The Student Room Group

Landlord turning up/letting himself in without notice.

On a number of occasions my landlord has turned up at the front door without giving any notice such as a phone call. Sometimes he will knock on the door, and if we don't answer within about 10 seconds he will let himself in, for example I've been getting out the shower and he's knocked and I haven't reached the door in time. Other times he won't even knock, for example he brought a couple of people round for a flat viewing and just let them in, and one of them walked into my room whilst I was getting changed :mad:. Also my flatmate was in bed after a night shift the other day, as her bedroom door doesn't close properly she wedges it shut. The landlord tried to get into her room and repeatedly shoved the door quite forcefully. She did owe him some money for a call out charge from a few days before, but she had told him she would pay it this Friday (pay day!) which he had said okay to, but then he changed his mind and tried to force his way into her room.

I've left a copy of my housing contract at my family home so can't check it right now, but does anyone know whether he is breaking our tenancy rights by
- not giving any notice that he is coming round, such as a text or phone call (he has our contact details)?
- letting himself in when no one has answered the door?
- letting himself in without even knocking?
- entering our bedrooms without knocking?
- turning up without notice if one of us owes him money?

I presume he's allowed to let himself in if it's to carry out important checks, for gas and electricity etc, but is he allowed to turn up and let himself in without our clear permission for other reasons, such as flat viewings?

I feel like he is violating our privacy, I know he's the landlord but I'm sure we must have a right to not be disturbed without good reason? It's especially the letting himself in that is concerning me, for example when I'm in the middle of getting changed, and it also concerns me that he might be bringing people round for flat viewings when neither my flatmate or I are around and people could go into our rooms and take valuables.

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I believe they're suppose to give at least 24 hours notice.
Reply 2
If you're at home lock the door and leave the key in with the side twisted. That way he can't open the door.
Reply 3
Original post by ritchie888
I believe they're suppose to give at least 24 hours notice.


I've heard this before but can't seem to find a definitive answer. Would look on the Shelter website as I'm sure they'd explain it on there but it isn't loading for me. :s-smilie:
Reply 4
Original post by Playa10
If you're at home lock the door and leave the key in with the side twisted. That way he can't open the door.


There's only a lock (well, two locks) on the outside of the door. On the inside there's just a latch and a deadbolt so unless I stand behind the door and twist the deadbolt back every time he tries to unlock it I can't stop him :tongue:
Original post by Shockolate
On a number of occasions my landlord has turned up at the front door without giving any notice such as a phone call. Sometimes he will knock on the door, and if we don't answer within about 10 seconds he will let himself in, for example I've been getting out the shower and he's knocked and I haven't reached the door in time. Other times he won't even knock, for example he brought a couple of people round for a flat viewing and just let them in, and one of them walked into my room whilst I was getting changed :mad:. Also my flatmate was in bed after a night shift the other day, as her bedroom door doesn't close properly she wedges it shut. The landlord tried to get into her room and repeatedly shoved the door quite forcefully. She did owe him some money for a call out charge from a few days before, but she had told him she would pay it this Friday (pay day!) which he had said okay to, but then he changed his mind and tried to force his way into her room.

I've left a copy of my housing contract at my family home so can't check it right now, but does anyone know whether he is breaking our tenancy rights by
- not giving any notice that he is coming round, such as a text or phone call (he has our contact details)?
- letting himself in when no one has answered the door?
- letting himself in without even knocking?
- entering our bedrooms without knocking?
- turning up without notice if one of us owes him money?

I presume he's allowed to let himself in if it's to carry out important checks, for gas and electricity etc, but is he allowed to turn up and let himself in without our clear permission for other reasons, such as flat viewings?

I feel like he is violating our privacy, I know he's the landlord but I'm sure we must have a right to not be disturbed without good reason? It's especially the letting himself in that is concerning me, for example when I'm in the middle of getting changed, and it also concerns me that he might be bringing people round for flat viewings when neither my flatmate or I are around and people could go into our rooms and take valuables.
Although it is the landlord's property it is let to you and you have the right to refuse entry to anyone. A landlord has the right, either by way of contract or by law to ask to enter the property to inspect and or carry out repairs by giving at least 24 hours notice in writing. However, if a tenant does not respond or does not consent a landlord is not allowed to enforce their right without an order by the County Court.

If a landlord believes that there is an emergency such as a leak of water to a neighbouring property they must contact the tenant of the potential problem. If a tenant is not available a landlord should contact the relevant emergency services such as Northumbrian Water, Transco or the electricity supplier and the Police to gain supervised entry.

If a tenant unreasonably refuses access to the landlord to their home and it is necessary to obtain a Court Order the tenant is likely to be responsible for the landlord's legal costs.

Go to your local council housing options team, local Housing Aid Centre and they can act on your behalf to ensure the landlord is aware of what is permitted under current legislation. This should prevent the landlord acting unlawfully. They will also let you know your rights as applicable to your exact type of tenancy.

Edit: I should add that these rights can vary slightly according to the the type of tenancy. There are also slight differences according to whether you live in England, Scotland or Wales. But as long as it is a tenancy and not a license to occupy there must always be at least 24 hour notice.
Either way, do contact your housing options team or local Housing Aid Centre for support.
(edited 12 years ago)
@OP
Just made a slight edit of the original edit in the second last paragraph beginning "Go to your local council..."

Also, so you know, it could be considered trespass when your landlord enters without notice.

And finally, a recommendation for you:
-Do this with care.
-Confirm your rights but do not get the the agency you have sought advice from contact the landlord in the first instance.
- Speak to your landlord with subtlety, tact, politeness and respect but advise him clearly what your respective rights are following your research and ask that he acts accordingly.
- Only if your landlord subsequently fails to act lawfully should you instruct the local council to act on your behalf.

The reason I make these recommendations is to reduce the chances of your landlord seeking a s21 notice and is the first stage of the process a landlord needs to go through in order to legally terminate a tenancy. It all takes a few months though.

By acting with thought and respecting a landlord, it is often possible to resolve these problems amicably.
There should be something in the contract about this but to be honest I'd be chilled about it. Our landlord comes round quite often, we hear the door going and him shout "only me", usually at about 8:30am when he's on his way to work and he's just calling in to pick up some gear or drop something off at the property, if we're in we usually have a friendly chat to him for a bit, if there's anything that needs looking at we tell him then.
As a lessee you have a right to quiet enjoyment of the property. The landlord must give 24 hours notice before coming round. However, try and keep it amicable. You don't want to go through your tenancy with a target painted on your back - trust me...
Reply 9
Original post by Shockolate
There's only a lock (well, two locks) on the outside of the door. On the inside there's just a latch and a deadbolt so unless I stand behind the door and twist the deadbolt back every time he tries to unlock it I can't stop him :tongue:


In that case i would strongly recommend the Brick Strategy
Original post by Shockolate
On a number of occasions my landlord has turned up at the front door without giving any notice such as a phone call. Sometimes he will knock on the door, and if we don't answer within about 10 seconds he will let himself in, for example I've been getting out the shower and he's knocked and I haven't reached the door in time. Other times he won't even knock, for example he brought a couple of people round for a flat viewing and just let them in, and one of them walked into my room whilst I was getting changed :mad:. Also my flatmate was in bed after a night shift the other day, as her bedroom door doesn't close properly she wedges it shut. The landlord tried to get into her room and repeatedly shoved the door quite forcefully. She did owe him some money for a call out charge from a few days before, but she had told him she would pay it this Friday (pay day!) which he had said okay to, but then he changed his mind and tried to force his way into her room.

I've left a copy of my housing contract at my family home so can't check it right now, but does anyone know whether he is breaking our tenancy rights by
- not giving any notice that he is coming round, such as a text or phone call (he has our contact details)?
- letting himself in when no one has answered the door?
- letting himself in without even knocking?
- entering our bedrooms without knocking?
- turning up without notice if one of us owes him money?

I presume he's allowed to let himself in if it's to carry out important checks, for gas and electricity etc, but is he allowed to turn up and let himself in without our clear permission for other reasons, such as flat viewings?

I feel like he is violating our privacy, I know he's the landlord but I'm sure we must have a right to not be disturbed without good reason? It's especially the letting himself in that is concerning me, for example when I'm in the middle of getting changed, and it also concerns me that he might be bringing people round for flat viewings when neither my flatmate or I are around and people could go into our rooms and take valuables.


Letting himself in? Sounds like rape.
My step-dad is a landlord and he has confirmed that landlords need to give at least 24 hours notice before asking to enter the premises.

Your landlord should not be letting themselves in unless it's an emergency (and there are rules to follow with regards to emergencies too, depending on the problem) or you have given your permission beforehand. What your landlord is doing is completely out of order.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 12
Original post by SpicyStrawberry
My step-dad is a landlord and he has confirmed that landlords need to give at least 24 hours notice before asking to enter the premises.

Your landlord should not be letting themselves in unless it's an emergency or you have given your permission beforehand.


Is there anything I can do to stop him doing this? Obviously I'd rather solve things amicably but my landlord is quite cold/rude, we used to make the effort to be friendly/chatty with him but he would always be very short with us, and whenever we have had to call him (the boiler has broken a few times) he has been very rude and snappy. I don't know whether I should leave it till the next time he comes round and just say he needs to give us notice in the future and hope he takes it on board, or whether to write a formal complaint to his office. The problem is his office is run by his wife so it would be a bit awkward...
Reply 13
Original post by MagicNMedicine
There should be something in the contract about this but to be honest I'd be chilled about it. Our landlord comes round quite often, we hear the door going and him shout "only me", usually at about 8:30am when he's on his way to work and he's just calling in to pick up some gear or drop something off at the property, if we're in we usually have a friendly chat to him for a bit, if there's anything that needs looking at we tell him then.


Just because you're on friendly terms with your landlord, doesn't mean the OP should be chilled about it, especially when the landlord is letting himself/other people into the OP's bedroom.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Shockolate
Is there anything I can do to stop him doing this? Obviously I'd rather solve things amicably but my landlord is quite cold/rude, we used to make the effort to be friendly/chatty with him but he would always be very short with us, and whenever we have had to call him (the boiler has broken a few times) he has been very rude and snappy. I don't know whether I should leave it till the next time he comes round and just say he needs to give us notice in the future and hope he takes it on board, or whether to write a formal complaint to his office. The problem is his office is run by his wife so it would be a bit awkward...


I would say speak to your landlord first and tell him firmly that he has no right to enter the house in the manner he is currently, and if he ignores your warnings take things further. I'd suggest speaking to the Citizens Advice Bureau to see what they say you should do next, because he is breaking the rules.

Have a look at this site which outlines your rights as a tenant and your landlords appropriate rights of entry:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/housing_e/housing_renting_a_home_e/common_problems_with_renting.htm#The_landlords_rights_of_entry

Reply 15
Original post by Shockolate
On a number of occasions my landlord has turned up at the front door without giving any notice such as a phone call. Sometimes he will knock on the door, and if we don't answer within about 10 seconds he will let himself in, for example I've been getting out the shower and he's knocked and I haven't reached the door in time. Other times he won't even knock, for example he brought a couple of people round for a flat viewing and just let them in, and one of them walked into my room whilst I was getting changed :mad:. Also my flatmate was in bed after a night shift the other day, as her bedroom door doesn't close properly she wedges it shut. The landlord tried to get into her room and repeatedly shoved the door quite forcefully. She did owe him some money for a call out charge from a few days before, but she had told him she would pay it this Friday (pay day!) which he had said okay to, but then he changed his mind and tried to force his way into her room.

I've left a copy of my housing contract at my family home so can't check it right now, but does anyone know whether he is breaking our tenancy rights by
- not giving any notice that he is coming round, such as a text or phone call (he has our contact details)?
- letting himself in when no one has answered the door?
- letting himself in without even knocking?
- entering our bedrooms without knocking?
- turning up without notice if one of us owes him money?

I presume he's allowed to let himself in if it's to carry out important checks, for gas and electricity etc, but is he allowed to turn up and let himself in without our clear permission for other reasons, such as flat viewings?

I feel like he is violating our privacy, I know he's the landlord but I'm sure we must have a right to not be disturbed without good reason? It's especially the letting himself in that is concerning me, for example when I'm in the middle of getting changed, and it also concerns me that he might be bringing people round for flat viewings when neither my flatmate or I are around and people could go into our rooms and take valuables.

My contract states that the tenant should be free from hassle from the landlord.
If yours contains the same clause then he is breaking the contract. Look it up sooner then later, get some evidence together and hey, you may be able to get some rent back.
Original post by Shockolate
Is there anything I can do to stop him doing this?
As advised in posts 6 & 7 you need to contact your local council housing team. They will have a department whose remit include upholding the rights of tenants and enforcement against 'rogue landlords'.

If you tell me where you live (just the name of local authority), I'll post back with their relevant contact details so that you can make an appointment.

In the meantime you need to contact your family back home and ask them what type of tenancy you have (it'll be on the front page of the agreement). This will help during the appointment. Then get them to post it to you, or alternatively scan and email you a copy. It is good to always keep these contracts with you to clarify responsibilities in general, be it repairs or anything else. In this instance, the council may want to see the contract in it's entirety.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 17
Original post by SpicyStrawberry

I would say speak to your landlord first and tell him firmly that he has no right to enter the house in the manner he is currently, and if he ignores your warnings take things further. I'd suggest speaking to the Citizens Advice Bureau to see what they say you should do next, because he is breaking the rules.

Have a look at this site which outlines your rights as a tenant and your landlords appropriate rights of entry:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/housing_e/housing_renting_a_home_e/common_problems_with_renting.htm#The_landlords_rights_of_entry




Thankyou for the link. I will definitely speak to CAB. :smile:
Reply 18
Original post by los lobos marinos
As advised in posts 6 & 7 you need to contact your local council housing team. They will have a department whose remit include upholding the rights of tenants and enforcement against 'rogue landlords'.

If you tell me where you live (just the name of local authority), I'll post back with their relevant contact details so that you can make an appointment.

In the meantime you need to contact your family back home and ask them what type of tenancy you have (it'll be on the front page of the agreement). This will help during the appointment. Then get them to post it to you, or alternatively scan and email you a copy. It is good to always keep these contracts with you to clarify responsibilities in general, be it repairs or anything else. In this instance, the council may want to see the contract in it's entirety.


It's in Liverpool city centre. I've had a look on the housing section on the council website, it seems to be aimed at poor housing conditions, not tenants rights. Yeah I spoke to my parents earlier and they said they'd post me a copy of it. It's an assured shorthold tenancy.
Original post by Shockolate
It's in Liverpool city centre. I've had a look on the housing section on the council website, it seems to be aimed at poor housing conditions, not tenants rights. Yeah I spoke to my parents earlier and they said they'd post me a copy of it. It's an assured shorthold tenancy.
Municipal Building
Dale Street
Liverpool
L69 2DQ

This is the main council office where I advise you to pass your concerns and logged incidents to your local council Housing Options Service. I've actually just spoken to them on the phone and confirmed this address. They are open Mon-Fri 0900-1600. You could also drop in to any of their one stop shops but is much better to do this at the main office.

Make sure you take notes when you go so you have a record of what is happening, what you have requested, what they have agreed to do and by when. Also take a record of the date and time of contact and the name of the housing officer.

This is their phone number 0151 233 3800.
It is manned 24hrs but only for emergencies outside office hours. For your type of problem a face-to-face visit is required.

Take ID with you, something that shows where you live (maybe from uni) etc.
(edited 12 years ago)