UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi my tenant is on HB.  she was offered tenancy by a rubbish agent who didnt take a bond.  she has never paid full rent and has on occasion missed a month or 2 but  this has eventually caught up. seems every change in circumstances warrants HB being stopped.  She has wrecked the garden, has old furniture in it, and I understand the house is not in a clean condition.  Main problem now is she now has 3 months of rent arrears. She  is blaming council/job centre but  I have contacted relevant agencies involved who tell me she is holding up things by not providing them with info.  I am quite fed up now tbh.  Question is if I serve her notice now does that ruin chances of ever getting the back rent paid by HB - would it be best to wait until that payment is made ( if it is) then evict.  she lies at every oppportunity and I know I will have couple of grand of repairs when she does go.  any advice welcome

Beware of advice from a blog (including mine)
Do your own research

My view is there is only one course of action...

EVICT ASAP!!

In my experience you won't get the back rent now.
I've dealt with councils that deliberately get tenants to extend, defend possession orders, delay, avoid etc. in order to get "free" housing for their scum tenants.

Think about it ....what is the incentive for them to now pay you the back rent?
You may well be past the point in the cost benefit analysis.... for them the equation (inequality actually) is:
Which is greater, the cost of rehousing or the cost of paying you back rent?

The other nugget will be they cannot pay the rent direct to you anyway so that means even if they did pay the back rent (no chance) it would likely go to the tenant first...and you can see how that will play out.

Every day you delay is more cost you won't recover.

You put this one down to experience, also dump the agency.
Sorry no good news, console yourself in that Geroge Osborn will absorb some of your losses.

Best of luck

thanks TAL......hard life lesson learned ( don't trust a friend who says he is a good property manager in the first instance).  Can totally see what you mean about the council's point of view.  think I will have to now search the site for advice on how to evict. so annoying when someone is taking the p..she actually couldnt give a monkeys and I dread seeing what state she leaves the house in...and no bond.grrrrrr