Is My Landlord Entitled To Go Through My Underwear Drawer?
Written by The Landlord on 19 Aug 2010Earlier today I was reading a very serious blog post by Renter Girl. She discussed a few of the distressed phrases tenants had typed into a search engine to land onto her website.
Here are some of the searched phrases:
“I’m afraid of my landlord.”
“…my landlord comes round unannounced.”
“My landlord threatens me.”
“Is my landlord entitled to go through my underwear drawer.”
Yes. You read correctly. “Is my landlord entitled to go through my underwear drawer”
Anyone else find that fucking hilarious? The hilarious part is that the tenant used the adjective “entitled”, almost as if she’s enquiring whether the law enforces the act. What a shit-for-brains.
I genuinely cracked up and almost choked on my cock and sperm sandwich. Luckily I didn’t spill, what a waste that would have been.
Unfortunately, I don’t think my sense of humour was shared amongst the others, as everyone else was sympathising with the criticalness of the issue. To me, that one search query was like a kid farting during Sunday prayer – it unfastened the entire seriousness.
I can appreciate that it would be creepy for a tenant to witness their landlord scouring through their underwear drawer, but at the same time, very amusing, especially if the landlord started sniffing the underwear like it was covered in cocaine.
Irrespective of whether it’s fucking hilarious or not (I’m pretty certain IT IS hilarious), I believe both parties are in the wrong. I made that point in the comments section of her blog post, but my view wasn’t a general consensus. Shame.
My point is…
1) The tenant should have known her rights before becoming a tenant. If someone has to Google, “Is my landlord entitled to go through my underwear drawer”, then they clearly neglected to understand even their most basic of statutory rights. That’s lazy and ignorant.
2) On the same token, the landlord should be aware of his tenant’s rights. Again, lazy and ignorant. Moreover, the landlord shouldn’t be such a creepy parasite.
The landlord is definitely the worse of two evils, but I genuinely believe both parties can take some form of blame for being idiots.
Locking horns with Renter Girl
Unfortunately, I don’t think Renter Girl got my point. She was adamant that the tenant is never at fault in that situation, only landlord and/or letting agent!
I swear, this classic battle between Landlord Vs Tenant which you’re about to witness wasn’t intentional, it was out of my hands as I believe God wanted it this way! This is how the conversation went:
If anything, this just highlights how blindly people will sign contracts (Tenancy Agreements), without actually knowing their rights. I’m not sure who’s worse, the landlords or the tenants.
No – when you are sitting in Letting Agency and have no home as you had to move and are awaiting your deposit refund and are told: pay up and sign or you don’t get the flat/house, then it’s absolutely the tenant I feel sorry for. But never the letting Agents. Never.
(I have no idea what she’s talking about there!!!)
Yeah, that’s both irrelevant and a contradiction.
It’s irrelevant because the tenant’s right to live in peace is a statutory right. So “paying up and signing” doesn’t affect their rights.
It’s a contradiction because if the tenant is waiting for a refund, they already have rental experience, therefore should know their rights even more so.
I guess we have one thing in common though- never feeling sorry for letting agents.
landlord – you don’t get the flat if you don’t sign the agreement! It’s not irrelevant – especially if you are new to this and scared, or homeless.
(BANG HEAD AGAINST A FUCKING BRICK WALL!!!!!)
I think you’re missing the point.
My initial point was that tenants are becoming tenants without knowing their rights. That’s the tenants’ fault.
Your counter response was that tenants are often forced to sign an agreement. But irrespective of whether someone signs a contract or not, the tenant’s statutory rights won’t change regardless of what is written in the Tenancy Agreement! So it is irrelevant!
Moreover, being “scared” doesn’t justify entering a legal agreement without understanding it. Again, that’s the tenant’s fault.
Anyways, I feel as though I’m banging my head against a brickwall. You don’t seem to understand that tenant’s have statutory rights, which has nothing to do with a tenancy agreement.
On a side note, nice blog :)
Rights mean nothing when they are ignored. or when – if you stand up for yourself, you can be given notice on a whim, with no reason. And – I do understand. That’s because I am clever, not stupid.
At this point I was throwing up over my keyboard, horridly watching my Nando’s chicken being regurgitated, as I read the words, “That’s because I am clever, not stupid”
It’s horrendously cringe worthy when someone genuinely praises their own intelligence, period. But it’s especially horrid when a) they’re being serious and 2) most of what they’re saying is horribly inaccurate and wishy-washy.
After cleaning up my lunch, I realised 6 things:
1) her responses failed to make sense
2) she dodged most of what I said
3) she ignored the fact I said I liked her blog (that hurt the most)
4) she came across as a bit rude and moody
5) she was narrow minded
6) she didn’t actually have a clue what I was saying.
Regardless of what she says, in this particular instance, I think she’s a complete dumb fuck; certainly NOT clever. While I was telling her that tenants should know their statutory rights, she was scratching her arse and trying to justify that tenants have legitimate excuses for not knowing their rights, and that tenants will sign a tenancy agreement just to get a roof over their heads. That was a confusing response because I already told her that tenancy agreements have NOTHING to do with “statutory rights” *slaps forehead*
Conversation simplified
When you dumb the conversation down, this is what really happened:
Tenants have statutory rights which they should be aware of.
Yeah, but tenants need to sign a tenancy agreement
Yeah, but that doesn’t matter. Statutory rights have nothing to do with tenancy agreements
Yeah, but tenants have to sign because some times they’re homeless and scared!
Yes, again, a tenant’s statutory rights have nothing to do with tenancy agreements
Ok, but what about tenancy agreements? Tenants are forced to sign them due to circumstances
Sugartits, I don’t think you understand what I’m saying…
I understand, I’m clever! As I was saying…if tenants complain, they get served notice by the landlord.
URGHHHH!!! The shift of argument at the end was just uber weird.
I’m still amazed she deemed it appropriate to oppose my beliefs on the necessity of tenants and landlords being aware of their statutory rights before becoming either of. Both tenant and landlord should know their rights before becoming one or the other, right? I sincerely thought that kind of logic was on the same par as saying “the sky is blue”. But then again, you always get some stupid fuckface coming along with a response like, “It’s not at night, it’s black harhar” …. and HERE’S A PUNCH IN THE FACE FOR BEING A DOUCHE-BAG!
This actually reminds me of people that blindly get mortgages without understanding the terms and conditions, specifically when the mortgage comes out of its fixed period and onto the variable rate. The borrower typically throws a hissyfit and blames everyone else for being “set up” before taking some actual responsibility and admitting they fucked up by agreeing to something they never understood!
Anyway, her knowledge and general ability to comprehend has yet to be desired (I hope she’s not giving tenants legal advice), but she writes well and I like her blog, so check out her life as a tenant. But aye, make sure you come back here, this is home.
By the way, I’m still laughing at the whole, “Is My Landlord Entitled To Go Through My Underwear Drawer?” That’s some golden shit right there.
The only search query that could top that is, “Is my landlord entitled to cum on my face”. Just as hilarious, just as stupid, and just as creepy.
Update (five mins after post was published): I just realised that I never actually answered the question. The answer is NO, your landlord isn’t entitled to go through your underwear drawer x
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23 Comments - join the conversation...
But I think she used the name Penny Anderson (not sure if that's her actual name): http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/series/rentergirl
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I read her article and the comments. She seems confused dude. Ironically, shes probably one of those tenants that became tenants without knowing any of her rights. Enjoyable banter :)
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i agree, most certainly funny
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Jools
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TB
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The LA I'm renting through said the holding deposit was £150. Their website said that this was offset against the first month's rent. In actual fact £187 left my bank account. When I went into their office on the day to pick up my keys, it transpired that this was their admin fees.
Problem 1: They quoted me an EX-VAT price, but didn't tell me it was Ex-VAT and they took an inc-VAT amount from me.
Problem 2: They didn't make clear what the payment was for, and failed to provide me with a written receipt despite a few requests.
I should have walked away but this is the house of my dreams so I didn't feel I had a choice. But I will be telling them to take a walk when they inevitably try to charge me an admin fee to renew the contract.
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Thanks, buddy :)
Yeah, I also agree about the feeling under pressure part. But my point is, irrespective of the tenant feeling under pressure, their statutory rights remain the same, regardless of whether or not they read/sign their tenancy agreement!
It's pretty unusual that a UK based company gave you a quote excluding VAT, or at least didn't mention it was exluding VAT. I wouldn't have been happier about that either!!! But if the property was that great, like you, I would have let it fly.
Do they have a renewal fee policy? Did they mention it? It should be in the contract you signed.
Cheers
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Just don't get caught. I never have!
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It's just another reason why I manage my own rental property myself and don't use agencies (great article the other day btw, and I'll look out for your e-book).
And yes, you're right about statutory rights, and I think that's the point that RentalGirl missed.
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That's exactly why Foxtons lost their case with renewal fees. The case was well publicized! The judge said that because the renewal fee wasn't clearly written in the contract, the fees couldn't be enforced.
Just for reference, http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article6681340.ece
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Rentergirl only wants to publish what she wants you to see.
Jools
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But oddly enough, she didn't delete her own comments, so it looks like she is talking to herself ha!
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Carol
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It's really kicking off in here. I also noticed she deleted your comments. What ever happened to freedom of speech? Seems like she has something stuck up her arse :)
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That Carol, is why it is so dangerous! She is writing about stuff of which she has no or little knowledge and some people will be foolish enough to take as gospel!
Sad thing is that The Guardian thought it good enough to publish in the past. Mind you - nuff said...............
Jools
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Obviously this only applies to the female gender - not too interested in some minging old rugby jockstrap or anything looking like it has an elephants trunk, but each to their own! Not knocking it, it does not however float my boat!!
Hey Landlord - can't you get some sponsorship from Agent Provocateur or Ann Summers so we can get a knicker amnesty for winter?
TB
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Email to Ann summers has been sent.
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Here is an example...at the moment I have a problem with my landlord going through my stuff when I'm out of the building (every weekend as I live somewhere else and lodge with him during the working week). In order to find advice on how to deal with the situation I've had to google "can my landlord look through my stuff". Of course I'm not stupid enough to think that he can, but it's the phrase that returns information on the subject.
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:-)
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I initially started this website because I wanted to document my every step from property idiot to property landlord,
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