Letter from landlord

[jj19]

Hello
Not sure if this is the right place
I rent my flat and today had a letter from my LL reminding me that smoking is against the terms of my lease. I know other people have had the same letter.
I do not smoke but do let a couple of close friends smoke in the flat. I checked out my lease and it says I must take the rubbish out every day, hoover once a week and clean the windows once a month. Oh I also need to mow tne grass( in a first floor flat) . No where does it mention smoking. The agreement says it is a deed butmy copy is not signed.

Iam livid and want to tell the LL to F.O but is this a good idea. Where do I stand about letting people smoke in my flat that I decorated at my cost with my furniture.

[SaltnVinegar]

Re: Letter from landlord

Hello
Not sure if this is the right place
I rent my flat and today had a letter from my LL reminding me that smoking is against the terms of my lease. I know other people have had the same letter.
I do not smoke but do let a couple of close friends smoke in the flat. I checked out my lease and it says I must take the rubbish out every day, hoover once a week and clean the windows once a month. Oh I also need to mow tne grass( in a first floor flat) . No where does it mention smoking. The agreement says it is a deed butmy copy is not signed.

Iam livid and want to tell the LL to F.O but is this a good idea. Where do I stand about letting people smoke in my flat that I decorated at my cost with my furniture.

Personally I would be telling my friends to F.O. if they think its ok to smoke in a flat where the owner doesn't smoke and has decorated at their own cost with their own furniture. Tell them to go stand in the rain or stain their own furniture with their nicotine habit.

Regards mowing the grass in a first floor flat - perhaps this is another smoking reference

But on a serious note - its a generic letter thats going to all residents - why react to it?

Only thing you need to be mindful of is that if there is nicotine staining, and there is a no smoking clause in your contract, then do you want to be potentially liable for costs of redecorating.........

[patchouli]

Re: Letter from landlord

^^ what S&V said.

When we came to look at this house it REEKED of smoke... 5 years on and if we go out and leave the back bedroom door shut, by the time we come back the room stinks of ashtrays again... It's in the carpet and is vile! that's AFTER having them cleaned a few times...

I think the main question here is... why are you 'livid'?

The LL has probably been round and could smell the stench of smoking from the hallway so rather than accuse any one tenant decided to send a round robin. Or perhaps he challenged another tenant who then said "But the others smoke in their flats too!" .. who knows.. I'd rather ask my friends to smoke outside (which i do) and then be 100% sure the next letter wasn't for me.

Save being livid for something that warrants it

[PlanB]

Re: Letter from landlord




^^^^ Here's my answer to your question. Being killed by an enemy is not avoidable. Being killed by a friend who smokes is. Tell them to stop it right now.

[PlanB]

Re: Letter from landlord

I rent my flat . . . . I checked out my lease . . . . . The agreement says it is a deed but my copy is not signed.

Iam livid and want to tell the LL to F.O but is this a good idea..

It's never a good idea to tell a Landlord to f*ck off because they will immediately tell you the same and they hold all the cards. Is this a tenancy agreement or a lease? If it's an AST where the initial fixed period has expired then your Landlord can serve you with a section 21 Notice to have you removed after eight weeks' have expired. Section 21 is a "no fault" ground meaning they don't have to give the court any reason.

If you are kicked out because you told your Landlord to "F*ck Off" then you may find the local authority deem you to be intentionally homeless so you won't necessarily get re-housed. Finding yourself living in a cardboard box because you got peeved by a letter would be silly.

The main reason why No Smoking rules are written into tenancy agreements is to prevent a fire risk. Goodness knows how many house-fires (and therefore deaths) are caused by cigarette ends. Even if it's not specifically written into your AST you wouldn't want any death caused by a friend's ciggie to be on your conscience.

[jj19]

Re: Letter from landlord

First off
Please do not tell me what I can say to my friends. If I am ok for them to have the occasional cig that is up to me.
When I moved into the flat I smoked myself and the LL knew it. The verbal condition was that when I left if the smoke had caused smells or staining then I would be liable. All fair enough to me.

There iss NO reference to smoking in my agreement. PlanB sorry yes it was an AST and is now a rolling PST.

I know that telling anyoneto f off is not a good idea and it is not something I am likely to do unless you tell me I cant do what I want in my own home. I have spoken to the LL today and it appears that it was not aimed at me . I told him about my occasional smoker and he is ok with that.
Thanks for the reply.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Letter from landlord

I don't think anyone told you to say anything. They were answering based on what they would do.

[jj19]

Re: Letter from landlord

Sorry if I misunderstood.
As an ex smoker who has not joined the born again brigade I get a little defensive.
I agree with the smoking ban in public places
I agree it is bad for your health but so is living

As fir the grass comment above, very funny but never been one of my vices

[PlanB]

Re: Letter from landlord

I don't think anyone told you to say anything.

It looks like Plan B did but it was said in good faith. I didn't want to OP to die from passive smoking so it was a well-intentioned remark

Here's my answer to your question. Being killed by an enemy is not avoidable. Being killed by a friend who smokes is. Tell them to stop it right now.

On reflection I was acting a bit bossy but I did check their profile page before I posted and could see that I am old enough to be their mother (perhaps even their grandmother) so I felt it was ok to preach. That advertisement I posted (about children dying from passive smoking) was emotive and that's what triggered my unusual assertiveness. Anyway it's water off a duck's back because the OP has decided to ignore my advice.

[patchouli]

Re: Letter from landlord

When I moved into the flat I smoked myself and the LL knew it. The verbal condition was that when I left if the smoke had caused smells or staining then I would be liable.

So.. why were you livid?

Anyway, glad it's all sorted and glad you didn't tell him to go forth... I am also an ex smoker and while I don't 'preach' I do find the smell utterly foul... smokers breath to me smells like they have been chewing on cat poopies... *shrug*

And I am married to a smoker! lol oh the joy he has hearing me constantly... and I mean CONSTANTLY remarking "Pewwww you stink!"

lol

oh well.

[jj19]

Re: Letter from landlord

I dislike blanket letters that make vague accusations . That and it was untrue, it is not a term in my agreement but mowing the grass is. I know it will be a standard AST.
Not sure if the lack of signature means anything

PlanB if you are old enough to be my granny then I forgive you, I didn't think people that old could use computers !

[PlanB]

Re: Letter from landlord

I didn't think people that old could use computers !

I get my butler to do it for me

[SaltnVinegar]

Re: Letter from landlord

First off - Please do not tell me what I can say to my friends. If I am ok for them to have the occasional cig that is up to me.

You asked - "Where do I stand about letting people smoke in my flat that I decorated at my cost with my furniture"

Of course its up to you if you want to allow your friends to have a cigarette but in the same post you also state that it was causing you problems with your landlord.

You got my view on that, and I'm not going to apologize for the fact you didn't like it. Personally I wouldn't have the ill manners to expect any of my friends who do not smoke (whether they used to or not), to allow me to do so in their own house, whether they be fine with it or not, ESPECIALLY if there is the potential for causing grief with a landlord which is what your original post suggested.

Its great that you're happy enough to let your friends smoke in your house when you do not but are those same friends also going to cough up (excuse the pun), the money to repaint the house and have professional cleaning done, or refund you your deposit should the landlord keep hold of it to put right the odour issues that Patchouli described.

If the answers yes then let them puff away, if the answers no then you know where you stand............

[jj19]

Re: Letter from landlord

SnV
I think ou will find I said I was angry because the note through my door was the first comment in many years about smoking in my flat. There is not one word in my agreement about smoking but there are other non sensical parts such as mowing the grass.
As far as I was concerned there was no issue about smoking in the flat , in fact the first flat I looked at with this landlord had a smoker in it.
The other issue is that I do not take kindly to blanket communications. If you have something to say to me say it .

Plan B can I borrow your Butler. My silver needs polishing

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Letter from landlord

If you have something to say to me say it .

I think you'll find he did.....