UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi

I have not had access to my property since August 2020, the tenants moved out in June 2022 and after seeking legal advice was informed they had abandoned the property and change the locks which I did.

I paid them to do work and then they decided to move in and do unauthorised work, such as make an extended doorway in to the living room, make an extension housing a wc which is resting on a plank of wood off the floor and cement the garden and the basement floor, change the internal doors, etc. This they are alleging came to £21,000 but I have never received an itemised invoice with receipts attached, although I have requested the information and they have not paid rent for over a year.

The tenants came back and broke in and took back my property, stated that only one person moved out and have now sub let the property.
Have a directions hearing in July then most likely a full hearing. Going to court on a section 21 and a section 8, latter on advice of the judge.

I paid for counsel to do the paperwork for the most recent hearing but cannot afford the fees as the property is my main source of income.

How to proceed now? Any suggestions and advice greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I am puzzled by this.Are you saying that after you got your property back and changed the locks,you then asked them to go back and do work? I suspect this is a wind-up,because the story just beggars belief.

Quote from: heavykarma on December 05, 2022, 08:54:24 AM
Are you saying that after you got your property back and changed the locks,you then asked them to go back and do work?

I suspect the events have not been presented in chronological order

If I understood this right:

1 - when they initially moved in, you asked them to do some work, they did and they claim it cost x amount which you then didn't pay fully because they couldn't prove it
2 - they stopped paying rent at a certain point and would argue that it's because you owed them money (assumption / interpretation)
3 - you then have probably shout yourself in the foot by changing the locks without having a possession order. Why have you not submitted for one in this last year?  Hopefully you have proof of this legal advice you were given.

My only advice here can be that you get actual landlord legal experts to manage everything for you. I used LegalForLandlords, they will do a review of your whole case and start by correcting years of mistakes so that when you do submit the proper paperwork (section 8 and / or 21) that it will not be rejected.

It sounds very messy

It is notable that the OP, @Darenye, has not returned to clarify the information they initially provided, which would enable people to offer more constructive help.

Maybe the whole story was simply made up.