Can I take my Landlord to the small claims

[thecookiemonster]

Me and the tenant in the flat next door have reported it to the police today, we decided we would go to the police station together, I needed to speak to the landlord and her before getting facts and going in and reporting it.

 

She also said the landlord admitted to her today that he had entered my property yesterday, this after I emailed him Thursday and yesterday stating he is not to enter without my permission.

 

The tenant next door has 2 earrings missing and found some of her jewellery on the floor on Monday but as she has a cat she wasn't sure at first if it had knocked it over but after I informed her of someone entering her property on Monday she went through it all last night after I spoke to her.

 

The landlord changed my lock and her lock early this afternoon.

 

Also, she is moving into another one of his properties next week and she is feeling very nervous and uncomfortable now which is understandable, she said she didn't want to rock the boat and is obviously worried he might get funny with her now.

 

The police suspect that the landlord has been in here, as I said before when he empties this meter, if there aren't 200 coins or more in there or nowhere near I will have an answer for sure.

 

He should have upgraded these coin meters years ago as he can have them done for free, it baffles me why it hasn't been done, can I get them changed?

 

I've got an incident number, there's a key code lock on the front door which the landlord said wasn't used because people kept forgetting the code which isn't an excuse so anyone can walk into the building, I've been advised to give him a week to either sort out the existing lock on the main door of the property or replace it and if not to seek legal advice.

 

Also me and the tenant next door have been advised that we need to replace the locks on our flat doors ourselves and not give him a key and he will need to ask permission to enter from now on, I have informed him of this via email and provided him with the police incident number, the lady next door said he was funny when she mentioned maybe reporting what's been going on to the police.

 

I told the police of the missing paperwork too and well me and the lady next door are very unhappy and we feel very uncomfortable about what's been going on.

 

At least it has been logged now, I think the Landlord won't be happy when he finds out the police have been informed.

 

Having dealt with a few dodgy landlords - they are not going to tell the truth if you ask them to confirm an illegal thing they've been doing. If you ask 'have you entered mine or the neighbour's property without our knowing', he is going to say no even if he has. I would also check with the neighbour whether he arranges in advance to empty the meter or knocks on the door and she lets him in.

 

In any case, as has been said, you need to make a report to the police - this can be done online, and get the locks changed. And regarding being rehoused - yes you would be considered intentionally homeless, as a change of locks is a simple, easy fix.

 

She said he just goes into her property without permission to empty the meter so I have my answer.

 

This is unrelated but I've never received any confirmation of my deposit being put into a Deposit Protection Scheme so I'm presuming it hasn't been, this Landlord hasn't/isn't acting like a Landlord should at all.

 

Another update:

 

I spoke to the lady next door earlier.

 

She told me that he called her and asked her to empty her coin meter in about half an hour she agreed, he went rounda bout 3pm, never said anything about the police, also she thinks she heard him go into my property again. I was out getting a new lock at the time. So if he's been in again after I have informed him that the police have been notified, what is he playing at?

 

After my email to him yesterday saying that I had reported what's being going on to the police, he never acknowledged it, he has also never shown any concern or alarm at what's been happening.

 

He just sent a 1 line email today saying, Are you in at 6pm so I can check the situation with the meter, I've said he's not coming in here for the remainder of the tenancy unless there's repairs that need doing, or the coin meter gets full or in an emergency.

 

I done a video of me putting a £1 coin in the meter today so I could ask a few friends their opinion because it doesn't read how many are in there, it says £8 left until it runs out but the other reading doesn't work, I think and my friends even say it's nowhere near full, he might have emptied some of it but not all of it on purpose?

 

He emailed me at 8.30 this morning if he can come and check the situation with the meter, He's never asked me if I'll be in to check the situation of the coin meter in the now 8 months I have been here so why now?

 

The locks have been changed, he doesn't have a key and he's not coming in, reckon he might start harrassing me now, we will see.

 

He's harrassing me even more now, again asking to empty the meter, he's never been keen or even asked me before, that's funny isn't it wonder why that is? I've denied him permission as the meter sounds nearly empty to me and he doesn't need to come in here.

[estellyn]

Maybe he's afraid the police will look at the meter and the number of coins and know he's been in there - it is proof. whereas if he empties the meter now there is no proof.

[mikeymack2002]

I don't mean to worry you but I have the following observations to list.

 

 

1. If LL gains entry the documents may turn up again

2. If you have just a normal Yale lock you can open it in about 4 seconds with a plastic strip

3. You need to have a 5 lever deadlock fitted and maybe consider another safety lock as well.

3. If you have a Yale lock can you deadbolt it? if not you need this.

4. Consider buying a cycle CCTV unit or body cam for fitting inside the hall

5. A letter denying access to your home by LL without permission is a must unless by prior appointment. There is criminal redress for this BTW

6. Consider the use of Biometric spray on specific items the Police can advise on this.

 

 

Sorry for the long list but nowadays is preferable than uninvited people.

[thecookiemonster]

Would they do that? I'd like them to, he's definitely rattled and very keen to come in so it's all very clear now, I'm going to speak to the police tomorrow just to see what they say, since stating once again he's not coming in and sending him a picture of the meter and informing him I'm going to the police again he's stopped sending emails for now.

 

Thing is though, he was sly asking to come round at 6pm to check my meter, yet came round and went into the flat next door around 3pm when I wasn't in and she thinks he came in, I don't know for sure, I've taken a picture of the meter, the part that says how much electric is left has always worked but the other meter that says how many coins are in there i'm not sure, I thought it didn't work but maybe he's emptied it so many times and that's why it's never gone up that much?

 

It holds 80 coins and I've definitely put in 200-250 in 7 and a half months so it's obvious he's been in here several times, I dread to think what he's been doing in here but that missing paperwork is down to him too, it has to be in my opinion.

[mikeymack2002]

Allegedly down to him BTW

[thecookiemonster]

Yes I strongly suspect so and I've told him that and he hasn't denied coming in today in his emails,

 

the other days when I first confronted him he denied ever being in here without permission which is a load of rubbish,

 

the meter doesn't empty itself, if it had just been the meter being emptied it would still be bad and a breach of tenancy and trespassing

 

but the missing things just makes things a lot worse,

 

I've told him straight I don't trust him,

 

don't want him in here and our Landlord/Tenant relationship has broken down which it has.

 

I don't mean to worry you but I have the following observations to list.

 

 

1. If LL gains entry the documents may turn up again

2. If you have just a normal Yale lock you can open it in about 4 seconds with a plastic strip

3. You need to have a 5 lever deadlock fitted and maybe consider another safety lock as well.

3. If you have a Yale lock can you deadbolt it? if not you need this.

4. Consider buying a cycle CCTV unit or body cam for fitting inside the hall

5. A letter denying access to your home by LL without permission is a must unless by prior appointment. There is criminal redress for this BTW

6. Consider the use of Biometric spray on specific items the Police can advise on this.

 

 

Sorry for the long list but nowadays is preferable than uninvited people.

 

Thanks for that, the document things has crossed my mind several times, I will be putting in a basic alarm and probably use my webcam when I'm not here to record activity so I will be making sure everything is covered from now on.

[mikeymack2002]

Most webcams installation files already come with the motion detection profile its wise to use it, but the downfall of this is the LL can turn of the electric to stop this.

 

 

This is why I suggested a different version like a camera in a smoke detector this will be of use for you as well. They are cheap enough to buy... Or a Nanny cam even better as it will well hidden for you...

 

A polite letter to the LL stating the use of CCTV is now in use may then deter him from coming in but a reminder that you will store the data live with your Microsoft account on the cloud will do wonders for you and have him worried. As would you telling him that the Police have the complaint now and are installing biometric markers on your property.

 

 

You can purchase this independently as well and keep the spray safe from prying eyes and make a note of the data marker on a discreet part of your property. This way the Police can clearly see that the marker would only be on the perpetrator. Commonly called "smart water"

 

 

See here for info https://www.selectadna.co.uk/

[thecookiemonster]

He stated the other day that deadlocks aren't allowed in here because he has had to have this building certified and they aren't allowed because it would prevent a quick access incase of a fire, I have this in an email.

 

I have like a yale lock on the door, it's the same type as what was on before, it's a night latch kind of lock. The doorframe is falling apart so it wouldn't be hard to get in here. I will upload some pictures of the lock and meter as soon as I can.

[mikeymack2002]

So is he claiming this is a legal requirement for his license? You as a tenant can place any type of lock on the door, whether normal or deadlock, trust me the door would last but 4 seconds should the Fire brigade want to get in or the police with the big red key.

 

 

This is beginning to sound like your landlord is over controlling. Ask your local council Monday if the have issued any licenses to your property and ask for a copy of this. Is your home part of a multiple dwelling or on a floor other than ground floor? Has your property got any fire prevention equipment in the halls or a fire escape? The more questions you have to ask him will let him know that you know what he has done/doing.

 

 

Since you have now stated that the front door in an insecure condition you should have it repaired, if he refuses then ask for the Council to view it and they will tell you if it is and what the LL has to do to secure it! Also if he needs a license for your property the front door must be of a certain build and comply with the current building regs.

[thecookiemonster]

The doorframe of my flat door not the front door is a bit of a mess on one side, the front door of the actual building has a key code lock, when I moved in, he used the excuse that people kept forgetting the code so he de-activated it, therefore anyone can open the door to the main building as it has no lock, I told him at the start this should be sorted out, the police advised me to give him a week to either reinstate the key code lock on the building main front door or put a new lock on or seek advice from CAB if he doesn't, I advised him of this yesterday, I will take pictures tomorrow of the main door to the building.

 

There are 3 flats above a shop, 1 on the 1st floor and 2 on the 2nd floor.

 

As I stated in the beginning of this thread, when I first reported all this to the landlord on Thursday he didn't show any concern or alarm and never has done, he also said "Are you using both locks" and then later that day he said "The reason I did not give you a key for the other lock is that it restricts a quick exit should there be a fire".

 

There is a main smoke alarm control panel in the hall, there's smoke alarms in every room that someone set off once and are very loud, there are fire extinguisers, I have one in my flat.

 

I had an instinct from the beginning about this Landlord but didn't think he'd be doing what he has been doing.

[SabreSheep]

A few questions.

 

1. As a tenant you have the right to change electric and gas supplier which would hopefully mean the installation of a modern meter system

2. You should now in writing request details regarding the scheme the LL has protected the deposit in and the details such as when it was protected in.

[thecookiemonster]

Hi,

 

1. I have a coin meter which is for the electric, I don't have any Gas, he obviously pays them, I've never had any details about this or who the supplier is and he obviously has full control of that, it's in his name, maybe he keeps the coin meters in these flats as an excuse to keep letting himself in? That's an opinion because they are ancient these coin meters.

 

2. I will ask him for details about this too, if he doesn't provide details what would be my next step? Considering i've never had confirmation and as I'm beginning to suspect he's very dodgy, I don't think he has protected my deposit, but that's just my opinion, we will soon find out.

[mikeymack2002]

This is a no ands ifs or buts advice I recommend strongly you consult your LA regarding this LL with ALL of your findings and ask the licensing LA to intervene on your behalf. There is legislation in place regarding the safety of tenants in HMO's including The Regulatory reform (Fire Safety) order 2005 see here http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/14/made or read the PDF

 

 

I have used this to help others in the past. But this topic is a long way off what you asked about in the thread. But it does look like the LL is playing hard nails with you now....

 

 

As far as your original post goes get a nanny cam fit it use it report it... That's the plain truth of the matter blunt and to the point. I hope you don't mind the recap and bluntness?

 

 

As far as you use coins for your electric take this up with the LA as well you should be receiving invoices for your usage and maybe some rebates too. Well worth enquiring about...

[estellyn]

Hi,

 

1. I have a coin meter which is for the electric, I don't have any Gas, he obviously pays them, I've never had any details about this or who the supplier is and he obviously has full control of that, it's in his name, maybe he keeps the coin meters in these flats as an excuse to keep letting himself in? That's an opinion because they are ancient these coin meters.

 

2. I will ask him for details about this too, if he doesn't provide details what would be my next step? Considering i've never had confirmation and as I'm beginning to suspect he's very dodgy, I don't think he has protected my deposit, but that's just my opinion, we will soon find out.

 

This isn't my area, but my understanding is that you have to be notified when your deposit is protected and with which scheme - if you haven't been notified it almost certainly isn't protected, and even it it was protected and you haven't been notified then he hasn't complied with regulations (but this is unlikely, more likely it's not protected).

[thecookiemonster]

Well, i think I have my answer, I searched the main 3 Deposit Protection Schemes online and it isn't showing on there, there's no excuse for not protecting the deposit, what kind of Landlord have I got? I've been here 7 and a half months, I only thought about it recently and with what has been going on lately, it's not good at all.

 

 

That shows the meter in it's current state.

 

The bottom right meter shows there;'s £9 left before it runs out of electric, the bottom left meter shows how many coins are in the meter, not sure if that meter works but always wondered why it never went right up?

[The Carpet Cleaners]

looking at that picture I would say that there has been £973 put in there since the meter was installed.[ATTACH=CONFIG]58762[/ATTACH]

 

\put another pound in, and the dial that I have circled should move down 1 place and point at the number 4.

 

If you have a photo of the meter when you moved in, this will tell you how much you have put in since being there.

[JoeyJoeC]

Odd that he wants to go back in there to check the meter even if it's not full. Perhaps hes going to try to cover up any evidence that he has been there uninvited, so that finger prints would be explainable?

[45002]

Hi,

 

1. I have a coin meter which is for the electric, I don't have any Gas, he obviously pays them, I've never had any details about this or who the supplier is and he obviously has full control of that, it's in his name, maybe he keeps the coin meters in these flats as an excuse to keep letting himself in? That's an opinion because they are ancient these coin meters.

 

2. I will ask him for details about this too, if he doesn't provide details what would be my next step? Considering i've never had confirmation and as I'm beginning to suspect he's very dodgy, I don't think he has protected my deposit, but that's just my opinion, we will soon find out.

 

 

 

A few questions.

 

1. As a tenant you have the right to change electric and gas supplier which would hopefully mean the installation of a modern meter system

2. You should now in writing request details regarding the scheme the LL has protected the deposit in and the details such as when it was protected in.

 

Incorrect.

 

The LL is re selling electric via coin operated meter's belonging to him (see post #49 ) and the main meter utilities supplier in LL name.

 

This will be covered by resale of gas and electricity ofgem https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/74486/11782-resaleupdateoct05.pdf

 

LL cannot charge more than the price he pays at the main utilities supplier meter, In other words LL cannot profit from resale of gas and electricity to a tenant.

 

If it was a normal meter fitted by utilities supplier, then a tenant can switch suppliers to find the cheapest deal...

[JoeyJoeC]

Seems weird that he doesn't have them changed and would rather keep collecting the coins instead. Must be an incentive there for him!!

[45002]

Seems weird that he doesn't have them changed and would rather keep collecting the coins instead. Must be an incentive there for him!!

 

Yes, It's called Profit making/Ripping the tenant off !

[thecookiemonster]

Haven't heard anything from my Landlord. He didn't acknowledge the emails about the police when he was emailing me yesterday he was replying to other emails.

 

He hasn't acknowledged my notice that he isn't allowed in here without at least 24 hours in notice in writing and still only if he gets my permission although he can't let himself in anymore anyway.

 

 

He hasn't answered about the deposit protection scheme, I spoke to the police again, they have noted my concerns and advised me to speak to CAB about the meter, the deposit, security of the property etc and about him entering without permission.

 

Someone was knocking on my door just now, I didn't answer and they didn't say anything but I have a feeling he's gonna be harassing me now, I can't see who else would be knocking apart from him.

[JoeyJoeC]

Worth answering the door but get a recording of what he is saying / doing.

[45002]

cookiemonster.

 

Out of interest how many pounds coins do you put in this meter a week or day approximate, around this time of the year ....

[thecookiemonster]

Thanks.

 

Around 7 coins at the most per week.

 

He's knocking again, I've sent him notices to only allow him into my property with at least 24 hours notice in writing and only after gainig my permission, this is getting like harassment now.

[JoeyJoeC]

Are you sure it's him? Why not answer and see what he has to say? Just don't let him in at all.