advice please oh wise B3tans
EDIT: I've just been told that the building has a no animals whatsoever rule in the contract that all landlords have to obey, so looks like I have to get rid of my rats. Now I'm all sad.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:42, 10 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

ok...
Most landlords have a written agreement in your contract with them that they will give you at least 24 hours notice before popping round.

However, it's very common for them to either (a) call you to say they're coming round in 20 minutes
(b) call you to say they've just been around, and they thought the place looked a bit dirty, you'd better be taking care of the place or it's coming right out of your deposit you know.
(c) not bother telling you they're coming around, and then looking surprised and defensive when you come home and scream upon finding them rifling through your underwear drawer...

All three are more likely to happen if they live in the neighbourhood anyway.

Sadly, there's not much you can do about it.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:45, Reply)

Pretty sure
that Mr Landlord can't just enter whenever he feels like it - in fact I've positive he can't.

What if you were in the shower? What if you were fuckingon the sofa? Shiting on the rug?

Nope, they have to give you notice.
( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:46, Reply)

Legally they should be giving you 24 hours notice
If they don't you can get angry with them. But ultimately if you get angry with them, they might throw you out. But it's getting harder to do that now.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:47, Reply)

^^
That's what I thought (except the shitting on the rug part, one is a lady you know!), so although he could throw me out for breaching the contract by harbouring ratties, he will have breached it first by not telling me. But I suppose either way I'd end up without a home and thus the rats by proxy would be homeless also.

Grr, I don't want to give them away, someone might use them in an underground rodent fighting ring!!!
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:55, Reply)

Totally illegal for landlord to drop in unannounced.
The pets rule is so their house doesn't get fucked up by a dog chewing the bannister or shitting on the carpet to the extent that they need replacing. I think it's fair enough.

However, you should be able to argue the case for your caged animals as they will undoubtedly have very little effect on the condition of the property. You could also do what I did, and arrange an additional deposit amount for the animal. (Our landlord said no to our cat, but and extra £100 deposit soon put paid to that. We will also get it back as ther eis no damage.)
(Colonel Santiago Introduced surprised kitty to the world., Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:56, Reply)

although
I do think the landlord lives far and away, so that might go in my favour.

In this move I'm also becoming a landlord myself so I shall endeavour not to be quite as cunty as the legend has it. Although I'll probably just get cunt tenants who do shit on the rug as my reward.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:57, Reply)

@ Colonel
That's a good idea, I might try that if he says no. That's why I told them it was a pair of caged gerbils as I was hoping it would conjure images of little fluffles. I know most people hear 'rat' and think 'huge vermin dograt eating the neighbour's terrier', or at the very least the rat that bit the baby in Lady & The Tramp.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 15:00, Reply)

kitty
Did I read somewhere that yuo are moving to sunny Manchester?
( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 15:10, Reply)

Indeed
I'm moving to Salford Quays, hopefully on the 21st February.

I like it because it's pretty and close to my friends. He likes it because it's near the 24 hour McDonalds.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 29 Jan 2009, 15:11, Reply)

and the best bit is that I'm within a 10/15 min walk!
But only for a month, as I'm leaving.

:p
(Colonel Santiago Introduced surprised kitty to the world., Thu 29 Jan 2009, 16:05, Reply)