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Ahh, taking viewings with tenants in situ! What a royal pain in the rectum.
My tenant isn’t exactly point-blank refusing me access in order to take viewings, but she’s making it incredibly difficult, which is frustrating beyond belief.
So I want to touch on the subject of arranging viewings with difficult tenants, because there seems to be conflicting opinions about this incredibly common dilemma, particularly regarding the landlords right of entry.
The struggle is real whether you want to find new replacement tenants or sell a tenanted property. This blog post will primarily focus on tenant viewings, but the general principles and legal standings will apply to both scenarios.
Page contents
- The situation from both sides
- Can the tenant refuse the landlord access for viewings?
- ‘Viewing’ clauses in tenancy agreements
- What about letting agents & viewings?
- How to deal with viewings during tenanted properties
- What if the tenant completely refuses access?
- Do you actually want to take viewings with tenants in situ?
- Final note
The situation from both sides
On one hand, the landlord wants to limit the void period between tenancies, so they’re eager to take viewings while the property is still tenanted. Totally understandable.
But on the other hand, the tenant is still the occupant; the property is still their home, and they’re not terribly encouraged by the idea of random punters trampling in and out of their home. Equally as understanding.
In reality, most tenants won’t have an issue with viewings as long as they’re orchestrated with courtesy by the landlord. Granted, many landlords haven’t the foggiest what that entails. But even so, there are many other reasons for why viewings can be problematic when there is a tenant in situ.
It can be one of the trickiest and most irritating situations for both landlord and tenant, because there’s a legitimate argument for both parties, so it’s easy to be sympathetic for either side. But it’s probably more irritating for landlords, and I say that while trying to remain unequivocally unbiased and objective. The landlord simply has something more tangible to lose. Money!
So, who’s in the right? Morally, it can go either way (but who cares about morals, right?). Here’s how I’ve always understood it from a legal standpoint…
Can the tenant refuse the landlord access for viewings?
I believe so, yes.
If the tenant doesn’t want to allow access, whether it be for viewings, inspections or general maintenance, that’s their statutory right. The tenant has the right to possession and to the lawful use and enjoyment of the premises. Whether that’s reasonable or not is another issue altogether.
In this situation, I’ve noticed a bizarre trend, whereby many landlords and agents are under the impression that tenants mysteriously lose their statutory rights towards the end of the tenancy when it’s time for viewings. They don’t.
So what does that mean? Under Common Law, all tenants are entitled to live in “quiet enjoyment” until the tenancy is legally terminated, so only until then can you or anyone else can’t just waltz in and out of the property without permission.
Tessa Shepperson, from The Landlord Law blog, says the following on the matter:
It means that they [the tenant] are entitled to live in the property without interference from the landlord or anyone acting on his behalf (such as his letting agent).
There is also another legal rule which says that “a landlord may not derogate from his grant”.
This means, effectively, that a landlord cannot grant a tenancy and then expect to be able to treat the property as if it was his.
So the law is (or should be) on the side of the tenant if he wants to keep his landlord out.
‘Viewing’ clauses in tenancy agreements
This is where it gets particularly controversial with opinions flying in several directions.
Many rely and believe in ‘viewing clauses’, which typically stipulates that in the last 28 days of a tenancy the landlord/agent is entitled to access the premises in order to take viewings.
Many tenancy agreements will have viewing clauses, but I think they’re often misinterpreted, and wrongly used as a license to breach the tenants rights. That’s when it can become dangerous.
While Citizen’s Advice does mention that landlords can rely on terms set in the tenancy agreement to gain reasonable access for viewings, it’s important to acknowledge that “forceful entry” into the property without legal consent (e.g. consent from a Judge) is not permitted, which is what I believe the situation would effectively be if a landlord or agent enters a property without permission. On that basis, viewing clauses become tragically weaker than many realise, because they still don’t actually provide authority to enter the premises without permission.
Ultimately, the tenants right to refuse access will take precedence over any clause impeding the tenants right to “quiet enjoyment”, unless there is a genuine emergency. Section 11 clarifies that if there is an emergency the landlord can enter without permission, which I’m assuming is something like a heavily leaking/burst water pipe or fire.
I suppose, you could, in theory, strategically throw a rock through the window and dislodge an exposed pipe and then go into the property. Err… good luck with that one.
The biggest consequence ALL landlords should fear when contemplating the notion of entering a property without consent from the tenant is the prospect of harassment charges for “forcing entry” It’s very real. And scary.
You definitely don’t want that nasty little allegation hanging over your sorry little peanut-head. I wouldn’t risk it. It’s also worth bearing in mind (in case you actually want to act on your mindless stupidity), Judges are generally in favour of the poor vulnerable tenants in these situations, so it’s practically financial suicide for landlords. Trespassers be warned.
I’d personally wait until the tenant vacates and subsequently risk having a longer void period, even if that means reluctantly swallowing the extra costs. It’s a total suck-fest, but that’s the reality of the situation as far as I’m concerned.
If the tenant does refuse access while there are ‘reasonable’ viewing clauses and the landlord has attempted to orchestrate them reasonably and with fair warning, yes, the tenant IS in breach of contract. Then you can serve a section 8, but what’s the bloody point? The tenant is due to vacate soon anyways and going down the eviction route would be the epitome of cracking a nut with a sledgehammer. A whole lot of hassle. Again, I’d still rather wait until the unreasonable douchebag tenant vacates.
Another point to note is that the landlord may have a good case to seek compensation via the deposit scheme if reasonable access hasn’t been granted and consequently money has been lost.
Conclusion? Meh, in real terms, viewing clauses aren’t worth shit, in my humble opinion! However, purely on the grounds that most tenants aren’t aware of their right to quiet enjoyment, the clause is still worth having. So on the basis that you’ve managed to bag yourself a tenant that will blindly allow their fate to be determined by a clause that mostly isn’t worth a damn, you may have hit the jackpot in this situation.
What about letting agents & viewings?
Yeah, what about them? They can go suck on a pulsating haemorrhoid.
Only joking.
I have two thoughts about letting agents and viewings.
Agents can be extremely useful during these turbulent times, because they’ll usually chase, pester and apply pressure until tenants reluctantly become accommodating. Agents usually aren’t shy of being relentless, greasy little assholes, and that can be an extremely persuasive skill set. Sometimes.
I’ve always said that one of the main benefits of using a high-street agent is having the viewings dealt with. Now, whether that alone is worth their sky high price-tag is debatable. A debate for another day, perhaps.
My second thought is, quite naturally, rather more disruptive. I often hear stories about letting agents freely walking in and out of properties without the tenants permission. This usually occurs because the agents are oblivious to the law or knowingly disregard it. They probably get away with it more often than not, because they know they’re preying on the ignorant. But it’s a risky game for them to play, because agents are governed by the same restrictions as landlords.
All I’d say is, if an agent is handling the viewings on your behalf, I wouldn’t advise or pressure them to ‘force entry’ if you’re dealing with a difficult tenant. However, if they’re prepared to do it without your encouragement, on their greasy little head be it. But as the landlord, I believe it’s wiser to keep your hands squeaky clean and tell your agent not to enter without permission.
How to deal with viewings during tenanted properties
The key is communication and respect.
Don’t just assume or insist that taking viewings is perfectly acceptable in your tenants eyes, even if you have an amazing relationship and your star-sign intertwines with theirs. Always ask permission and emphasise you’re prepared to work around their schedule.
Remember, they don’t have to allow you access, they can easily make the entire process extremely difficult for you just for the sake of it. They hold all the chips. Of course, some tenants will naturally make it extra difficult regardless of how tactful and respectfully you approach the situation.
My tenant was being extremely difficult when it came to the scheduling, and I genuinely didn’t understand why, especially since she’s the one that surrendered her freaking tenancy. I offered the miserable ol’ tart several days/times over a 3 week period, which she could choose from, but she point-blank refused without any hesitation. She was allegedly busy during all the proposed days/times.
Without a doubt, total bullshit. In any case, despite her short fallings as a compassionate human, I completely respect that she is the current tenant and therefore the property is her home until she officially vacates. But more notably, she’s generally been a very decent tenant. I have no complaints.
My way of dealing with it was to begrudgingly request access to the property for 4 hours during ONE lousy day of her choice, after 5pm, in which time I’ll arrange as many viewings as possible. A total pain to organise, because it was heavily reliant on the prospective tenants being available, but it’s all I had to work with. Fortunately, it worked out, and I managed to squeeze in 4 viewings during that time.
If I can’t find a suitable tenant out of that set, I’ll probably just wait until the property is vacant… or get on my knees and beg for her mercy. Failing that, I’ll probably just sacrifice a friend of mine by getting him to lower his inhibitions by caressing her lifeless carcass until the sun rises, hoping that will lighten her mood. I’ll probably give him a fiver for his troubles.
From my experience, when you’re dealing with unreasonable tenants in these similar situations, the best solution is to allow them to take control and dance to their tune like a monkey, and take every ounce of mercy you can get your grubby little mitts on. I snatched those 4 hours out of her hand like I was gagging for my next high and she was dangling a mountain of cocaine like a carrot.
What if the tenant completely refuses access?
If your tenant remains unreasonable, then there’s probably an underlying reason for it. Most commonly;
- 1) They could legitimately be unreasonable tenants with a chip on their shoulder. That could genuinely be the only reason, especially if you’re the heartless schmuck that served them notice.
In this case, I would just cut my losses and take viewings once the tenant vacates. Better that the alternative(s) e.g. forcing entry and creating more problems.
- 2) It’s highly possible that the tenant genuinely has a massive phobia with random people walking in and out of their home, snooping around, and eyeing up their junk. It’s not uncommon, especially during a stressful period when they are planning to move homes, which probably heightens their phobia.
I believe this was my tenant’s issue.
Again, in this situation, I would just wait until the tenant vacates.
- 3) The relationship between you and the tenant is total bullshit. Perhaps that’s the reason behind the tenant’s departure, and why they’re adamant on making your life a living hell. Everyone knows that the best way to cripple a landlord is by attacking the purse.
Once again, I would wait until the tenant vacates.
- 4) The tenant is hiding something sinister e.g. damaged property, a property that’s been reduced to a shithole and/or a cannabis farm. In this case, if you haven’t already served notice, I’d be inclined to serve a Section 8 or 21, depending on the specifics, because the reality is, they may not have any intentions of vacating. But also, you probably wouldn’t want to expose prospective tenants around whatever it is the current tenants are preventing you from accessing.
If you’re currently in this situation and you’re having a very concerning experiencing, whether you’re a tenant or landlord, I would advise seeking legal advice from either Shelter, Citizens Advice or a professional tenant eviction company.
Do you actually want to take viewings with tenants in situ?
Think about it.
In my experience, very few tenants live in conditions that I would deem truly presentable. But then again, I do have a mild case of OCD. But despite my irrational compulsiveness, there is still something very real lurking in my point for even the average sane person. I’ve seen tenants live in conditions that even a donkey would be mortified by. It’s truly baffling.
In many cases, I’ve been reluctant to take viewings while tenants are in situ because I don’t want the new prospective tenants to endure the hellhole conditions the current tenants are living in, that would probably do more harm than good to any tenant finding process. I’d rather allow the property to be void for a couple of days after the current tenants vacate so I can make it presentable before taking viewings. Generally speaking, shit properties attract shit tenants. You better believe that!
I’m not saying the properties were reduced to utter gloom and death, but they’ve been sore on the eyes.
It’s usually made clear if hygiene or general tidiness is or isn’t on the top of your tenant’s agenda during property inspections (which all landlords should regularly do). I personally wouldn’t even contemplate arranging viewings unless I knew I was going to be showing a property worth showing. I’ve had tenants make my property look like show homes in the past, and consequently the viewings have been a joy.
So before insisting on viewings, decide on whether it’s actually sensible to take viewings with tenants in situ. You don’t want to burn through your prospective tenants by showing them a stinking shit-pit; not only will that make you look like a terrible landlord, but it will also increase the chances of attracting similarly distasteful tenants.
Final note…
I just want to emphasise how important it is to be respectful and build a good working relationship with your tenants. Being an asshole landlord is counter-intuitive, it will make your life much more difficult as this blog post demonstrates, and that can often reflect negatively on profit margins.
Rightly or wrongly so, tenants can effortlessly eat through profit margins, so it’s better to keep them on your side, even if that means biting your lip on occasion (but not allowing them to completely take the piss). Always be rational and look at the bigger picture.
So, letting agents, tenants, landlords…anyone… have you got any personal experience on the matter? What’s your thoughts on the issue and the legislation?
Perhaps I’ve got it all wrong! Speak to me!
Disclaimer: I'm just a landlord blogger; I'm 100% not qualified to give legal or financial advice. I'm a doofus. Any information I share is my unqualified opinion, and should never be construed as professional legal or financial advice. You should definitely get advice from a qualified professional for any legal or financial matters. For more information, please read my full disclaimer.
Thanks for this post - and the comments - which have all been very useful in my current situation.
We were served a section 21 notice in March, as our landlord wants to sell the property. We used our break clause of 2 months (Landlord refused to allow us to reduce this to one month which made finding a new property two months in advance quite tricky) and are now due to leave in early July (initially the letting agent tried to tell us we HAD to stay the 6 months of the section 21 notice and could not leave until Sept, but then relented when we were firm)
Not long after serving us the notice, the letting agent asked if, because we haven't had an inspection for a while due to covid, we could send photographs of each room in lieu of an inspection. We did so within 24 hours. Our house is incredibly tidy and well looked after, which was reflected in the photos, and the agent said the LL was happy with the pics.
Since then, we have granted access to two estate agents for valuations when asked and agreed some times during which we will permit viewings which fit around our working from home/children/life (though as yet, no viewings have taken place)
In the last week or so, we have had some odd questions from the landlord via the estate agent. "Is the pine wardrobe in bedroom 4 when you checked in still there?" (yes, it's clearly visable in the pics) "where is the lampshade from bedroom 3?" (safe in storage, it will be put back when we leave) "when was the chimney swept?" (yearly, at our expense, as per tenancy, we are meant to leave certificate here when we leave) etc
Today, the agent got in touch and said the landlord wishes to have an inspection carried out. I politely declined and said that we had provided photos in leiu, and our house now has half full boxes in it and we have started dismantling furniture to take to the tip. It seems really unnecessary and inconvenient at such a stressful time. The agent told us we HAVE to obige, as the landlord wants it done.
We then received an email from an external inspection agency telling us they will be visiting next Tues, sometime between 9 and 5. Not only have I declined this, this all day appointment is not convenient - one or the other of us needs to book time off to have people in, the times/day are not what we stipulated to the agency for viewings and I still don't feel the entire thing is warrented or necessary.
I pride myself on being a good tenant but I really feel I need to object to this intrusion. I don't understand why the landlord can't just wait a month until we leave and then just do the check-out inspection? Any advice please?