How annoyed am I allowed to be at this?

[Gizmo]

As in my other thread I'm moving from a rental to an owned. The furniture is being moved tomorrow and over the weekend. Then clean up Monday ready for inspection.

I phoned today and asked to hold all viewings for Friday and Saturday. Clerk got annoyed at me as "if thats the only day a customer can view we might lose a tenant" but said she'd speak to her manager.

And then I get told at 5pm tonight there is a viewing tomorrow afternoon. I won't know about Saturday until Friday night.

Part of the reason I am annoyed is their actions to date:
- on lease renewal date we had to chase them to action it
- They said they'd come round on X date to do the renewal inspection and when called because they didn't turn up "oh, I found out this morning it was done already on Y date." No real apology for not talking to us until we rang them.
- We asked for a copy of said inspection and were refused (Suspicion: It wasn't done at all).
- When we went to do the renewal we noticed the documents all read the wrong flat number (Flats A and B and it read downstairs not upstairs) which we pointed out.

Leading to now:
- They've missed around half of the 8-10 arranged viewings (mixture of tenant turning up or no one at all turning up and us having to call to find out why).
- The only give us around 18 hours notice not 24 (phone at 5pm for anything from early morning to evening the next day)
- On two occasions we have got back to the flat before a booked viewing to find them already here as the viewing was "rearranged".

Consequentally since we handed in notice around 6 weeks ago we have been well and truely annoyed and not been able to relax much and get "quiet enjoyment" out of our home whilst it still is ours.


I'm already planning if they turn up early tomorrow to send them away and if they don't turn up tomorrow to give them one hell of an earful...

But what are peoples opinions on this?

[mjr]

You could "fight fire with fire" as the expression goes.

If you have a significant other (based on the wording of your post, I'm assuming you do), why not just have a makeout session while they're "showing" your apartment?

Make the person doing the showing, and the people being shown the flat feel VERY uncomfortable, in an "awkward" sort of way.

That might fix it.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Are you required to let them in? If your lease isn't up yet, it's still your place. You shouldn't have to let strangers in whenever the landlord wants. I don't know about the law where you are, but where I am the landlord is not allowed to just enter your apartment without proper notice unless it's an emergency, and if their schedule changes and they can't do what they need when they said they would, that's their problem; they had to reschedule and give notice again. The only time they ever came in at my old apartment complex was for certain annual inspections (required by the state), and even if we called for something to be fixed, they would give us a time frame and we had to give verbal permission for them to enter if we wouldn't be home. Then they would leave a note on the door telling us when they were there and what, if anything, had been done, or would be done and when.

BTW, you're allowed to be as annoyed as you like, and I would be beyond annoyed. It's not fair for them to inconvenience you; they can show the place all they want after you move out.

[KuariKaydrith]

If you are moving it is still usually 24 hour required notice before the landlord can bring somebody to view the apartment. You do not have to let them any sooner than that, regardless of what the landlord tries to say...unless, of course, there are different rules for your city/state/province/etc. I would bone up on those rules and use them to your best advantage.

One place I lived in the real estate agent wanted me to vacate the premises for showings, but I flat out refused. Especially when her idea of giving notice was calling me up an hour before she was supposed to be bringing somebody by to look at the place. I told her that there was no way in hell I was leaving because I did not trust her, that she absolutely could NOT show the apartment unless I was home, and that I would be following her and any potential owners/renters through my place. Good thing I did too because I turned the corner once to find a random woman pawing through the stuff on top of my dresser. I *LOST* my fucking shit and kicked them all out of the place, threatening to lay charges. Did a little digging and found out that not long after this the particular real estate agent lost her license over complaints for her bullshit.

[Gizmo]

mjr - the "we" was more me and the ex flatmate. The kinda significant other will be at work. The idea had already crossed my mind of being "I was Just about to get in the shower...." but still decent under the robe.

BookstoreEscapee - We are technically a bit under our "required notice" as we gave it once my property had completed its purchase instead of on the rent date 2 months before the end of the lease. However there is a bit of an oddity there - our lease says we have to be out by a certain date and we even signed the form allowing the court to evict us if we are not so in my mind since we hat told them we were going to leave but just not put in formal notice they don't really have a lot of room to stand on there. They even provided a reference for Ex Flat mates new flat - after 10 requests from the new landlord he is with!

They have murmured that therefore they could charge us another months rent and so far I've been nice so they don't try.

KuariKaydrith - It is 24 hours here too in the UK. We've been allowing it because causing arguments up to now isn't something I wanted to do. They've been giving us between 16hrs and 24hrs so far. Ex flatmate was also minorly worried about things happening whilst the agents back is turned and luckily the two where they were here when we weren't most of the valuables had been moved. But it still felt invasive.

The landlord himself (the above is all the agency) lives across the road and has popped in once for a repair issue (prior tenant had redone the plumbing so that it only had a hot water feed and we asked for permission to correct it) and I am very tempted to give him full records of my notes on why they haven't found a tenant once the inspection is done late next week....

[Sheldonrs]

Put 2 strips of "Police Crime Scene - Do Not Cross" tape over your front door. :-)

[MoonCat]

I like Sheldon's idea

Seriously, though - first, I would remove all valuables to a safe deposit box or a family member's house (someplace you can trust anyway). I would also print out that list of complaints and the next time they try to push something on you that you don't want, like one hour's notice for a viewing, start reading the list to them over the phone, in a nice, calm, normal voice.

Is there any sort of regulating agency that the landlord is subject to? Might be something to keep in mind for later, once you're moved out.

[Gizmo]

I do love Sheldons idea actually.

All the valuables have been moved to the new flat already. In 3 days this place will be empty again.

Unfortunately the two regulating authorities are somewhat voluntary in the UK and having checked both they are not registered with either.

I will be making a complaint though. To them and a copy going direct to the owner of this property as I know where he lives...

[Gilhelmi]

The landlord himself (the above is all the agency) lives across the road and has popped in once for a repair issue (prior tenant had redone the plumbing so that it only had a hot water feed and we asked for permission to correct it) and I am very tempted to give him full records of my notes on why they haven't found a tenant once the inspection is done late next week....

Personally, I think this is the best idea. (though the police tape is a close second)

I have sworn to myself, if I ever get a rental property. I will do all this myself, I am not one to pay others to do a job I can do.

[Gizmo]

Viewers got here and spent less than 2 minutes inside. I'm guessing not a couple and the second "bedroom" (think futon folded out full and it takes up the *whole room) is just way too small as we found.

Now got 2 more tomorrow... around noon. Peak "move time". They really are pulling the wrong leg....

[Gizmo]

So Saturdays viewers turned up 25 mins late, I phone the agents asking what was going on.... especially since the agent hadn't arrived yet either.... "Oh, I was just about to call you...."

Second of the two viewings hadn't even been told which number the property is and since the agents didn't even put out a To Let board I had to motion to them from upstairs that it was the property that they were looking for. Agent had decided rather than staying nearby she'd drive around the block....

Today is cleaning, rubbish clearance and last few bits (how much manages to fall behind furniture....?) And we have two more viewings there today - if they can be bothered to turn up!