UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all,
I really have great tenants, very clean tidy, perfectly green lawn.  Professional people. I have had the house for 5 years all previous were white folk of various nationalities.
Not sure if the lockdown has affected one neighbour but he started to ring me in June; "your tenants play the wrong type of music too loud..." Then, they are making too much noise. In September he approached the front door and was kicking it, it moved and I had to get the housebuilder to come and fix it under warranty.
After the door kicking the police were called but only spoke to the neighbour. He then went on revenge (how dare you call the police on me?)
Last week called me and left a voice mail stating that they are running a car business from my property and that he reported them to the police and the council. I have called 101 after his message (12/10) after speaking to my tenant. The tenant bought cars to ship back to his home and was polishing them  I have a voice recording of the complaint.
He started videoing them when they were receiving parcels, called the tenant a black cnut and the last one, on Friday last week was a treat to kill. The police arrived but he was not opening the door and he was not arrested. On Sunday I fitted a voice recording CCTV as my tenents partner went to the Caribbean with his cars, and even though she is a young barrister she does not feel safe with a racist madman next door.
I will be talking to the neighbourhood watch police tomorrow but 1) this is so out of order my blood is boiling, 2) police is not in too much of a hurry to do anything, 3) I am in no doubt I will lose the tenents. Who would put up with that crap? 4) What legal position does that leave me in?  And what would you do in my place?

Hi Lamon, you seem to have already done everything within your remit as a landlord and as a decent person. Damage to your property must be actionable if you wanted to go down that route although I'm not sure what good it would do as the neighbour is clearly unbalanced to start with. You can support your tenant, improve security and the means to gather evidence but you cannot change their neighbour and criminal behaviour is a Police matter. In Leicestershire the Police had a policy of intervention if anyone who was considered vulnerable was being harassed. It followed a tragic case of a mum who killed herself and her disabled daughter after years of abuse that was never ptoperly addressed. Other forces may not be as aware of the case or the criticism it caused for their lack of action but it may focus minds to mention it in writing should further incidents occur . Sorry I don't have the details to hand but a quick google should bring the case up

Fiona Pilkington case

The standing orders from here are - don't get involved.

Yes, of course, that's too simple, too facile... and you start to think of - "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" - but you have to realise you're not in a superior role to any of the parties here. You are not the parent of the Tenants, or the neighbour, nor their Carer... you are not their Manager... these are all adults and they should be left to get on with their lives (and resolve themselves - one way or another). The downside is that, yes, it could affect your business endeavour... but, in my view, you have already gotten way too much involved.

Why on earth would the neighbour of this property have your number to call? I have numerous properties let out and none of the neighbours know how to contact me. Why should they a) want to and b) be allowed to? I don't get this aspect when I hear it time after time from Landlords. You have now opened yourself up to potential further abuse, provocation, harassment and revenge.

There's often truth to the axiom that no good deed goes unpunished. You are now in a situation where any future Tenants (assuming, as you do, that the current Tenants will leave) will be assessed by your neighbour (who I assume owns their property) for their approval... because they will have realised they have true power over you, and they can scare off people they don't like.

Remember that the simple reason behind racism is fear. That's about all it sums up to be in the end. And you aren't going to be able to visit your neighbour and make them see sense... so the only path you have open to you now is to batter them down with authority (not your authority, 'cos you have none) but the Police, the Council, the Neighbourhood Watch(?)... whatever is in your arsenal... but this is going to cost you - time, effort and - even - money.

For all Landlords... do not get involved in any Tenant / neighbour disputes. The standing orders are that it should not matter that there's a Landlord in the picture. They are all adults who can resolve their differences on their own... in whatever way they see fit. It will be a dark day (and you can see it coming and there's hints of it) when Landlords get put into some kind of in loco parentis position for their Tenants. It will further erode the already adversarial relationship that can often exist between those two parties. Tenants do not need to be rescued by Landlords. They never have.

You can disagree with this position on moral grounds... I'd understand... but, in the long run, this complete detachment will save your sanity.

I read into this you might have lived here before letting the property out... it reads like that kind of situation, but then I re-read it and I'm not sure... if that's not the case then why on earth does the neighbour feel like they can call you and leave a voicemail? How does he even have your number?

My answers to your numbers...

1) apart from any property damage (which muddies the waters) you should [try and] consider it not your problem, people can be like this - you can't / won't fix them - they'll either win or they'll lose.
2) you should not be in contact with the Police, I think... it should be the Tenant, if they want to
3) agreed.
4) I am not sure... a legal position might be costly to take-up... you'd be thinking along the lines of some kind of Restraining Order or No Contact Order or ASBO I presume?
5) I would not have gotten this involved - you didn't know the neighbour would act like this before letting to these Tenants, so you cannot be responsible... the next time of letting will be more tricky... now you know, do you end up effectively discriminating as the Landlord? An interesting conundrum for you... of course you can't write "no black people allowed" on your advert(!!!)... but you now know what your neighbour is like and, of course, you wouldn't wish that hell on anyone... so... [deliberately left unsaid]

I feel for you because you have gotten into a messy situation you shouldn't have through trying to do the right thing, and be responsible, and helpful. I would be interested in how this resolves.

At one time I did feel a landlord has some moral duty in these situations,but I have changed my mind.I had an experience,trying to get authorities to act when my tenant was being terrified.My efforts had some effect,but it only ended when the madman stabbed passers-by.
This person you describe is clearly totally obnoxious.That said,I think the police can only deal directly with complaints from your tenants.It really is up to them to press for action if they want to remain in the house.My tenant left,and I had the place void for many weeks as I obviously could not put someone else through it.Your couple are intelligent professionals,with legal clout too.This could happen to them if they owned the house.Sadly,this may not be the first time they have experienced such nastiness.
I am wondering if this man's actions are as much about you as your tenants.Maybe he resents you having rentals,money, whatever.If this is the case,then every sleepless night you have over this will mean he has won.
However he came by your details,you really must block calls from him.
If these people leave,and he continues to harass the next lot,then it could be worth finding out if you could,as the owner,get an exclusion order preventing him going near the place.


 

Thank you all for your comments.
He has my number because last year the house was unoccupied for several weeks and I left my business card next door in good faith, in case anything happens. That has clearly been a mistake.
Today a man from the council came to inspect the property as he has made allegations that my tenants are running a business from the house. He took pictures and apologised for the intrusion.
Police are dealing with it and I have made a complaint and reported the door kicking but without having the evidence can't press charges.
I could block his number but he has my business card and might become nasty, so I will leave it for now and see how things develop.
One of my tenants has gone away for 4 weeks with a friend who is a criminal barrister and will put some action on this.
Will post an update.
Thank you.