after the house hit the market we got the first call, "we have arranged for a viewing today 3pm" reponse "well you better cancel it we are both at work and that time it unsuitable". A bit of tooing and froing and they accepted that they had no right to access and reluctantly agreed to reschedule for the agreed time.

We had viewings 2 or 3 times and then the house sold.

We moved out and went into a holiday let for a few weeks (different story on the property we were supposed to move into).
We got a call about 1 week after moving out to please visit the letting agents we had been with. The landlord had sent us 12 bottles of wine for being accomodating and leaving the house in good order.

Summary, be firm but fair and you should be fine.
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Had they given you notice to end the contract before putting the house on the market? The key thing seems to be that when in the normal terms of a tenancy contract the tenant doesn't have to let prospective buyers or tenants in, wheres after being served notice you do, with acceptable notice and agreement of course.

My issue is not the sale (its a pain in the butt, but hey, stuff happens), my issue is access. If he wants to sell and gives us notice then no problem, we will get out of his way and hope it all goes well for him. However if he wants to just let anyone wander into our home whenever he feels like gauging interest in the housing market then I'm going to put my foot down.
 
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Skeeter said:
To be clear, we are not planning on being complete arses and squatting or barricading the door or anything. We simply want to ensure that if they want to show people around who want to buy it, that they serve us the correct notice first so we can make plans. At the very least it might spur a conversation between us that can come to some compromise. Basically letting them in on Monday could mean we get turfed out in 2 months, and I'm not going to do that unless I absolutely have to.
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It just seems strange that you've come here for advice on your rights, but you've not yet spoken to the landlord to try and reach an amicable solution?

For all you know (unless I've missed something) the landlord might be happy to give you x days notice, and possibly accommodate other requests like only showing people round when you're present.

It just sounds like the landlord is hoping that you don't mind them popping in on Monday. If you do, then you need to tell him and see if he takes your opinions on board. If he doesn't, then start looking into your rights.
 
We immediately started speaking to the letting agent who are on our side. They are dealing with the visit, they are showing people around. The landlord has very little to do with it other than pointing the prospective buyers towards the letting agent.

We've spoken to them, and agreed they will only have this one visit, and that it will be when its convenient for us (next Tuesday now). They have agreed that there is no 'right' to show people around and thanked us for being accommodating of this one visit. Any further visits will be only done with 2 months notice to terminate the contract being given first.

The whole thing spurred from a voice mail that was left on my GFs phone from the letting agent basically saying "so... the landlord might sell the house, we will be showing some people round on Monday, KTHXBYE", which put the wind up us a bit. But we now have a better legal grasp on our rights, and the LA is now understanding that just expecting to turn up and be let in isn't going to happen.

Now were just hoping that after all this the people looking round on Tuesday don't like the place :p. I've told the cat to do a stinker in his litter box and claw their legs :D
 
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They can't just write unfair terms into a tenancy agreement to get around the Housing Acts or whatever. You have right to peaceful enjoyment of the property and they have to give notice in writing for any inspections or tradesmen visits. I don't think there is a requirement that you have to let prospective future tenants/buyers in either until your tenancy is up.

If you suspect the agency will come round and let themselves in while you are out, change the lock. As long as you replace the original lock again at the end of your tenancy they can't withold your deposit.
 
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