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by nextos 3807 days ago
Actually, as someone renting several flats in the UK during the last few years I'm still shocked by the lack of rights I have as a tenant.

For example, landlords can enter your property by only giving you a 24-hour notice in writing. I have had real state companies entering my flat without prior notice to show it to potential new tenants several times.

Other countries in the EU would take these incidents very seriously. And I'm talking about expensive flats (>$2000 / month) and reputable companies, so I imagine it can get much worse.
2 comments
semi-extrinsic 3807 days ago
> I have had real state companies entering my flat without prior notice to show it to potential new tenants several times.

We had one representative from the landlord (Foxtons) pull this on us. After one angry email to this representative's supervisor, mentioning the Landlord and Tenants Act, it never happened again. I believe the supervisor's excuse was that they had an option on tenants account info that said they could enter without permission, and it was "inadvertently checked" on mine.

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dfraser992 3807 days ago
Foxtons.... I wish someone had told me never to deal with Foxtons. I thought I had a decent relationship with the landlord, but they manipulated her so badly and Foxtons blatantly lied about various things when I left the property. I had to threaten to sue to get my deposit back.
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cstross 3807 days ago
Those landlords are breaking the law (and the terms of your tenancy) and I believe you can file a report with the police that will get them into very hot water with their local council -- potentially fined and booted off the register of landlords (which means it'd be an offense for them to let any flats out at all).

Source: my sister is a landlord.

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lambada 3807 days ago
And then after doing that you're left without a flat and have to find yet another one, with another landlord or agency who will likely do exactly the same
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eterm 3807 days ago
England doesn't have a register of landlords, anyone can let out property.
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semanticist 3807 days ago
Scotland does: https://www.landlordregistrationscotland.gov.uk
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