UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi
I am a new landlord .and Ineed advice and support . Irented aproperty through an estate agent for short term tenancy lasting 12 months .Which expired on 24th may 2018 . I lost my mother as she was ill and later passed away so in short .Tenant wasn,t served notice to vacate the property. Later on when Irealised the erro being new I sent the text message  serving the 2 months notice to which the tenant acknowledge receiving it with areply ' looking forward to moving ' . Isent a reminder a one month reminder by text as well to which her reply was 'I aware'of it ' . themn on the day she didn't vacate the property when asked the reply was she had told the agent .I do not have managing agent .They only do rent collection service . Agents said they haven't been informed .I realised my mistake and have now served section 21 notice .

Now tenant has gone to council as the tenant neglience as she doesn,t open the window or heating and the condensation has built Up . I had called the builder they identified the propertynot being aired so we put in an additional ventilator . Now the council has served an improvement notice for this and things like broken socket and broken tap,loose floor board and bathroom tiles  and damp .The notice is in the name of three people whoare in noway related to both my properties .Secondly I had given the newly fubished house new flaminate flooring and bathroom done .

Firstly Iwould like to where I stand in context of the Notice as it is not cerved to me but at my property on random peoples name .Secondly I have agents checkedin report and pictures to shoew the condotion of property when it was given and alsi damp experts report to say condensation build was due to lack of opening windows and ventilating the property.
What should I do in this situation Idesperately need Help any Advice .

I suggest that you give serious consideration to selling the property.  You appear to have neglected it badly and got yourself into a terrible mess.

You can't serve a section 21 notice by text message.  Don't try things like that.  Always get the paperwork exactly right.

If the Council have served an improvement notice on you, then you have a large problem and you need to do what it says.  If there's a broken electrical socket and a broken tap and loose tiles, then you really ought to have repaired that before the Council tell you to ---- if your tenant electrocutes themselves then you're potentially in very deep legal trouble.

Tenants have legal protection from revenge evictions.  Because the Council have served an improvement notice, you cannot validly serve a section 21 notice for six months.  If you try, the tenant can go to court and the judge will throw it out.  The Council will have corrected the names on their improvement notice long before the case gets to Court.

Check that you've registered the tenants' deposit correctly.  If you haven't, go and register it now.

Then, please do seriously consider selling it to a professional landlord.