Issues with landlord.

ergonomics

Hi all,

Just looking for a bit of advice on a few issues we're having with our landlord as we aren't sure where we stand.

My boyfriend and I started renting a house in the country a month ago. We specifically chose this house as it was fully bordered by a hedge and was thus very private. We were out today and when we came back we noticed our front lawn had been cut. We didn't really mind this as it was a nice gesture but we did wish the landlord had warned us in advance. We also noticed that the gate to the back garden was closed.

When we got inside we discovered that the gate was closed as our landlord had left his horse in there. We were never asked or warned if this was ok and we are quite annoyed. The horse doesn't seem very friendly, in fact it bit me when I approached it. As such our back garden is completely off limits. The weather is lovely and we can't sit out and we can't hang out our washing either.

Our contract says that the landlord should not disturb us unnecessarily in the premises but we were wondering if we have any rights when it comes to them coming on to the property, i.e., into the gardens? We feel like we have no privacy now as we never know when someone might be walking outside. This really annoys us as I said earlier, we choose this house for the privacy.

Thanks.

BrianD

Do you have a lease? Check what it says. It would be reasonable to assume that you are renting both house and garden unless specifically told otherwise.

It would be unreasonable for the landlord to put a horse in there - friendly or otherwise. Did the horse "cut" the grass?

What is the relationship that you have with the landlord like? Is there an ulterior motive to putting an animal in your backyard?

ergonomics

The lease doesn't specifically mention the garden at all, just the 'premises'.

I'd assume the horse was left in to cut the grass as the ground is very unlevel there, but we should have been asked in advance. If we had been asked we would have said that we didn't want the horse left in the garden. We're happy to maintain the garden ourselves and we have told the landlord this.

Until now we have gotten along well with the landlord. There have been no problems at all.

eth0_

Am I missing something here? Have you rung the landlord and asked him to remove the horse, stating that it bit you?

If you have a proper lease, then he must give you 24 hours notice to come onto the property.

ergonomics

We have tried to ring them a number of times but have not been able to get through. If we don't hear from them by Monday we will ring the letting agent.

To be far, the horse didn't leave a mark or break the skin when it bit me but I think I should be able to go out into my own garden without fear.

eth0_

Oh absolutely.

Has the horse got any access to water? Very dodgy if the landlord has just plonked it in your garden with no access to water. Cruel, in fact.

ergonomics

Yeah it does have access to water, but the horse is gone now. This leads me to a new complaint.

I was here on my own earlier and was reading in a room at the front of the house. I thought I heard footsteps outside and when I looked out I saw our landlord walking out of the driveway. He was too far away for me to go after him. I was furious at this as the tv was on in the sitting room, my car was outside and lights were on but yet he didn't knock on the door. Instead he let himself into the back garden, got the horse and left. It's one thing to come into the back garden when we're not here, but when we are clearly here you are really pushing your luck.

eth0_

Maybe he's just never rented a property out before and doesn't realise. At least he's not entering the house unannounced. Ask him to come over for a coffee and explain your concerns, hopefully he'll realise he was out of order.

Shelli

If you have rented though a letting agent (you mentioned an agent above?) you should voice your concerns to them, thats what they are there for, a go bewteen for the landlord and tenant....they get paid for it. As was said above, he may have never rented a property before and is just not aware that this is not acceptable?

Kipperhell

Horses nibble people as a gesture of friendliness novices often think they are trying to bite them. Either way the horse doesn't seem to make any sense in a garden of house being rented out. You need to talk to the person in control and explain it is not acceptable.

gaius c

eth0_ wrote: »

At least he's not entering the house unannounced.

Seeing as he plonked a horse in their back garden unannounced, I'd say it's only a matter of time. Get onto the letting agent and if you have no joy with them, get onto the PRTB and make a complaint.

ergonomics

Just an update on this.

The landlady called up tonight and told us in no uncertain terms that we are renting the house and not the gardens and as such she and her husband have every right to come up whenever they feel like.

Going to ring the estate agent but we have no idea where to go from here. We're afraid of pushing it too much or contact PRTB in case they tell us to pack up and leave. Citizens Information said that unless it specifically says in our lease, which it doesn't, it should be a given that we also rent the gardens but the landlady is adamant that the gardens are 'her property'.

Anyone any advice on how to proceed?

eth0_

I'm not an expert but if the garden is explicitly sectioned off around your house then it comes with the house!

geem

This landlady is living in bubble times. I would get out. If she's putting horses in the garden now, she be putting her doberman dogs in the front garden next. Let the landlady take chances in the ever-decreasing country rental market.
If there was no mention of the garden being excluded in the lease, or no mention of minding a horse, or no lease, I would be extremely firm with her.
Sounds dodgy. Check if she is registered with PRTB. There is a 3,000 fine or 6 months prison for not registering. You can go on the site and insert the address to find out if she is or not.

I know it is a pain to move again but this doesn't sound like somewhere you would be comfortable, there are loads of houses to rent - these landlords could get a whole lot worse.

ergonomics

We took a look through our lease again and on the last page it lists the rent and a 'three bed bungalow on c. half acre site' so she doesn't have a leg to stand on now. We've got a feeling she won't try to come up whenever she feels like but if she does we'll show her that our lease clearly mentions the site, i.e., the gardens. If she insists that we only rent the house I'd say we should ask for amended lease and a reduction in rent because the rent we're currently pay is also for the half acre. If the half acre isn't ours, we're not paying rent for it.

We're going to contact our estate agent too just so there is a trail to our issue.

the_syco

Pretty sure the landlord/lady is trespassing by coming through the gate into the backgarden whilst you are renting out the house.

So, they trespassed, put a horse into the back garden, which you're now afraid of as it bit you, and you can't put the clothes on a line to dry in the back garden due to the possibility of the horse?

If they have so little of a clue about renting out their horse, I can smell an "illegal eviction" thread already.

subway

the_syco wrote: »

If they have so little of a clue about renting out their horse, I can smell an "illegal eviction" thread already.

the OP is renting the house, rather than the horse

sorry, couldnt resist