Would you have let them in?

[Cass72]

You are well within your rights to refuse them. I do not let people come into my home without being given adequate notice.

However, if they were friendly agents I probably would have if I knew they would turn a blind eye to the mess (there's a big difference to an untidy home to a dirty home). Our home is often untidy but I know that it's "clean" underneath the washing, toys and school books!

With regards to the maintenance of the front garden, I think you'll find this on your lease. It is the responsibility of the tenant to maintain the upkeep of the property, ie, mowing the lawns and weeding the garden. Some tenancy agreements will cover additional items but, as I say, this should be on your lease. If you don't have a copy, you can request an additional one.

[Arimeh]

With regards to the maintenance of the front garden, I think you'll find this on your lease. It is the responsibility of the tenant to maintain the upkeep of the property, ie, mowing the lawns and weeding the garden. Some tenancy agreements will cover additional items but, as I say, this should be on your lease. If you don't have a copy, you can request an additional one.

Hmm I'll have to try and find it..... It probably says reasonable state or something, and my reasonable state is probably a lot different to their reasonable state LOL!!!!

[Mummy&Daddy2Be]

my reasonable state is probably a lot different to their reasonable state LOL!!!!

i'm the same with our garden! hilarious

[Rowellen]

No way! My DH would have threatened to call the police if they didn't leave too. Good on your DH for not letting them in. After the experiences we've had with some not so friendly rental agents, my attitude is stuff em. Know your rights and stick to it. We had them turn up without notice once. Unfortunately we weren't home to not let them in. Not happy campers here. I tell anyone who asks never to rent through that agency (as tenant or landlord) if they can avoid it.

I'd also be rather concerned about the structural integrity of the house given the response in point 4. Unfortunately I think it is within their rights to say no to that one without giving a reason. The reason they gave is rather stupid IMO.

[teresa]

i wouldnt have let them in!

as far as the garden is concerned, we have rented our house out and I would hope the tenants are looking after the garden and lawn and doing the weeding. i know our property manager spoke to them about the state of the garden at their last inspection. it is part of the tenants responsibility to upkeep the gardens and lawns.

[sushee]

As a landlord I would expect the garden to be maintained in the state I rented the house in. My tenant's lease runs for a year and I don't expect it to be overgrown between inspections, if you know what I mean. I think to me, it shows a general lack of care towards my investment.

And I probably would have said no to a boxing thingo hanging from the roof as well. My tenants put up cafe blinds in the patio without my knowldege and I can't say that I'm pleased that once they leave, I'll have the holes left in the wood from where they attached the blinds. I have asked that they restore it to the way they found it once they vacate.

This is in part because, should they move on, I want to make sure the house is in a state that means I will find new tenants, or I will be able to sell it, while making as few repairs to it as possible. I think it's fair to say no to modifications to a house that you own. If it were something that made no material change to my house, I wouldn't have a problem. I have given them permission to have a dog, as I had one myself when I lived there, as long as they make sure that any damage to the gardens or outdoor area is fixed.

On the last issue, if they didn't call you, and you didn't get the notice for the inspection, they must reschedule. End of story. While the landlord has rights, so do you, and that's one of yours.

[Purple Penguin]

No, I wouldn't have let them in and I would have called the real estate agent's office and made a complaint to the Rentals Manager about the way they behaved.

[Arimeh]

[QUOTE=sushee;3194079]As a landlord I would expect the garden to be maintained in the state I rented the house in. My tenant's lease runs for a year and I don't expect it to be overgrown between inspections, if you know what I mean. I think to me, it shows a general lack of care towards my investment.
\/QUOTE]

And thats understandable. I didn't like their approach to it, like they did a drive by and then sent a nasty text message. Especially because of the time of year it was, I'm sorry, we have 4 young kids and they take up a lot of our time - we don't get a chance to garden much. We were planning on getting it done in DH's holidays - after his exam week. I guess it was the nasty text message that we didn't like so much, plus the thought that we are being spied on - we're trying to treat this as our "home" and who wants to think that they are being watched all the time in their home?