Intrusive Tenancy Visits?

[Charles Humphries]

Apparently the City have decided to visit all tenants and leaseholders on the Estate in person to meet them and inspect the interior of the flats.

http://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/documents/s99586/Reports%20for...

The City state that the key objectives of these visits are to:

• improve resident safety and comfort by providing advice or referral to other agencies on:
o home and fire safety, including evacuation advice and an assessment of any risks;
o repairs and maintenance;
o domestic energy advice and housing benefits;o issues such as hoarding and safeguarding;

• improve the quality of tenancy data on the housing management information system to a minimum baseline standard;

• improve future communication and engagement with residents by updating electronic contact details and preferred methods of communication

• help ensure proper and efficient use of housing assets by identifying instances of:

o tenancy fraud, misuse, disrepair or unauthorised alteration of properties;

o under-utilisation (including illegal sub-letting, non-occupation, under- occupation;

o overcrowding.

The first of these aims sound reasonable, but the last section, on tenancy fraud, unauthorised alteration etc sounds quite intrusive and would appear to be an unusual step to take without reasonable grounds. We are not aware of other landlords behaving in this way.

What are people's opinions on this? Is is sensible management or is it overly intrusive? Is it something that GLERA should be taking up?

[nathan]

[Steve Daszko]

I don't see any problems with this    I had a tenancy visit around 2012 by (name omitted) and everything was fine.   It's good that the CoL are checking properties to ensure that only the legal tenants are living there!

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

I agree Christo.  The COL have every right to check properties to make sure only the legal tenants are living there and I support that.  However, why would they need a camera and tape measure to check on illegal tenants?  

Christo said:

I have mixed feelings. Parts of it seem very useful and potentially helpful others seem a tad draconian and intrusive, particularly when you have had a visit a year or two ago. Showing  two forms of ID seems a bit over the top when you have lived here for a decade or more 

[Richard]

I don't think it is intrusive at all, why shouldn't they check if everything is in order an no one is sub letting? If I owned a property I rented out I would want to check on it every so often. I actually found the last visit quite useful as I was able to ask questions I had on a one 2 one level rather than trying to discuss them in the estate office.

[Steve Daszko]

I agree with Richard. If you've nothing to hide, then what is the problem!? Well done to the CoL for checking their tenencies. This should be a regular thing. Offenders should be thrown out of their properties straight away.

[Tim Godsmark]

What is an issue is that it is costing £138,000 which presumably all residents will be paying for.

[Steve Daszko]

Good point raised Tracy!

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

If the City want to do this then why should the residents pay?  I am not paying for someone to come in here spying on me.  Let them chase after illegal sub letters and not genuine residents.

Tim Godsmark said:

What is an issue is that it is costing £138,000 which presumably all residents will be paying for.

[Nick Lee]

Good idea. If it helps sort out all the iffy lettings going on why not, and I don't think 138k split between everyone is too much to pay if a few things get sorted out.