Updating post from Reddit.
Myself and my fiancée have been renting a 2 bed house for about 4 years now. Everything is done via the estate agents like payments, maintenance etc so both parties are protected. I’ve just got home from work to find my landlord on my driveway picking out weeds (the very few we have), she expressed she really doesn’t mind and that she was just helping out as we’re both very busy with our jobs a lot of the time. We keep the house clean and tidy at all times and have never had any issues. Idk why but this just really irked me and made me feel awkward. Was she allowed to do this? She has never done this before. Also, she wanted to paint our fence but we said we would do it so she gave us several tubs a few weeks ago which we have done all that for her. I will also add she has never been in our house so that isn’t an issue, she isn’t over stepping in that sense.
No, she should not be visiting your property within prior notice and permission from you.
You are entitled to the quiet enjoyment of the property.
This is the answer it’s not her house it’s yours that’s how I view my rentals I wouldn’t dream of dropping by.
From the perspective of being allowed access without permission your driveway is your house as much as your bedroom. Probably the best advice would be to inform the agents (do it over email so there's a paper trail) and ask them to remind her that she should be requesting access for maintainace.
There is a very good chance, especially because all of the legal stuff is being handled by the agent, that she doesn't realise she's overstepping. But you have right to quiet enjoyment, and if you're feeling awkward and worried the landlord will show up out of nowhere that's starting to infrige on the rights.
I wouldn't blow it out of proportion, just make sure her unauthorized access is recorded incase it gets worse.
I'm unsure what the fence has to do with this
There is no strict legal requirement in UK law for a landlord to notify tenants of external maintenance unless it significantly impacts the tenant’s use of the property. However, best practice, as recommended by bodies like the Residential Landlords Association, is for landlords to provide reasonable notice.
Minor external work, like repainting a fence, is unlikely to breach quiet enjoyment unless it’s excessively disruptive (e.g., prolonged noise, blocking access, etc).
Overall, just chill. Some tenants would love a landlord who is proactive like this and invests time in ensuring the property is nice. Others like yourself want to be left alone. Not all Landlords suit all tenants. If it bothers you so much, have a conversation with them.
>Everything is done via the estate agents like payments, maintenance etc so both parties are protected
No, the agent works for the landlord. They do what the landlord asks; an agent will advise the landlord who can reject it and the landlord can reduce what they want the agent to do at any time. The agent is only an extension of the landlord, not a replacement, "to protect both parties." This is a misconception you have.
Reneted for 15 years now and some LL are horrible (6 months without a working shower having to take baths, lied to tds to claim the entire deposit) and some are great (current one is fantastic said about a odd smell in the house dynorod straight out and found a block, lecky man out to replace faulty sockets)
If this was a first time in 4 years I would agree chill a bit. No need to jump the gun however if it happens again I would probably say something then. I can only assume they where driving past and thought they would offer a hand.
Otherside of things….and this is the pessimistic view, shes preparing to sell
> pessimistic view, shes preparing to sell
Painting the garden fence did give me that vibe.
If the landlord is on the property, then they absolutely do need to give notice, exactly the same as if they enter the property. If the tenant has exclusive use of the whole property including driveway and garden then the landlord shouldn’t be doing work without notice and is breaching quiet enjoyment just by being there. The fact that op felt awkward already proves that the landlord has breached that right.
No more access than the postman, at any rate.
The postman doesn’t weed the drive and has implied permission to access the property. The landlord does not. Even if the landlord is knocking on the front door, that could be construed as breach of quiet enjoyment.
> Even if the landlord is knocking on the front door, that could be construed as breach of quiet enjoyment.
haha, no.
Ha, yes, if they did it a lot. If the whole property is covered by the tenancy then it’s the tenants property. The landlord cannot just pop round all the time. The tenant would be fully within their right to ask the landlord to leave the property.
That would be funny if true; it’s a good thing it’s not. If the landlord came around excessively, verging on harassment, it would be an issue.
A landlord is perfectly fine knocking on the door and engaging with their customer.
Quiet Enjoyment is more about interference as actions substantially affecting the tenant's freedom of action and must be severe enough to justify the tenant leaving.
For example, a random knock on the door and expecting access for an inspection is not on.
So op saying that they felt awkward when the landlord was weeding their driveway without notice or permission is not breach of quiet enjoyment? If you rent a property, you have control over who comes onto your property. The landlord cannot just pop round all the time.
Yes, only internal maintenance requires a notice but surprises are not best practice. The OP needs to have a conversation, no sane landlord is going to want to sour the relationship over this. OP doesn't like it, needs to make the landlord aware .
Entering the property requires notice. The outside is still on the property.
Yes, only internal maintenance requires a notice but surprises are not best practice. The OP needs to have a conversation, no sane landlord is going to want to sour the relationship over this. OP doesn't like it, needs to make the landlord aware.
They're allowed to chap a door! Where are you getting this information from?
If the landlord knocks on the tenants door repeatedly, or starts doing garden work outside of the tenancy agreement, then it is breaching the right to quiet enjoyment. The tenant has the right to control access to the whole property, the same as any person would and if the landlord is intruding on that, as op said they were, then that is not right. Would you want your landlord “chapping your door” every day?
I wouldn’t even mention it tbh. All she’s done is done your weeding. And she’s given u paint to make your fences look nice. I don’t think there’s any point messaging the agents, unless she enters the house. I don’t think she has stopped you guys enjoying the property, from her doing some wedding at the front of the house
Sounds like she might be looking to sell the property IMO.
If it’s the first time ever and it was just a few weeds like you say, I would assume there’s a particular reason as to why she suddenly more interested in making the property look nicer.