Landlord wants us out for a certain period

MuddyDog

Our landlord wants us to vacate the house (all of us) while someone comes in to do repairs. Thing is, there isn't anything to repair. We think he is making up a lie so he can come in and check the place. We asked why can't at least one of us just stay there while these repairs go on and he said basically no, nobody can be there. Suspicious? What can we do?

CiaranC

MuddyDog wrote: »

What can we do?

Um, you can refuse...

MuddyDog

CiaranC wrote: »

Um, you can refuse...

Are we allowed to? The landlord is really pressing the issue. Saying we all have to be out of the house for around 3 hours that day.

MuddyDog

MuddyDog wrote: »

Are we allowed to? .

Yes

Cathmandooo

Have you asked the landlord what repairs need doing?

I would definitely say no to vacating the property. Your personal possessions are there.

But a landlord carrying out repairs is a good thing. I'd have it done on your terms though.

seamus

MuddyDog wrote: »

Are we allowed to? The landlord is really pressing the issue. Saying we all have to be out of the house for around 3 hours that day.

It's your home. You are entitled to come and go freely and no-one, not even your landlord can prevent you from doing so.
Your landlord cannot demand that you vacate the premises except if the lease has been terminated.

Tell him that the repairs can be carried out, but someone will be there the whole time.

gillybean

The landlord can't enter your property without permission unless it's an emergency. Just say no until you have a breakdown of the repairs to be done and even then don't promise to vacate. You could fib and let on you'll be out and then just be there on the day cos your "plans fell through". Sounds very odd. Is he perhaps getting it valued to put it on market? Call the PRTB to ask what your rights are.

wasabi

Agree with other posters; I wouldn't be having this at all. The landlord has no right to access without reasonable notice to you and you do have the right to be present.

Once, several years ago, some friends and I were renting a place and the landlord's agent called by during the day when none of us were there (we'd okayed this, well one of my housemates had, I'd no idea it was happening till after) to check out something we thought might need repair. We returned home to find the place had been gone through and a laptop, a camera and an expensive watch missing. It wasn't the agent, but he had left the front door ajar as he was in the back of the house, presenting a passerby with the opportunity to rob the rooms at the front. The agent was Remax (so reputable enough) and although we complained we got no compensation (we didn't have contents insured but even so I think any insurance would have been null as the place was left unlocked).

Lesson learned, never again will I let a landlord or agent access my place when I'm not in it.

There's another thread on this forum today about a poster losing three bottles of rare Belgian beer out of his fridge while builders are in, so this is not an isolated occurrence. Other people won't take the same sort of care of your stuff as you do.

More than likely, as someone said above, he either wants to take photos and do room measurements for selling it, or else do a viewing.

Xiney

wasabi wrote: »

We returned home to find the place had been gone through and a laptop, a camera and an expensive watch missing. It wasn't the agent, but he had left the front door ajar as he was in the back of the house, presenting a passerby with the opportunity to rob the rooms at the front.

:eek:

That is just pure shocking.

tk123

What if one of you was home sick for the day?

silja

There may be good reason- such as noxious fumes from paiting- but definitely ask why he wants you out.

RachaelVO

I worked in property management so you DO NOT have to vacate the premises. You are entitled to be there when repairs are being carried.
Your landlord is entitled to inspect the place especially if it's furnished, and after a reasonable timeframe (ie every 3 months or 6 months, depending on what he decides). However he needs to give you notice of that, each and every time he wants to do an inspection (you cannot deny him that), BUT you are also entitled to be there.
You are entitled to be there at any time access to the property is requested, he cannot insist on anything else.

Landlords tend to forget that even though they own the property if the property is rented, then someone else is in residence and they loose the right to come and go as suits them. You should also check your lease and see what that says about inspections and repairs, but in this instance even if no mention is made if it is irrelevant!

convert

In the last house I rented, a number of repairs had to be carried out during our time there (new boiler, painting, garden maintenance, etc.), and while the landlord did inform us that these repairs would be carried out, we were never told we couldn't be there. Sometimes we were, sometimes we couldn't be, but we always had the option.

MuddyDog

Ok, so our landlord has now cancelled these "repairs" and said he'll worry about them another time. It appears to us living there who have more information on the whole scenario that can be disclosed here that the landlord wanted to have the house to himself for about 2 hours for a personal matter that we think is very serious.

gillybean

MuddyDog wrote: »

Ok, so our landlord has now cancelled these "repairs" and said he'll worry about them another time. It appears to us living there who have more information on the whole scenario that can be disclosed here that the landlord wanted to have the house to himself for about 2 hours for a personal matter that we think is very serious.

That's really bad! I'm shocked. Some people have no ethics at all!

seamus

If you're talking about illicit "dealings", then it might be in your best interests to go looking for somewhere else to live.

If he's only looking for somewhere to entertain his bit on the side, then I'd tell him where to go.