UK Landlord Forum / Life

Our landlord has had his post still delivered to the house since we moved in Spring 2011. I haven't opened any of it but know from the envelopes they are barclays, barclaycard and store cards and hospital appts. He obviously hasn't informed people he's not living there. The only address we have for him is his work address. One day he rang me 6 times at work and sent a few texts asking about something he was waiting for in the post and if it had arrived.  Is this right? He comes for his post every 2 or so weeks and sends a text usually on a saturday morning asking if we will be home in 20 mins for him to collect his post. He has come to collect it at 9pm one night.  Also he sent me a text one saturday at 9.15am asking to come and check out a damaged fence panel from the wind. We hadn't noticed it as its behind a bush but the neighbour had told him. It wasn't convenient that day as it was my daughters 3rd birthday. I said to come on sunday at 1.30pm which he agreed to. He didn't turn up and after I'd text to ask his whereabouts he said I can't come. We rearranged it for midweek and once again we waited an hour and he didn't show. He arranged to come today at 3pm and didn't show. The hob is not fully working and the smoke alarm has a sooty smoke mark on and doesn't work.  Where do we stand? Are we able to pull out of our lease or do these things help towards our getting out of the same?  Thanks

I am a landlady, and I don't really think your landlord is being very reasonable here.  Why can he not have his own post forwarded to wherever he is living/working, so that he does not need to keep bothering you for it?  Some of that is very personal stuff too, and if it were me then I would want it coming to me directly. 

If your landlord needs/wants to gain access to the property whilst you are living there then he should be giving you a minimum of 24 hours written notice.  That is the law as I understand it, and it is what I do myself except in cases of emergency (like a major leak/plumbing emergency etc.). 

As I understand it, he breaches fire safety regulations by not having a working smoke alarm.  Check out building regs at your local council offices(I think), to see what the requirements are and who to contact in the event of problems.  If the hob (gas or electric??) does not work probably then it is also potentially unsafe and a safety hazard, so the same might apply.

To be honest, your landlord sounds a bit of a fly-by-night character.  The sort who can get the rest of us a bad name.