When can an agency show potential tenants round?

[Fetchez la vache]

Hi. I'm renting a flat, the agreement of which currently runs out at the end of September.
I've had a letter stating that from today they will start to advertise the property for letting, and start showing people round.
I've rented this flat for about a hear and a half, with 6 month agreements, so they know I'm a good tenant etc etc.. but that's over 2 months away and cannot commit at this point as to whether I'll take out another 6 months.

Is there a legal minimum time (say a month before) that they can start to show punters round? Over 2 months seems a little excessive.

[groak]

Fetchez la vache said:

Hi. I'm renting a flat, the agreement of which currently runs out at the end of September.
I've had a letter stating that from today they will start to advertise the property for letting, and start showing people round.
I've rented this flat for about a hear and a half, with 6 month agreements, so they know I'm a good tenant etc etc.. but that's over 2 months away and cannot commit at this point as to whether I'll take out another 6 months.

Is there a legal minimum time (say a month before) that they can start to show punters round? Over 2 months seems a little excessive.

I'd say that whilst you're the leaseholder it's ENTIRELY up to you whether or not you allow them to enter the premises never mind show people round them. Next they'll be expecting you to have the place in pristine viewable order with coffee brewing and atmospheric music on the CD. Tell them to fukk off and leave you to enjoy your tenancy in peace until the lease is finished. You could also add that if they enter whilst you're out you'll ask police to raise charges of unlawful entry against them. Whilst you're the leaseholder you've more rights over the property than the owner does.

Edited by groak on Wednesday 28th July 16:56

[Simpo Two]

Leaseholder or tenant?

If you decide to be bloody-minded as per the advice above then don't expect your landlord to be overly helpful when you need a favour in return.

[scirocco265]

Surely this is in your tenancy agreement? Mine is 6 weeks before end of the rental period.

[anonymous-user]

scirocco265 said:

Surely this is in your tenancy agreement? Mine is 6 weeks before end of the rental period.

But it HAS to be at your convenience and you have every right to refuse. Of course, normally you would try to be decent (both sides) so that neither Tenant or LA/LL suffer.

[groak]

It's not about being helpful or nice or otherwise. It's about the key turning in the door just as you're ready to dive off the couch onto the 2 hookers wearing your batman costume etc etc etc etc etc etc etc....

.....and it is just plain folly on the agent's part to enter premises with others in the tenant's absence, because next comes the phone call:
"were u in the flat today?"
"yes, why? we told you we were coming"
"well there's £200 missing from my mantlepiece...."

[Stitch]

scirocco265 said:

Surely this is in your tenancy agreement? Mine is 6 weeks before end of the rental period.

And it isn't worth the paper it is written on.

The landlord/agent can only gain access under very specific circumstances - showing potential tenants around isn't one of them.

Agent will try to threaten you and point to a clause such as that mentioned by the above poster but stand your ground (if you don't want people in your home).

PO - Just thought of something else, you don't have to keep signing six month agreements, once a standard six month agreement runs its course you normally automatically move to a rolling monthly contract (with the landlord having to give you two months notice).

Edited by Stitch on Wednesday 28th July 17:42

[groak]

Here's more from the Wacky Real World: Call comes to agency about water pishing into flat below from ours above whose tenant isn't in. We have to call the cops to attend what's called a Supervised Entry (otherwise it's unlawful entry). Sometimes the cops can't come at once.

[groak]

....and the law is (afaik) :

24 hours notice in writing has to be given of intention to visit the premises. Then at the point of visit it is entirely up to the leaseholder whether or not to allow entry.

[Simpo Two]

Well obviously it's in both party's interests to be reasonable. I certainly wouldn't turn up unannounced at the property where my tenant lives; she has her right to privacy and might indeed be dressed up as Wonder Woman holding a feather duster and a bowl of custard.

However, good tenants don't just appear overnight and I think it's unreasonable to refuse access until you've left - if nothing else you're costing the landlord thousands in lost rent while the property remains empty. If you were in their shoes, you wouldn't be very happy with that.


NB: Groak you seem to have turned back into a leaseholder again. I've just looked at my agreement and it says 'Assured Shorthold Tenancy'. Pretty sure the occupier is a tenant not a leaseholder.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 28th July 18:49

[PF62]

If it is in the landlord's financial interest to show potential tenants around before the existing tenant has left, inconveniencing the existing tenant in the process, then they should compensate them for that inconvenience. £50 per 30 minute pre-booked appointment?

[Simpo Two]

That's cool, I'll charge you £50 per half hour to fix the dripping tap that keeps you awake.

Compensation compenschmachion.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 28th July 20:43

[Wings]

garyhun said:

scirocco265 said:

Surely this is in your tenancy agreement? Mine is 6 weeks before end of the rental period.

But it HAS to be at your convenience and you have every right to refuse. Of course, normally you would try to be decent (both sides) so that neither Tenant or LA/LL suffer.

Absolutely agree, also the OP appears to have a fixed term Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, with two months of the fixed term period still remaining. Since the OP/tenant, under a fixed term tenancy, is not legally required to give Notice to the agents/landlord of his intentions of either not renewing or renewing the AST, it could be that the agents are using some hard sale in pushing the OP/tenant in to indicating to them what his intentions are going to be.

As to the agents showing potential tenants around the flat, two months prior to the end of the AST is far to early, a month usually being the normal requirement for agents/landlords, the same should also give where possible sufficient notice of an intended viewing, 24 hours where possible.

[PF62]

Simpo Two said:

That's cool, I'll charge you £50 per half hour to fix the dripping tap that keeps you awake.

Compensation compenschmachion.

Interesting gamble - Flat not rented for a month or so, against hoping that a dripping tap suddenly occurs in the last 6 weeks before re-letting, and is so annoying as to drive the tenant insane.

With confidence like that I wouldn't bother with flat rental, but would definitely be buying a lottery ticket this week.

[groak]

Simpo Two said:

That's cool, I'll charge you £50 per half hour to fix the dripping tap that keeps you awake.

Compensation compenschmachion.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 28th July 20:43

....and what you'll then achieve is a legally justifiable withholding of rent. Residentials are rarely FRI. You're the landlord. You're obliged to effect essential repairwork at YOUR expense. Court will support a tenant effecting the repair using justifiably withheld rent to pay for it.

[lestag]

groak said:

Simpo Two said:

That's cool, I'll charge you £50 per half hour to fix the dripping tap that keeps you awake.

Compensation compenschmachion.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 28th July 20:43

....and what you'll then achieve is a legally justifiable withholding of rent. Residentials are rarely FRI. You're the landlord. You're obliged to effect essential repairwork at YOUR expense. Court will support a tenant effecting the repair using justifiably withheld rent to pay for it.

And how long do you think that will take before you get to court and how much sleep you will miss

This I do know - I don't want Groak as a tennant and Simpo_Two as a landlord.
:P

If you want a good reference from your landlord, be reasonable. If you don't...don't ...

[ringram]

Who cares about references. Ive never needed one. Just a bank statement showing a fair income and cash in hand.

I was hassled about having people look around. I said "yeah whatever".

But after the first time they came in and saw dirty dishes on the bench, soiled jocks on the floor, turd smears and floaters in the bogs, unmade bed, paperwork strewn across the floor etc I think they decided to wait until I had left!

[groak]

ringram said:

Who cares about references. Ive never needed one. Just a bank statement showing a fair income and cash in hand.

I was hassled about having people look around. I said "yeah whatever".

But after the first time they came in and saw dirty dishes on the bench, soiled jocks on the floor, turd smears and floaters in the bogs, unmade bed, paperwork strewn across the floor etc I think they decided to wait until I had left!

LOL!!!

[groak]

lestag said:

groak said:

Simpo Two said:

That's cool, I'll charge you £50 per half hour to fix the dripping tap that keeps you awake.

Compensation compenschmachion.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 28th July 20:43

....and what you'll then achieve is a legally justifiable withholding of rent. Residentials are rarely FRI. You're the landlord. You're obliged to effect essential repairwork at YOUR expense. Court will support a tenant effecting the repair using justifiably withheld rent to pay for it.

And how long do you think that will take before you get to court and how much sleep you will miss

This I do know - I don't want Groak as a tennant and Simpo_Two as a landlord.
:P

If you want a good reference from your landlord, be reasonable. If you don't...don't ...

Funny you should mention reference.....

You're an agent. Your worst pain in the arse tenant from hell who you'd LOVE to get rid of walks into the office to announce they've got themselves another flat but they MUST provide a reference. This is one of if not THE worst tenant you've ever had. What do you do?

[PF62]

ringram said:

But after the first time they came in and saw dirty dishes on the bench, soiled jocks on the floor, turd smears and floaters in the bogs, unmade bed, paperwork strewn across the floor etc I think they decided to wait until I had left!

But I bet you would have made the place look a bit more presentable if the landlord had offered you a reasonable amount of cash. And then the landlord would have been able to rent the place out quicker.

Seems obvious to me since both sides win. But I suppose most landlords are amateurs, rather than business people, and would see handing over the cash as loosing the argument and would sooner cut their nose off.