Final inspection am I entitled to be present.

dave da rave

As the title suggests.

Letting agent requesting keys back on move out day. I said I would like to be there for final inspection then hand keys over. They said that's not how they do it. They take keys and then a few days later do the inspection. Any issues they will email me.

I don't have a choice not to hand keys over: there is a charge noted in my lease for not doing so. But am I entitled to be there for final inspection and get some written confirmation that the house was inspected and in good order?

Just feels wrong handing over keys and walking away. I will take a load of pictures obviously.

Cheers Dave.

ted1

dave da rave wrote: »

As the title suggests.

Letting agent requesting keys back on move out day. I said I would like to be there for final inspection then hand keys over. They said that's not how they do it. They take keys and then a few days later do the inspection. Any issues they will email me.

I don't have a choice not to hand keys over: there is a charge noted in my lease for not doing so. But am I entitled to be there for final inspection and get some written confirmation that the house was inspected and in good order?

Just feels wrong handing over keys and walking away. I will take a load of pictures obviously.

Cheers Dave.

I would be there, that way if there is something that there unhappy about I could put right.

garhjw

As a landlord, I always carry out final inspection with the tenant present. Like ted1 says, sometimes there are things that could be rectified easily...

Ken.

If they won't let you be there your last act should be to take a million and one photos. Make sure there is a date and time stamp.

dave da rave

I think that's the question. Can they refuse me from being present?

Unfortunately date and time stamp on the Nikon d7000 is not an option. It's part of the file but not imprinted into the photo.

Ken.

Get that days newspaper and have it in each photo. You don't need the date on the paper shown but the front page headline for the day. Look at all that mornings paper and buy the one that sticks out the most.

mawk

Metadata would be more believable than a date stamp on the shot imo

xper

ted1 wrote: »

I would be there, that way if there is something that there unhappy about I could put right.

This would always seem preferable if the aim of both parties was to reach amicable agreement with the least amount of hassle. If the agency or landlord is going to assess the place after you've left then, unfortunately, as the tenancy is already finished, you'd have no right to access the property. The best you can do is document the condition of everything before you leave and if does reach dispute rstage, the onus will be on them to prove the deposit deductions are justified.

fasttalkerchat

I would definitely be there and hand over they keys on the same day. Call them to check that they will bring the deposit as you need it to pass on to your new landlord.

dave da rave

You are assuming they are nice easy to deal with people. I specifically requested being there for final inspection, meter reading and that if they could not provide the cash on that date for deposit I would accept written conformation that the inspection found no reason not to return full deposit.

They will have no real reasons to withhold. We have kept the place in immaculate condition. Cleaner than how we originally received it. All previous inspections went well with only positive comments made. Still I would like to be there but to my request they simply wrote that keys are to be handed back & place to be vacant for final inspection. Ergo I will not be present.

Do I have any rights. Ie return the keys but insist I will be there for inspection? Or indeed do I have any rights ie I will not return the keys they must meet and inspect then I return keys?

garhjw

OP, doesn't sound right to me not having the tenant there for inspection. When are you due to move? Tell the agent, the final inspection will be when you are there, on the day you move out. You mentioned there is a charge for not handing over the keys. Is there any mention of final inspection? If no specific mention, then tell them they happen the same time.

dave da rave

garhjw wrote: »

OP, doesn't sound right to me not having the tenant there for inspection. When are you due to move? Tell the agent, the final inspection will be when you are there, on the day you move out. You mentioned there is a charge for not handing over the keys. Is there any mention of final inspection? If no specific mention, then tell them they happen the same time.

Ill check the lease again re specific final inspection details. Moving out on Friday. I think I'll give them a call on Tuesday see if I can talk to a manager or something. It's almost a grand on the line.

dave da rave

Well all went smoothly. I got full deposit back. 1 week exactly after vacating.

I checked the lease and there was no stipulation re my presence at final inspection.

I decided to play cool and hope for the best. Sometimes you need to adopt the Galway "it'll be grand" attitude. I will call them down the line and tell the manager the lack of communication left me unsettled.

Tarzana2

ken wrote: »

If they won't let you be there your last act should be to take a million and one photos. Make sure there is a date and time stamp.

Date and time can be set at any date you want whenever you want though. They could argue that they weren't necessarily taken on the date stamped on the photo.

Scratch that, this is a great idea!

ken wrote: »

Get that days newspaper and have it in each photo. You don't need the date on the paper shown but the front page headline for the day. Look at all that mornings paper and buy the one that sticks out the most.

dave da rave

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Date and time can be set at any date you want whenever you want though. They could argue that they weren't necessarily taken on the date stamped on the photo.

Scratch that, this is a great idea!

yeah date and time can be changed on your camera, before you take photo's. However, if it went to court or something your defence would be that unless they can prove otherwise (ie do they have photos from the day/just before you moved in to prove the place was in better condition.

I got a paper on the day and photographed the electricity meter. I didn't have the newspaper in every shot around the house. But the meter is digital so it displayed date and time also. I think by virtue of that syncing up with newspaper and camera would prove pics were taken on the same day or at least highly likely.

even if I could have time and date stamp on pics, it would print the date and time I set, so again this could be tampered with. photo of paper works well.

ec18

I'd definitely want to be present, just because of the paranoia of them trying to use any excuse to keep the deposit.