Crazy neighbours/landlord?!

[Georgiegirl]

Hello! I posted on here a while back asking advice on if I could afford to rent a flat the boy and I had our eye on and I'm pleased to say we have been living there for 3 months now! All seemed ok, until I had a very strange phonecall from the landlord on Friday saying the neighbours had complained because we were drying our washing in the sun lounge and apparently it doesn't look respectable! I'm not even talking about things strung up at the windows, just on a normal fold up clothes drier! I don't know whether to be angry or amused! He also complained that we had a cat and said he never agreed to it, but he did when we moved in because we spoke about it at the time and he said it was fine, and specifically had it included in the contract! I really do think this renting lark is very odd...

[Gareth79]

Do you mean the balcony? It might be against the terms of the lease (hence why owner-occupiers are complaining), he should probably have included that in your rental agreement really.

[Simpo Two]

Washing in the sun lounge seems fine to me but what does the contract say about cats/pets?

[Georgiegirl]

No not a balcony - more of a conservatory (walls about 3 feet high and a proper ceiling but the rest glass) but at 1st floor level! Doesn't say anything in contract about washing!!

I had a look at the contract last night and it does actually state about the cat - so we know we are ok there.

It's not so much the being in breach of our contract I'm worried about, because I'm 100% sure we are not. It's more the fact that he seems to have taken a real dislike to us and wants to catch us out and I have no idea why! He still has use of the garage that is attached to the house, so he is there a couple of times a week and it's just horrible, really feel like we are being scrutinised in what is supposed to be our home! :-(

[SystemParanoia]

if its not in the contract, tell em to go swivvel

[neverpaintagain]

as long as you are not breaching the contract you can relax. Soudns like you have a nosy neighbour with time on their hands. Remember with any tenancy YOU also have at least some protection and if the landlord is harassing you, you can also take steps against him.

The law states that you are entitled to "peaceful enjoyment of your property"

Hope you sort it out

[thetapeworm]

So the neighbour is looking at your damp underwear? And you are the ones in trouble?

[mk1fan]

Was the flat furnished with a washing machine? If so where did the landlord expect you to dry the clothes? A rather minor point but you're not continuously drying clothes there are you or is it twice a week when you do a wash?

Eitherway, seems like a nosy neighbour with nothing better to do. Sounds like the Landlord needs to grow a pair.

[Georgiegirl]

No it was unfurnished so we had to buy a washing machine - but there was a space and plumbing for one, so surely he expected we would have one?! We probably do 2/3 loads a week, dry them overnight in the sun lounge and they are gone by morning. We even make sure the machine is on during the day not at night when its cheaper for us, so we don't disturb downstairs!
I think you are all spot on with the neighbours - they really are very strange indeed! Our flat has been empty for 6 months so I expect they got used to having the place to themselves and having to share is not going down so well. Plus the woman doesn't work, in fact I have never seen her go further than the garden so she has all day to judge our washing habits! They have a horrible obese dog as well that wees all over our step and barks non stop but we haven't complained - maybe its time we should!

[SystemParanoia]

just put out a bowl of anti freeze for it.

and start washing clothes in the cheap time when it suits you. sod those muppet nebours.

i put a wasing load on every night just after midnight when economy 7 kicks in in my flat.

[Georgiegirl]

Thanks for all the comments guys - oh well, at least it has solved our dilemma of whether we should think about buying a place! So expect to see me on here asking for advice on buying next

[N Dentressangle]

Georgiegirl said:

Thanks for all the comments guys - oh well, at least it has solved our dilemma of whether we should think about buying a place! So expect to see me on here asking for advice on buying next

Quite.

Never mind the financial arguments for buying: there comes a time when the amount of being pushed around as a tenant, together with crazy personal intrusions on your life just gets too much.

Unless there's really a problem, some landlords need to think harder about what 'peaceful enjoyment' might mean for a tenant.

[M400 NBL]

Your landlord would be crazy to pick you up on something so trivial considering you're paying his mortgage and/or an income.

If the area that you are drying your clothes isn't communial, your landlord should have the decency to tell your neighbours to keep their noses out of your business.


You could ask your landlord to fit blinds in your conservatory.

[Fatboy]

N Dentressangle said:

Georgiegirl said:

Thanks for all the comments guys - oh well, at least it has solved our dilemma of whether we should think about buying a place! So expect to see me on here asking for advice on buying next

Quite.

Never mind the financial arguments for buying: there comes a time when the amount of being pushed around as a tenant, together with crazy personal intrusions on your life just gets too much.

On the flip side, as a tenant you can have great fun winding up prick neighbours, and not worry about wrecking the saleability of your home in the process

[CraigW]

SystemParanoia said:

and start washing clothes in the cheap time when it suits you. sod those muppet nebours.

i put a wasing load on every night just after midnight when economy 7 kicks in in my flat.

I used to live underneath a selfish pr1ck neighbour who did this too. Cant believe you'd boast about doing it.

btw, on a plus point your profile picture, please tell me its tongue in cheek, I'm on the floor laughing.

OP, I'd ask the neighbours who complained to stop being peeping tom's or you'll rport them. Your landlord btw, he wont want to lose you over something like this so be very firm but polite in your dealings and I'm sure you'll be fine.

[SystemParanoia]

the neibours started it, and despite repeted requests.. no change.

Neibours above : - constant sex at all hours, they sound like wilderbeasts, and seem to be causing as much damage to the place from what i can hear.

Neibours below : - constand wood work and hammering... dunno wtf is going on but it just doesnt stop.. ever

Neibours accross the hall : - Party's every night, getting drunk, and fighting and police usually end up comming out. someone got stabbed one time

Neibours down the hall next door : - Have 3 dogs, 2 rottwielers and a great dane... in a fking 1 bed flat ffs.. it stinks and their barks are fking loud

all in all, im living in chav hell, but its cheap and is letting me save the maximal ammount of money to get the biggest possible deposit i can on a house.

until then, im giving as good as im getting in my own tiny little way.

Edited by SystemParanoia on Tuesday 29th June 13:02

[CraigW]

SystemParanoia said:

the neibours started it, and despite repeted requests.. no change.

Neibours above : - constant sex at all hours, they sound like wilderbeasts, and seem to be causing as much damage to the place from what i can hear.

Neibours below : - constand wood work and hammering... dunno wtf is going on but it just doesnt stop.. ever

Neibours accross the hall : - Party's every night, getting drunk, and fighting and police usually end up comming out. someone got stabbed one time

Neibours down the hall next door : - Have 3 dogs, 2 rottwielers and a great dane... in a fking 1 bed flat ffs.. it stinks and their barks are fking loud

all in all, im living in chav hell, but its cheap and is letting me save the maximal ammount of money to get the biggest possible deposit i can on a house.

until then, im giving as good as im getting in my own tiny little way.

Edited by SystemParanoia on Tuesday 29th June 13:02

fairplay in that case, I take it back.

[SystemParanoia]

i'd rather you didnt have to lol


as for the pic.. i was at a wedding and really quite drunk lol

Edited by SystemParanoia on Tuesday 29th June 13:07

[CraigW]

haha ok matey

[Wings]

Georgiegirl said:

Thanks for all the comments guys - oh well, at least it has solved our dilemma of whether we should think about buying a place! So expect to see me on here asking for advice on buying next

With a rental place at least you can move on fairly quickly, when you buy, have or get new neighbours that turn out to be a problem, then moving will cost a lot more and possibly take long.

I believe today both with landlords, tenants and neighbours one has to be extremely diplomatic, and appearing to appease the individual.

In an up market area of Bristol, Clifton, I happen to rent out 5 luxury flats, with the occupants of one flat, two males, using a clothes horse in the front bedroom window. It really brings the tone of the property, area down, and if that wasn’t enough, last night whilst waiting to arrive home from work, one of the males, in clear view of the street, was romping around the bed/room with a young female.

I can’t mention, complain to the tenants about any of the above, since I do not want to appear to be a prude, but I can appreciate a landlord having the need to mentioning the same.