UK Landlord Forum / Life

We are a couple who rent out a room in our home. We have had a boy move in who has been a bit of a nightmare. We charge for bills inclusive, aside from the telephone and take a the first and last month's rent when someone moves in, to ensure that they give one month's notice if they move out. We do not take a bond, as did not want the hassle of putting it in a holding agency and because we live in, we have never really had any issues with damage to the property. Until this guy.
Firstly, he has admitted to using the home telephone and says he thought it was included. He ran up a £70 bill in his first month and hasn't used it since we made him aware, but is refusing to pay for the calls he has made. Then, he broke the front door by snapping his key off in the lock when he came home late at night. I'm not sure if he was drunk, but he was trying to lock the door from the inside, and it's now impossible to get the key out, or open the front door, so we are currently using the back which is not ideal.
We asked him if he would be prepared to pay for half of this, as we understand these things happen, but at the end of the day, it was his heavy handedness which led to this happening, so we think he should contribute. He has refused. As a result, we have given him his one month notice.

What I really want to know, is without a bond, what can I do? Can I give him a shorter notice period as in two weeks and inform him that the rent left over will be used for the door? Or, can I simply send him the bill with a solicitor's letter and expect him to pay? Is there any way I can enforce a payment or some sort of action?
To be honest, I really just want him out of the house, but I don't want to give him an inch where legalities are concerned.
Please help!

would just let him move out with correct notice. and put it all down to
experience ., just unlucky this time.. no good trying to chase money,
would cost more to recover.. had similar few years back with 150 pounds
tel bill rung up by tenant with out my knowledge. never repaid a penny.
move on and try and get some one more suitable ..

What you have my dear is a lodger who has no rights; well hardly any!!
What does your lodger agreement state.......................you do have one don't you!?
There is NO requirement to lodge a lodger deposit with ANY deposit scheme.
Normally a month notice is given; which you have done.
Give that and then change locks and boot the LODGER out; note he is NOT a tenant.
He will have no legal redress.
He doesn't have a lock on his bedroom door in your property does he!!??
If he has you have a tenant and if you have NOT issued a DPC and PI within 30 days of receiving the DEPOSIT then you face being sued by him for the deposit multiplied by 3 plus the original deposit amount and all his legal costs!!
So your rent strategy will not work; the last months rent you already have is a deposit if he is a tenant!!
Also ensure that a PIN is needed to make outgoing calls and make sure that ALL premium rate and Int calls are barred.
Just tell him the advance rent he paid was a deposit and you will deduct the phone charges from it and return the balance to him.

I have a lodger who was given a key to her bedroom for safety from burglars sicne her room door is opposite the main door.
When haivng given 24 hours notice to enter her room, I find that the spare key I have does not fit and she has changed the lock. She is refusing to come to the property to give me her own key up to help me get into her room. what to do.