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Problem with landlord

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  • 06-07-2017 11:28am
    #1
    thelad95
    Registered Users Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭


    Okay, so I've recently moved into a shared house with five others. The house is perfect, there is three showers, we can turn on and off heating as we like, we have a prepaid electricity meter so we're all easily able to monitor that and there's plenty of parking for all of us.

    There's just one problem. The landlord and his wife are continuously dropping in for ridiculous reasons without ANY notice. The wife keeps bringing in toilet paper, saying "sure you can never have enough", I told her we all worked and although it was a nice gesture we can stock our own house. She constantly comes in and tidies up our cupboards and removes gone off food and I've woken up to a hoover at 9am only to find it was her hoovering outside!

    Is the best option to be firm and tell her politely to leave? I feel I have no privacy and am constantly on edge when trying to relax after work. What really took the biscuit is that one girl was due to move out in a few days, so the landlord came in at 11:30 pm to discuss returning the deposit!!! The girl was foreign and was actually due to fly to London early the next morning to visit her friends and she was quite annoyed as again there had been NO NOTICE.

    Although the landlords are both absolutely lovely people I can't help but get the impression that they really don't trust us, hence the constant visitation and snooping when they've no right to do so.

    What's the best way to approach this?


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    #2
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Classic "accidental" landlords.

    What she's doing is illegal. Tell her she can't be anywhere near the property without a prior appointment with one of the tenants. They own the place, but they've forgone their right to access it.


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,714 ✭ [Deleted User]


    ED E wrote: »

    What she's doing is illegal. Tell her she can't be anywhere near the property without a prior appointment with one of the tenants. They own the place, but they've forgone their right to access it.

    Its not so clear cut if the rooms are being let separately, in these instances it is possible for the LL to retain access to the common areas.

    I also wouldn't say they are classic accidental LL, I know of one property where the property was bought and renovated for nothing but renting, even configured to suit renting rooms separately and the LL enters twice a week (not at fixed times or days) to clean all common areas. This is non-negotiable and all room renters are informed when moving in.


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    #4
    .......
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    This post has been deleted.


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    #5
    GoneHome
    Registered Users Posts: 1,783 ✭✭✭GoneHome


    thelad95 wrote: »
    The wife keeps bringing in toilet paper

    She constantly comes in and tidies up our cupboards and removes gone off food and I've woken up to a hoover at 9am only to find it was her hoovering outside!

    Gosh this sounds great, it's like having a full-time maid/cleaner in the place, or like having all the perks of a hotel in a house share!


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    #6
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,285 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    GoneHome wrote: »
    Gosh this sounds great, it's like having a full-time maid/cleaner in the place, or like having all the perks of a hotel in a house share!

    All you need to do is persuade her to cook meals at regular intervals :D:pac:


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    #7
    thelad95
    Registered Users Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    GoneHome wrote: »
    Gosh this sounds great, it's like having a full-time maid/cleaner in the place, or like having all the perks of a hotel in a house share!

    It gets old pretty quickly, went through my contract and there is nothing regarding landlords right to enter common areas and a bit of common sense would go a long way on their part.

    As I said, I can't help but feel they're just doing all of this to snoop on us which is bang out of order.

    It's not a hotel or a youth hostel, as I said we're all working adults.


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    #8
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,285 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    Honestly- you *need* to gently take her to one side and have a chat with her.
    In all probability- she is another accidental landlord- with an irrational attachment to what she sees as *her* home- and no idea of to behave.
    Unfortunately, some people genuinely need to have their rights and obligations spelt out to them. You are entitled to peaceful enjoyment of the property- she is not affording you this right.


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    #9
    thelad95
    Registered Users Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    The_Conductor wrote: »
    Honestly- you *need* to gently take her to one side and have a chat with her.
    In all probability- she is another accidental landlord- with an irrational attachment to what she sees as *her* home- and no idea of to behave.
    Unfortunately, some people genuinely need to have their rights and obligations spelt out to them. You are entitled to peaceful enjoyment of the property- she is not affording you this right.

    Ahh, but the thing is, they have multiple properties in the town, this was not their family home.

    I think I'll sit down with the rest of the tenants and we'll come up with a plan. As I said, I'm not alone, they feel exactly the same.


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    #10
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,285 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    thelad95 wrote: »
    Ahh, but the thing is, they have multiple properties in the town, this was not their family home.

    I think I'll sit down with the rest of the tenants and we'll come up with a plan. As I said, I'm not alone, they feel exactly the same.

    She has absolutely no excuse in that case.
    Her behaviour is unacceptable, full stop.
    I'm not entirely sure what she thinks she is even doing.
    It is not normal, and it is not acceptable.


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    #11
    fg1406
    Registered Users Posts: 433 ✭✭fg1406


    They are not allowed to do this under a normal tenancy (i.e. As long as you're not under a Rent a Room contract). The landlord,as well intentioned as she may be, is infringing on your peaceful enjoyment of your home. Is she letting herself into the house with her own key? Is there a deadbolt or some other lock on the front door you can use to secure the premises?
    If you have no other way to lock the door from inside, all of you as a group will have to discuss a way of tactfully broaching it with her. Tread carefully as although she's being nice it could turn sour if she's overly sensitive and as you haven't been in situ for over 6 months, you could find yourself out on your ear!


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    #12
    thelad95
    Registered Users Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    fg1406 wrote: »
    They are not allowed to do this under a normal tenancy (i.e. As long as you're not under a Rent a Room contract). The landlord,as well intentioned as she may be, is infringing on your peaceful enjoyment of your home. Is she letting herself into the house with her own key? Is there a deadbolt or some other lock on the front door you can use to secure the premises?
    If you have no other way to lock the door from inside, all of you as a group will have to discuss a way of tactfully broaching it with her. Tread carefully as although she's being nice it could turn sour if she's overly sensitive and as you haven't been in situ for over 6 months, you could find yourself out on your ear!

    Doesn't ring the bell, just opens the door as she pleases!

    I would imagine that the right to a peaceful dwelling is independent of how long you've been in situ, no?

    My parents are landlords themselves and always text in advance of visits and only visit if absolutely necessary.


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    #13
    gizmo81
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,695 ✭✭✭gizmo81


    Tell her that Under Part 2 Chapter One Section 12 of the RTA 2004 the landlords first obligation is to (a) allow the tenant of the dwelling to enjoy peaceful and exclusive occupation of the dwelling,

    And ask them to leave and inform them that any other visits must be requested with a minimum of 24 hours notice to a tenant.


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    #14
    thelad95
    Registered Users Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    gizmo81 wrote: »
    Tell her that Under Part 2 Chapter One Section 12 of the RTA 2004 the landlords first obligation is to (a) allow the tenant of the dwelling to enjoy peaceful and exclusive occupation of the dwelling,

    And ask them to leave and inform them that any other visits must be requested with a minimum of 24 hours notice to a tenant.

    That's very passive aggressive and I'm sure there are other steps I can take before quoting the law. I'm not a Guard.


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    #15
    gizmo81
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,695 ✭✭✭gizmo81


    Hahaha If I was saying it there'd be nothing 'passive' about it.

    If they want to be landlords they should read the RTA 2004 and amendments.



    thelad95 wrote: »
    That's very passive aggressive and I'm sure there are other steps I can take before quoting the law. I'm not a Guard.


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    #16
    Fian
    Registered Users Posts: 2,192 ✭✭✭Fian


    Seems to me that quoting the law is the most gentle way to deal with this.

    Look I know you mean well and you are trying to be helpful but I am entitled under the legislation to my privacy and you are not entitled to come into my home without notice and my permission.


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    #17
    Jackob
    Registered Users Posts: 94 ✭✭Jackob


    Just buy a security chain and fix it to the inside of the door and then she cant get in!


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    #18
    Yawns
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,255 ✭✭✭Yawns


    Jesus what's with all the replies. If OP took half the advice then the relationship between tenants and ll would sour very quickly. Just talk to her and explain that while it's appreciated, it's starting to make some feel as if they have to live on eggshells in their own home. Tell her she can visit to inspect but please give advance notice or limit it to once a week if needed. You really enjoy the place and will take good care of it etc.

    basically play it nice. Breaking out the law acts and telling her to back right off will only get her back riled up most likely.


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    #19
    .......
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    This post has been deleted.


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    #20
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    ....... wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    or very badly if she's armed with henry the hoover and a spray bottle of industrial bleach!


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    #21
    jsd1004
    Registered Users Posts: 719 ✭✭✭jsd1004


    ....... wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    Lord..the guards will have you committed. They are renting rooms. They have access to the common areas of the property. A tenancy and a licence are very different. If the landlord has access to the common areas of the property including the bathroom it is not a tenancy. A tenancy constitutes exclusive access to the entirety of the property. If you rent a room you do not have exclusive use to the whole property.
    It is not clear in the law the status of renting a room in shared occupancy where the property owner is not resident as the common areas are shared and no one has exclusive access. To my knowledge it has not been tested in legislation yet.


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    #22
    fg1406
    Registered Users Posts: 433 ✭✭fg1406


    thelad95 wrote: »
    Doesn't ring the bell, just opens the door as she pleases!

    I would imagine that the right to a peaceful dwelling is independent of how long you've been in situ, no?

    My parents are landlords themselves and always text in advance of visits and only visit if absolutely necessary.

    You should put a security chain on the door. If you are in Dublin, just say it's for your own security as you've heard about break ins etc. I had a landlord whose house adjoined our back garden at the rear and he used to cross the garden and walk into our kitchen as he pleased. He was creepy as F. We got the hell outta there but rental market wasn't quite as competitive then.


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    #23
    MSVforever
    Registered Users Posts: 591 ✭✭✭MSVforever


    Now I know why Ireland has one of the highest home owner rates in Europe....

    Get your housemates together and approach the LL.
    There shouldnt be a need for all this crap. Sounds like Stasi 2.0.
    They ve your deposits as a security for damage. An annual inspection should suffice.


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    #24
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    MSVforever wrote: »
    They ve your deposits as a security for damage. An annual inspection should suffice.

    Not according to the RTB.


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    #25
    Snoopy1
    Registered Users Posts: 4,185 ✭✭✭Snoopy1


    I had this once the landlord was the father in law and he kept letting himself in the house. One day he did it and I was asleep after a night shift. I ran downstairs in pyjamas and a makeshift weapon.
    Think I frightened the life out of him. Then I said I'm on nights , why are you here , I got the shock of my life and can you just knock in future etc. Then I'd leave my keys in the lock from the inside, so he couldn't open the door.
    He soon got message.
    I would bolt the house from the inside then she has to at least knock and you can say something to her


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