Estate agent keeps turning up at flat unannounced & letting himself in.

enfant terrible

djimi wrote: »

Renters are not allowed to make any changes to the property without the prior consent of the landlord. If there is good reason to change the locks then Im sure most landlords would not have an issue with it, however a tenant cannot change the locks in an effort to stop a landlord gaining access to the property.

So if renter feels insecure with old locks that anyone could have and landlord refuses to install new ones, its tough luck for the renter?

djimi

enfant terrible wrote: »

So if renter feels insecure with old locks that anyone could have and landlord refuses to install new ones, its tough luck for the renter?

You can install new locks yourself and give the landlord a copy of the key if you like I suppose.

eireannBEAR

No Pants wrote: »

If he breaches your agreed viewing window again, treat him the same way you would any other intruder; with a large lump of wood.

I think you mean he should run to his bedroom lock the door and phone the gardai.

No Pants

eireannBEAR wrote: »

I think you mean he should run to his bedroom lock the door and phone the gardai.

That's exactly what I meant. Only after switching on the kettle and making the intruder a brew of course.

SpaceTime

oranbhoy67 wrote: »

I am annoyed by it yes not fearful of violence but fearful of the fact this guy who basically will have a grudge with me could be in my house now anytime i go out



Havent complained to the PRTB as it is not the estate agents that i am paying rent to so i don't think there is much the PRTB can do though i will find out .. i will be ringing both them and threshold (for the 3rd time) on Monday morning.

The estate agent is acting on behalf of the property owner, who have supplied him with keys. You need to lodge a PRTB against the landlord.

The best solution would be for all tenants impacted by this to file simultaneous complaints. The bank is clearly doing nothing about it.

eireannBEAR

No Pants wrote: »

That's exactly what I meant. Only after switching on the kettle and making the intruder a brew of course.

That's the law,Violence is only permitted if they enter your bedroom or attack you.

Im not saying that id follow that law if some low life broke into my house,im telling you,you know what id do??

Id run upstairs jump out my bedroom window!!

SpaceTime

You also need to order him to leave the property too.

Politely but firmly tell him and the viewer that they are trespassing and that if they do not leave there may be legal consequences.

Do not facilitate the viewing.

No Pants

eireannBEAR wrote: »

Violence is only permitted if they enter your bedroom

Is that still the case in the middle of the day?

K.Flyer

The E.A. in this case is being an arrogant, inconsiderate A-H.
You cannot just walk into someone's home un-announced.
You need to phone his office Monday morning and tell them you are reporting them to the PRTB if this type of intrusion does not stop immediately follow it with an email stating the same.
Btw I know a lot of EAs dont have keys to all their properties due to tenants changing the locks because they lost their keys or keys broke in the lock over a weekend(.... just sayin').
I do a lot of maintenance work for land-lords and estate agents which involves entering privately rented properties.
Whenever we need to go into a property there is a very strict protocol we must follow.
First and foremost, we must have the consent from the tenant.
Then when we arrive we must ring / knock first, if no answer after 1 min ring knock again, still no answer then we open the door.
But we must shout out asking if anyone is in BEFORE we step inside the door.
We always do this and have been with the E.A.s and L.L.s onsite and they do it as well.

tinkerbell

OP, ring up the PRTB on Monday morning and lodge a complaint. Ring up the estate agent then after and say that you have reported him to the PRTB and that he is not allowed enter your property without your written permission. Tell him if he arrives on Monday that you will call the gardai for illegal trespass.

eireannBEAR

No Pants wrote: »

Is that still the case in the middle of the day?

Id imagine so as you are directed to run for your bedroom in case of a home invasion.

drumswan

eireannBEAR wrote: »

Id imagine so as you are directed to run for your bedroom in case of a home invasion.

Link?

Greenmachine

Just have some offensive music or films ready to play. Whenever they call over turn on some death metal, porn etc. Shout loudly at the EA ask him if he is over his bout of herpes etc, or ask one party of a couple if they know the other is gay etc.

rosser44

Greenmachine wrote: »

Just have some offensive music or films ready to play. Whenever they call over turn on some death metal, porn etc. Shout loudly at the EA ask him if he is over his bout of herpes etc, or ask one party of a couple if they know the other is gay etc.

Ya, or you could just behave like a normal human being and tell him that he is attempting to trespass and has no legal right to enter the property :rolleyes:

wil

oranbhoy67 wrote: »

Yeah i know what you are saying and i have looked into this but the market up here in Letterkenny is way different .. and in my original post i was wrong.. this isn't a converted house, the house that was here was actually demolished and the present structure built specifically from scratch to house four 1 bedroom flats ...ive only just found that out.. so to me whoever is buying it isn't going to have 4 separate people/couples ready to move in .. especially up here where there is loads of empty rental properties and even if they do then in my case they have to give me 4 months notice .. this is what they have on their website describing it

"The property is a development of 4 No. 1 bedroom apartments comprising living room/kitchen/dining area, bedroom and bathroom.

Located within close proximity to town centre and local amenities. Presented in good decorative order

This is an excellent opportunity for investors to acquire excellent value for money.

SOLD AS ONE LOT..."

Normally they should also include the words "Tenants not affected"
to indicate not vacant possession. (even though you have been very affected)

Are there locks on the internal room doors, often there have cheap 3 cylinder locks that are easy to swap or find keys for. Usually EA would not have keys for these and it would stop them going in to bedrooms etc.
You could easily swap existing ones for new ones with keys and nobody is likely to be any the wiser, old landlord is gone.

Actually there is no real way to prove chains weren't fitted before, EA has no jurisdiction over that.
Also high chance you wouldn't be in line to get back deposit anyway if it is a repossession, new landlord may not have any duty to cover that, and bank receivers, which look the case, may promise lots but not really be bothered, You are likely way down the line in terms of creditors so get nothing back.
Don't trust everything the bank reps tell you, their bottom line is recovery of the landlords debt. But do keep them on your side.
They are, or should be your current landlord, (another grey area) so you could ask them about fitting chain etc, but probably not new front door lock as they have to maintain claim/access.
But as it is unlikely, unless they have photos of inside of front door, that they know if not fitted.
You could bluff and just suggest that from now on you will use the existing door chains and see if that raises a flag with bank, if not, go ahead and fit without letting them know.
PRTB case would take you a year and is bogged down with poor laws and grey areas and many other problems.

Also, do a few rough calculations and see why is an investor interested in this property, if they aren't going to make a gain from the price vs your current rents, be prepared for rent hikes.

And as EA is being a richard, engage with his clients so you can weed out the undesirable landlords - take the wind out of the EA and point out the damps spots painted over etc.
EA wont know but will be p-off.

P. Breathnach

tinkerbell wrote: »

... Tell him if he arrives on Monday that you will call the gardai for illegal trespass.

Tell him that if you like, but the Gardaí won't involve themselves in a civil matter.

It's a good bet that his clients are more civil than the EA is - or, at least, have less gall. Focus your attention on them. Tell them that the EA has been refused permission to enter your apartment, and that you are sorry that they have been inconvienced.

Graces7

It is the older lady tenants I feel sorry for in this.

oranbhoy67

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Tell him that if you like, but the Gardaí won't involve themselves in a civil matter.

It's a good bet that his clients are more civil than the EA is - or, at least, have less gall. Focus your attention on them. Tell them that the EA has been refused permission to enter your apartment, and that you are sorry that they have been inconvienced.

Yeah this is one of the things that has been worrying me with the fact i am the only one who is refusing entry.

I can just see him doing his tour of the other 3 flats then pointing up to mine and saying along the lines of "The lad who lives up their is a bit off an oddball who wont co-operate with us so we cant enter his flat".. & these are my potential future landlords.

Doesnt help also that i have a major damp patch above my door on the landing which no one else has so may also look to them that my flat would be in bad condition from the outside!

wil

oranbhoy67 wrote: »

Yeah this is one of the things that has been worrying me with the fact i am the only one who is refusing entry.

I can just see him doing his tour of the other 3 flats then pointing up to mine and saying along the lines of "The lad who lives up their is a bit off an oddball who wont co-operate with us so we cant enter his flat".. & these are my potential future landlords.

Doesnt help also that i have a major damp patch above my door on the landing which no one else has so may also look to them that my flat would be in bad condition from the outside!

I was only joking about the damp patch, get painting:D
Anyway, what I don't get, if it is just an investor purchase, and I'm sure they've seen photos and the apartments are pretty much identical, and tenants haven't highlighted any major problems, whats with needing to see each one.
They are in part purchasing your tenancy and your rent, so should be happy to have good paying tenants, not angry aggrieved ones. I'd engage with the clients whenever you see them and inform them in front of him if you have the neck, that you have no problem interviewing prospective landlords letting them view, just that this particular EA has been operating illegally and unprofessionally, and (hush hush) the bank is aware.

Thoie

Let the investors in, leave your man outside in the hallway

oranbhoy67

wil wrote: »

I was only joking about the damp patch, get painting:D
Anyway, what I don't get, if it is just an investor purchase, and I'm sure they've seen photos and the apartments are pretty much identical, and tenants haven't highlighted any major problems, whats with needing to see each one.
They are in part purchasing your tenancy and your rent, so should be happy to have good paying tenants, not angry aggrieved ones. I'd engage with the clients whenever you see them and inform them in front of him if you have the neck, that you have no problem interviewing prospective landlords letting them view, just that this particular EA has been operating illegally and unprofessionally, and (hush hush) the bank is aware.

Thoie wrote: »

Let the investors in, leave your man outside in the hallway

That is what i am planning on doing now, the estate agent did say this would be the last viewing but then he hasn't been a beacon of honesty & integrity so far

Gillo

The last viewing?? so he knows that these viewers are definitely going to buy the property?

oranbhoy67

Gillo wrote: »

The last viewing?? so he knows that these viewers are definitely going to buy the property?

I doubt it.. its being sold by private treaty, so i dunno how that works , if everyone interested gets a viewing and then bidding begins or if bidding has been ongoing since it went on sale?

the_syco

So... what happened today? Did he pop over?

Thoie

The appointment should be starting........ now!

JONJO THE MISER

This is even better than watching Fair City.

shruikan2553

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

This is even better than watching Fair City.

It would be a great story for it. The Christmas special can be when the tenant cracks and attacks the estate agent before doing a runner and leaving the deposit as the last months rent.

sopretty

shruikan2553 wrote: »

It would be a great story for it. The Christmas special can be when the tenant cracks and attacks the estate agent before doing a runner and leaving the deposit as the last months rent.

I imagine the EA could be played well by Bella.

The_Morrigan

Folks cut out the off topic posts....this is not a soap opera and I'd appreciate if you could post constructively rather than taking an entertainment value from the OPs situation.


/Mod

oranbhoy67

the_syco wrote: »

So... what happened today? Did he pop over?

Thoie wrote: »

The appointment should be starting........ now!

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

This is even better than watching Fair City.

haha sorry guys , no sign of him yet.. i emailed his company last night to say any potential clients were welcome to view the flat (with 24 hrs notice) but not anyone from their company .. well no one has replied and haven't seen any one here tonight.. must visit my neighbours to see did they hear anything from him.