Does this sound like a landlord ready to sell and evict?

Posted by Queasy-Ice-2575@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 24 comments

Scotland (UK). I had a landlord visit the property I rent the got an email saying "We carried out a general inspection of the property and we found that the property is being kept very unclean and untidy, because of this we will schedule another inspection in a couple of weeks.". Now I have another inspection set for next week. Can they do this? It's none of their business how messy the place is. I can understand if I have dead animals lying about and food thrown up and down the walls, but surely clothes lying around and letters on the floor are my own business? Does this sound like a landlord posturing to sell up and evict me?

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24 Comments

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xcxmon@reddit

I don’t think they’re trying to evict you but they are correct in saying that you’re keeping the flat unclean. Pick up your letters and put your clothes away?

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Queasy-Ice-2575@reddit (OP)

I mean, is it really any of their business? If I have clothes lying around do they have the right to police my lifestyle. It's not like I'm leaving bottles of piss everywhere.

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princess-peach93@reddit

You still have a responsibility to look after someone else's property. Leaving dirty clothes around can attract bacteria and is just generally unhygienic. If you end up with mould in your home I'm sure you'd be quick to blame the landlord when in fact it's directly related to the way you're living.

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CrabbyGremlin@reddit

What on earth do you think OP is doing in their clothes? Having clothes lying around is so utterly normal, so much so that there is a meme about a chair for clothes that aren’t yet ready for the wash but also not clean for the cupboard. The meme is a messy chair of clothes, that’s how normal it is. Having some letters by the door also isn’t exactly some kind of health hazard, I’ve known people from all walks of life have a few letters strewn about over the years. Unless there are overflowing bins, grimy sinks etc then it really isn’t a big deal at all.

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princess-peach93@reddit

OP can't even be bothered to tidy a few clothes away for a landlord inspection? We literally sweat throughout the day in our clothes. I wouldn't leave mine laying on the floor.

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quiglter@reddit

Their landlord isn't their mother. You live how you want to live but you don't get to police tenant's clutter.

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princess-peach93@reddit

And the property doesn't belong to OP. Why is there so little respect for other people's things?!

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Altruistic_Cress_700@reddit

No. But if you've got a landlord that actually inspects then don't give them any reason to moan.

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Apidium@reddit

The clothes are not sopping wet

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SpiritedVoice2@reddit

Urgh, just think of all that bacteria! So yucky and unhygienic. Gross.

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geeered@reddit

They said **unclean** and untidy. It's "not their business"\*, if it's not tidy, it is their business if it's not being kept clean. Was it unclean? \*Though I would guess many landlords would prefer a tidy tenant.

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Queasy-Ice-2575@reddit (OP)

I wouldn't say it was any more unclean than the average flat, probably more clean tbh.

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Apidium@reddit

*unclean* they have a reason to be upset with. Messy is none of their buisness. As a woman who can't sleep unless there is clutter and is unnerved by show room houses my mess is my buisness.

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Namiweso@reddit

Can’t sleep unless there is clutter? Have you had your head checked out

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seriousrikk@reddit

We’re all different. If you don’t understand (or wish to understand) and instead fall back on cheap insults maybe just stay in your lane.

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Namiweso@reddit

That wasn’t an insult - I was genuinely asking if they had their head checked out.

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seriousrikk@reddit

Fair enough, apologies then. Usually that line is used as a put down.

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LiteratureFit8635@reddit

Untidy (clothes on the floor, letters on the floor, etc.) - none of the LL's business. Unclean (marks on the walls, rotten smell in kitchen, food spilt on the floor, days old unwashed dishes and cups lying around) - fair enough to point that out

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PreferenceNo3959@reddit

Tell them to fuck off and change the locks.

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MeesterNeek@reddit

I think they just want to make sure they have a responsible tenant. It’s up to you if you are untidy generally but if I was having an inspection I would have spent a bit of time to make the place look presentable. If not just for my own pride so I don’t look like a slob but to avoid the situation you are now in

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Agitated_Camera_6198@reddit

Possibly. Or put the rent up. I had a landlord pull the same on me. Except the house wasn't messy, their gripes were over ridiculous trivial things. Anyway we got through the second inspection and then I promptly gave in my notice because the whole business was so needlessly fucking stressful. The letting agency I ended up with after that place were so confused by why I was so outrageously anxious every time they came for an inspection and they were like don't be daft we mostly want to check the fire alarms work and there's no maintenance issues. It's been like 6 years since I left the shit landlord and it still pisses me off.

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Zestyclose_Key_6964@reddit

Many many years ago I had a letting agent phone me and say that they’d done an inspection and the flat was very untidy. I agreed with him and said I didn’t understand why this was a problem. He used to get really pissy with me when I was late on my rent, I agreed with him saying he was right to do be cross. This went on for a few years.

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Queasy-Ice-2575@reddit (OP)

So what happened in the end?

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