[muskaan]

Can we refuse an agent for viewing until we are in the property since the landlord is not willing to renew the contract since he doesnt want to lose a month rent ?

[Bluey]

Your message is garbled but if you are asking whether you have to allow viewings of a property where you are a tenant, the answer is no but you might get a stinking reference for not facilitating this.

Housing law enshrines the right to 'quiet enjoyment' of a property and landlords and their representatives are obliged to give notice and receive permission back from the tenant to access the property in all instances other than an emergency.

This statutory right overides any clause in the tenancy agreement that tells the tenant they must allow viewings or access.

[muskaan]

Actually I am renting a property. feel that the agent has been charging me really high price for the check and evrything. It cost me £200 and the rent I was paying for a bedroom flat was £780. Enquired with some of the nighbours noone was paying such a high rent. I wasnt aware of the rental market price. I have requested to lower the rent. The agent told me to vacate the property since they are sure they can find other tenants for that price. Since I am going for holidays for a month would be pointless for me to pay them the rent for a month. That's why suggested to start the new contract as when I am back. The agent replied back as if they dont need me anymore they will find tenants willing to pay this price and has asked me to vacate the property and told me that they will be marketing the property and that they would be doing viewings. Thats why I wanted to enquire whether I can refuse them access for doing any viewings. But since would need their reference for the next place I am pretty helpless with all their demands. The law really doesnt support tenants

[montyzuma]

au contraire the law supports tenants fine

[muskaan]

you cannot argue anything with the agents. All they will tell you is to leave they can find other tenants. And now you have to go and find another place. clean that up. In this case i can refuse them access but then at the end of the day i will be losing since when will need their reference for the next property. Also, the roofs has been stained due to condensation I am afraid that they will end up charging me from my deposit

[Bluey]

[Bluey]

[muskaan]

But then if the property is not painted against mould for sure the property would start to have stains due to condensation. There is very little we could do about it. One way of reducing condensation is by keeping the room ventilated but that doesnt prevent condensation from forming. Its only if the property is painted against mould that it wont have this problem. Would this still be the responsibility of tenants? Actually my contract was about to terminate and instead of me paying a full month rent preferred renewing the contract when I will be back. But the agent is too confident that they can find other tenants accepting to pay that much. Could you please advice any agencies which do not charge so high fees and which are reliable where I can find myself another property? Thanks

[montyzuma]

One way of reducing condensation is by keeping the room ventilated but that doesnt prevent condensation from forming.

In my experience it does


Could you please advice any agencies which do not charge so high fees and which are reliable where I can find myself another property?

have a look about gumtree accomodation

[Bluey]

[muskaan]

Check this website http://www.mygreathome.com/fix-it_guide/roof_leak.htm

It clearly tells you that ways to reduce condensation is through ventilation etc. But for it not to happen one need to a vapour barrier or need to paint with an insulating primer. So its kind of clear that if a property doesnt have vapour barrier or insulating primer condensation would build up and the ways to reduce it and not prevent it is thru ventilation etc

[colin44]

Colins tip of the week ....

One of my houses has a problem with condensation on the bathroom ceiling. This has been going on for about 5 years. There is a window and an extractor fan but the problem still exists ( or it used too !!! )

After repainting the ceiling many times I decided to get tough with it ... And here is what I did ......

I used ''B+Q Brilliant White Smooth Masonry Paint'' . This has been up for about a year ..... And it still looks good and no sign of condensation.


This will help !!!!!!!!!

Colin

[mutley1]

[colin44]

[mutley1]

[montyzuma]

I have a stupid little front porch thingy which was built with a single brick
its north facing too
ie no cavity and no heating

every year it gets a wash down with anti fungal stuff and a coat of anti fungal paint but we stiill get black stuff growing up it

ill try your idea

[loopy2006]

Most legal Tenancy Agreements clearly state that the Agent/Landlord can give 24 hours notice for access required for anything including viewings..

In an emergency the agent/landlord can access without notice..

I have an ARLA Tenancy and it clearly states they can give notice for access so at least you get 24 hours notice from them..

Tenants cannot refuse entry if notice is given so some of the comments on here are actually incorrect.

[Bluey]

You are wrong Loopy. To verify this, post your query on the landlordzone forum where there are housing solicitors as members.

Statutory housing law over-rides any clauses in an AST. Housing law requires that landlords allow tenants quiet enjoyment of their property.

The clauses that appear in tenancy agreements can only be regarded as an obligation or courtesy on the part of the tenant to permit entry to the property when given notice.

In fact, a landlord or their agent cannot enter the property unless they give notice AND receive permission. The fact that they miss off the latter is quite telling but its there in the background in housing law anyhow.

On the one hand, a tenant should cooperate with visits (because housing law asks that they live in a 'tenant like' manner and facilitate repairs and so on). But on the other, they have the right to refuse access and some landlords get prosecuted or civil redress for harassing their tenants with unauthorised access.

Tenants can actually change the locks - while they are there, they have exclusive occupation of the property, a right to quiet enjoyment, and in fact, its actually their property from a legal perspective, not the landlords...

My personal opinion is that tenants have a moral, not legal obligation, to facilitate viewings by prospective future tenants. If they do not consent to viewings, they risk having a bad reference.

It never ceases to amaze me that some tenants complain about loss of privacy, inconvenience and security issues that come from letting others view when in fact they are happy to traipse round other occupied properties to find their onward accommodation.

[loopy2006]

Thanks for the reply, my partner is a solicitor working in housing for the Government.

Its not as clear cut as you say.

Quiet enjoyment of a property is not interferred with by requesting access on the odd occassion, its different if the Landlord/Agent is requesting access every week etc, etc.

Also, another thing is that an ARLA Tenancy actually has a clause which the tenant states, that in the last 6-8 weeks of the tenancy the tenant should allow access for viewings..once the tenant has signed that agreement they are legally bound by it..

But i guess its open to interpretation and everyone has a different view.

I agree with you about tenants who refuse access for viewings but then are happy to go viewing in other properties hahaha..

[mutley1]