tennant with holding rent

[jackieandwayne]

Don;t you be worrying too much either about her getting the Council to house her when you evict her. If you are south then she'll be lucky, high shortage of social housing, if north, where there's plenty, even then they'll likely find her intentionally homeless because she chose to withold her rent. No argument, she was given the money for her rent and didn't pay it.

 

Regarding an inspection, write giving her seven days notice that you wish to enter the premises, hopefully you can get in. If not you need to look at an injunction - doesn't have to be costly, and you can do this yourself if need be. (A little tip - is the gas due for its servicing at the property? If so start making a noise about that, you have a legal duty to attend to this so must be allowed access for it - its for her safety after all.)

 

Hoping you get in - you need to have someone with you as a witness, you should go through the property with a fine toothcomb, photographing absolutely everything, and also making clear handwritten notes to correspond with your photo's. Make sure your camera will date and time for you. The best outcome is to get the tenant to sign these notes, however, they may not agree, hence the witness.

 

You should then compile a letter within the next seven days, hand delivered to the property or registered post, scheduling the damages, an estimate of the cost of each item to put right, and pointing out that you hold them liable. Keep a copy.

 

Serve your S21 NOSP now, I'd go with that rather than the bother of S8 as well, you have to wait for 8 weeks or 2 months arrears to use that one, if you want to use the mandatory ground 8. (You must make sure you hand deliver to the property, preferably getting the tenant to sign for it, failing that you will need to do a proof of service document - sure you can find one on here or google it)

 

I know you only have this one property, but its a good idea to make yourself a "property file" on a Excel Spreadsheet or similar. On this you record everything that takes place concerning the property, including an accurate report of what your tenant said about not paying the rent. The judge can see this as part of your court bundle, but even better, when the Housing Department question you (and they will) as to her homelessness, then you have a clear and accurate record of why she had to go.

 

I hope you get it sorted out - I spend all day clearing up the messes that 147 tenants can create! I know you must be completely demoralised and angry but what;s done is done and you have to deal with the mess now, so you need to stay calm and do everything by the book so that nothing back fires on you later.

 

Fingers crossed for you and do remember you got a bad apple this time, not all people on HB are like that!

[jackieandwayne]

Demon, just gone back over these older threads, and was very pleased to see your last post about landlords NOT entering tenanted properties!

 

I shudder when I read on here that so and so's landlord has entered with a key whilst they were out. They could be going through your undies or anything. Alternatively they leave themselves wide open to accusations of all sorts.

 

As a HO I would never do this except in an outright emergency and then with a police officer present. Their huge feet are much more effective than my chippy plodding away with his set of keys and drills! It would have to be something like someone was seriously ill inside or dead. Oh, for an animal in distress in a property I'd have the police for that as well.

 

The only time I ever kicked a door in on my own was in an HMO, where the tenant had been taken to prison overnight and left his colour TV on. And even then I rang the prison HO and asked her to let him use her fax to give me permission!