UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi. My ex-tenant who was in the property just over 6 months has started a personal vendetta against me. She was upset when I tried to claim against the deposit for the state my house was left in. She wrote a nasty letter claiming untruly that I had made frequent, unannounced visits to the property to bully and harrass them and made their lives a misery. I only visited on 2 occasions which were arranged through the letting agent at a time convenient to the tenants. The letter also claimed that her daughter had slipped on a loose slab outside the property sustaining soft tissue injuries. The photos I was sent had no date on them and the slab had been pulled out from it's original position. This supposedly happened some months before they vacated but this wss the first I had heard of it. She claims to have to have asked me repeatedly on my unannounced visits to get the slab fixed. She also claims to have told the letting agent. He also claims to have known nothing about it. It was never mentioned when the previous tenants moved out nor at check in or when the property wss inspected 3 months into the lease. I have since had a letter from a no win/no fee solicitor claiming damages. It is now with my insurance company but is this woman likely to get compensation for what is a totally fraudulent claim as I knew nothing about there being a problem and nor did my agents? Thanks.

I won't bore you with the details,but several charities I am involved with are reviewing their rules regarding volunteers and work experience people,following episodes such as you describe.It is making it hard for genuine people to get involved.If it is any consolation,none of the cases I know of have succeeded,but they have caused enormous stress to some smaller organisations and individuals who can't afford legal representation.Your insurance company will be very used to cases like this,I would let them deal with it.

Just last month,our charity had a work experience girl claim she had been hit on the head by a tin of dog food falling from a  high shelf.She was with others,who saw nothing,and no such shelves exist.Nothing was said by her,but that night her parents must have had the bright idea.When they were challenged,they laughed,shrugged,said "Well,you've got to try haven't you,it's why you have insurance"  No further contact,but we are no longer providing work experience,which is a shame.Good luck.

Quote from: CassieG on September 20, 2018, 09:15:51 AM...as I knew nothing about there being a problem and nor did my agents?

It's worthwhile being careful, of course. For Tenants, the Agent and the Landlord are as one entity. The Agent represents you as the Landlord. But Agents are known to play both sides of this equation, if it suits their needs. Now, for the time-being you only really know a few facts - one of those being that you knew nothing about the problem, two being that your Agent has told you they know nothing about it.

There are three parties involved... one of them is lying. The only one you know is not lying is yourself. It is not beyond possibility that your ex-Tenant could have repeatedly told the Agent about this problem, and the Agent decided (either deliberately, through laziness or incompetence) to do nothing about it... including informing you, their boss.

I'm just saying...

As to how likely they are to win... well, it doesn't matter; you're effectively out of the loop, having handed it to your Insurance Company, just see what the outcome is (and let us know). It's OK to worry about it, but try not to... surely if the claim is successful you will end up paying some kind of Excess figure only?

Your insurers deal with this sort of thing every day. They are the experts, so leave it in their hands. Let them have whatever useful information you've got. It's hard to prove a negative, unless your tenant cites specific occasions when you allegedly visited her and you can demonstrate you were elsewhere. Nevertheless, if you've got correspondence relating to the two visits that did take place, then that's evidence of a pattern of behaviour that doesn't match your erstwhile tenant's allegation. Records from check-in and the periodic inspection are likewise good evidence in support of your version of events.

If your insurers do decide to settle, so be it. It's not a reflection on you. If your erstwhile tenant receives something she doesn't deserve, so be it: your being angry or upset will do nothing other than diminish your own happiness. Just because she lived in one of your houses for a little bit, it doesn't mean she gets to live in your head at all, ever. She is nothing to you now.

Quote from: Simon Pambin on September 20, 2018, 04:51:28 PMJust because she lived in one of your houses for a little bit, it doesn't mean she gets to live in your head at all, ever.

As a philosophical position, I like this very much.

Simon,very wise,and something one can apply to quite a few situations in life! The best revenge is to live well.

Thanks so much to you all for your replies. I think it hit me hard because I have never had to deal with anything like this before. It also makes me si angry that all these no win/no fee solicitors just encourage people to make fraudulent claims on insurance. They are absolute crooks and should be banned. I was quite shocked to hear from Heavykarma how even a charity can be affected by this sort of behaviour and that person's behaviour has spoilt it for all the honest people who would value the chance of some work experience. I think I am naiive! Yes if money is psid out, I would have to pay an excess but it is not a large sum. You are right about living well! Anyway I will let you know the eventual outcome. Thanks again!

Charities are some of the worst fraudsters. The world is full of 'em, fraudsters... become a Charity Chief and let the money roll-in while people think you are altruistic.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/salarysurvey/table/0,12406,1042677,00.html

Don't believe the hype! Everyone out there is trying to make a killing (not literally) including those No-Win-No-Fee Solicitors... dog eats dog eats dog eats dog eats dog... in your situation you should be just sitting there thinking positively - "at least I had Insurance"... because so many Landlords don't. Spin yourself happy.

Quote from: Hippogriff on September 23, 2018, 07:08:14 AM
Charities are some of the worst fraudsters. The world is full of 'em, fraudsters... become a Charity Chief and let the money roll-in while people think you are altruistic.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/salarysurvey/table/0,12406,1042677,00.html

Nice link, I have stopped donating to the poppy appeal after I discovered that the first 500,000 pounds taken pays the top 4 or 5 people running it.

Totally agree Hippo.It is a familiar topic among those of us who work hard in voluntary roles,not claiming even expenses.I was on the executive board of trustees in the early 80's,a very long-established charity.I ended up,with a couple of others,acting as whistleblowers,getting a piece in the Guardian.The scams,expense abuses, nepotism,jollies,laziness etc. were sickening.We have a lady volunteer who vets all our prospective adopters,including home visits and follow-up advice,never charges for her petrol.She does this as well as her day job.A job matching this description is currently being advertised by a big name,just covering one area,salary 60k.This will include a car,and medical insurance. Small is beautiful. I'll get off my soapbox!