UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi,

My tenant has run up three weeks rent arrears, she refused to pay as there was a problem with the delivery and install of her new oven. She was a friend of my last tenant and as she was a single mum and about to go onto UC so I did not ask for a deposit. Do I have any chance of getting the arrears back if she refuses to pay up?

Was she without an oven for 3 weeks,and thinks she can withhold the rent for that period? (She can't legally) Has she now resumed normal payments? Your chances of getting repaid are very slender.Never ever let through word of mouth like this again,and fail to take a deposit into the bargain. If you think you could relet quickly I would issue 21.She might even cough up the arrears when she receives it.

Hi,

I have been a complete mupet over this one. I ordered a new oven the same day as she reported it. When they came to install it they said I would need to get the electricity supplier out as there was reversed neutrality at the property. I found this strange as I used to work for a supplier and knew what that would entail. Had the suppliers come out and they confirmed there was no problem with the supply and no problem at the switched. I had the Currys return to install the oven but they could not make it for just over another week. The tenant said her brother was a qualified spark and he could do the install much quicker. So I okayed it with her. Two days later she was screaming down the phone and sending abusive and insulting text messages because she could not get hold of her brother and so I would have to fix it. I managed to get a company to come out and sort the problem out and it was done a few days after that. So yes it was three weeks but if she had not said she would have got her brother it would have been done a lot sooner.

The problem I have is she is on UC so they will do nothing about it for two months and to top it off this all happened two weeks after I gave her a new 6 months AST so I cannot even give her an S21. She has not yet started repayments.

Forgot to mention the lock on the back door needed to be changed. The chap who fitted it was going to go and put in a new lock, however, she went around to his house ( we both no him) got the lock herself and changed it without telling me. I now cannot get a lock to the back door and I am worried that she will keep the front door locked and keep the back door key away from me.

Quote from: heavykarma on September 05, 2018, 12:15:56 PM
Was she without an oven for 3 weeks,and thinks she can withhold the rent for that period? (She can't legally) Has she now resumed normal payments? Your chances of getting repaid are very slender.Never ever let through word of mouth like this again,and fail to take a deposit into the bargain. If you think you could relet quickly I would issue 21.She might even cough up the arrears when she receives it.

I think you are pretty much screwed for 6 months.  Sounds like she knew what she was doing :-(

The amount of tenants I have had who have a friend who is in the trade and can do it cheap! Always stick to your own reliable tradesmen and keep a friendly but detached attitude to your tenants. It saves hassle in the long run.

Can anyone advise about the fact she changed the back door lock and will not give me a key?

You can write as much into your ASTs as you like about the Landlord having keys, it's all immaterial if the Tenant changes the locks and doesn't provide you with a key (which is all within their rights - and you know a Tenant / Landlord relationship is irretrievably broken when this happens). It's a shame but the reality of it. When the Tenant leaves they should either put the old locks back (and then you'll have a key) or give you keys to the new lock (preferably the former, really).