UK Landlord Forum / Life

The tenant just moved in my property about one month later, he had a carbon monoxide alarm fitted, he runs out the property and call emergency immediately, and stay in the hotel for 5 days long, after then I tried to phone BT Gas for repairs, but the letting agency already called the gas engineers came to fixed, and told me that my new boiler incorrect flue and leaks, after 5 days later, the agency sending me a very large amount included the tenants cost for £450, and hotel costs for £450, a day £90 included breakfast boiler repairs for £650, and 'one month' rent for free. because the property unsafe to stay in. but the letting agency never ask for my permissions, In fact I paid the 'Gas safety certificated' £85 to the letting agency in earlier time on November 11, but the co leaks on December 02, until today, the letting agency post me a wrong address 'Gas safety certificated' and I think the letting agency lack of the ability and do not look after my property. But the letting agency sounds angry to say this is my property and I am the landlord, this is all my landlord responsibility. now, the tenants 3 months unpaid rent, and stole all of my furnitures in my property, the total value about £6000, it was so hurt and I can't believe the tenant just act like thief, also stole all my personal belongings and items in the garden store room, before I let the property, I told the letting agency the store room is private myself landlord use and keep it locked, but the tenants damaged the locked, and the tenants leave from the property, but not return all the keys and the front gate remote control and damaged the gate. the letting agent reported to the police and got the crime reference number, I am lived 250 miles from the property, after a few days later before I enter the property I call to the police visit my property and report for someone stole all my furnitures, that time I also have a appointment with the letting agent too, the police and the letting agent arrived on time together, but the police unhelpful, he stand on like behalf of the letting agent, the police said to me this is civil matters, he can't help anymore, and the letting agent said the property still got value you can selling it, you only lost your furniture it is not a big deals after then my wife cried and out of control, she was hurt feeling, she built a lots of heart, time and money on it, also we are the first landlord and first rent out the property we only listening what the letting agent saying. right now the letting agent advised me if I am going to court, I will spending a lots of time and more money... and she is ignored all my email, for no reply, and she is holding the tenants deposit about £1500, she said to me, I still need extra paying her own fees for extra admin fees, I feel like from the starts until today it is spent 5 months, I have nothing, I never get any income for rent, and I am still keep repairing for every week, a very large amount for repairing, a very long sad stories, now, all my furniture stole by the bad tenants and all of my value person items in the store room. Last time I asked the letting agent if I rent out the property all the furniture and all my personal belongings items safe. She told me I can pay the inventory £135, they will all photography in details and check out report professionally. But now the check out report issue a very large amount of rubbish and articles have been left in the garden and behind the property near fence will require clearing also there are a number of articles of furniture missing from the property also some elements of damage listed. The tenant also breaks the tenancy agreement for without my permission to re-decorate the property. Right now, I don't know how to do, I am confused, the tenants like trying everything for free and stole all my furnitures and my personal items to earn money, why people behaviour like this worse. I was so hurt; I cry every night and can't sleep. The letting agency ignored my entire letter; they asked me to sign a contract for terminated, I don't sign, because they are still not yet to sort out the problem with me. first at all, police can't help, my local solicitors can't help, he ask me to find the property local solicitors which is 250 miles far, and the solicitors will charge so expensive, I have financial problems now, and I can't affordable for the mortgage, I am really stressful, I am lost, I was wondering if anybody else has had a problem like mine.
Please can anyone provide some advice? 

Many thanks in advance,

I hope can hear from you very soon,

(I had phoned to the insurance company; they said I bought a premium insurance included content insurance, which is only
By my owned stay in the property) if I rented out to others people it is not cover.

Helo vbPaul,

+ Who installed your new gas boiler?  You have a legal right to claim the remedial repair costs against them (£650);

+ Did you choose a full management service from the agents?  If so, then they have acted in accordance with your agreement as far as finding a repairer goes.  But if they knew the biler was newly fitted they have not acted in your interests by using their usual contractor, they should have approached your fitter;

+ I am unclear over what the tenants are claiming.  You talk of £450 costs and £450 hotel costs.  I don't understand what £450 "general costs" could be for, can you give more detail.  As dar as the hotel being reaasonable costs is concerned: The tenant has saved money on not feeding themselves at home (e.g. breakfast, lunch and dinner) so it is legal to reduce the hotel bill by the amount they saved on gorcery shopping.  What standard was the hotel.  If nicer than the place rented, again the bill can be reduced.  Where was the hotel?  It needs to be in the same town or part of the city where they rent, otherwise it looks like they went on holiday and charged you for it.  Was £90 per day teh best option.  There are plenty of good hotels at £40-ish per night.  The tenant has a duty to minimise costs in this situation.  If they want to stay in a fancy hotel, it's their choice.  You pay what they are entitled to (£40-ish) then ay the rest.

+ For the few days it took to arange the repair the house would have been uninhabitable because of the CO2 risks.  And suspending rent payments on an uninhabitable property is only the right thing to do.  But letting off the rest of the month is an issue of goodwill effecting your income, something which the legging agent has a duty to consult you over.  As its a decision they took unilaterally, they must fund the consequences of that decision and give the rent for one month minus the days it took to fix the boiler.

As for the rest, I think you're a complete nutter for doing your first and only rental property 250 miles away from where you live, maybe it's a situation you find yourselves in rather that choose.  In your shoes, I'd sell and invest in property local to where you live.

Hope these thoughts help.

Good afternoon Jeremy, Thanks for your respond.
Your suggestion 'In your shoes, I'd sell and invest in property local to where you live'.
I am thinking 'for sale' the property but how can I sort out the current problem? the letting agent ignored my e-mail. She asked me to sign the terminated contract. now I afraid the property value will be decreasing, because the property interior got some mark, tears and some damaged, it need repainting and repairing before 'sale on the market'. but I have no more extra £.

My builder did a new refurbishment in the property before, and he installed the new boiler. but he disagreed to paying the bills for £650.
and he said the tenants can do anythings and claim for the cost and free to stay at the property. who knows? I am not legal brain. so it is hard to talk with the builder. the tenant stayed in local hotel for 5 days £450, after the full outstanding invoice I agreed with that, another £450 is for the tenants cost, and then the tenants claim for unsafe to stay £1050' rent. They ignored the council tax registration from the first moved in, I paid for 3 months council tax, after then I chase the letting agent everyday, she forced to did it herself  and filled in the tenant details. but it's not useful because another 2 months the tenants unpaid rent, I paid the letting agent a full management X12 months 12% I paid half years and I asked the letting agent sent a 14 days notice letters to the tenant for leaving the property. 

Now my point is how come the tenants can stole all my furniture's in my property, damaged the front gate, not returns all keys and gate remote control, also damaged the locked stole my personal belonging items in the garden and interior store room? How come the local police can't help with that? This is a 'thief'. I got the inventory check out report too. Right now the letting agent want me to sign for terminated? What can I do in the next? Anyone can advice? Anyone can point me in the right direction?? I am really unlucky one; I found a worse agent and tenants. This is my first sadly experienced, now I realised that renting out the property is 'UNSAFE'. because I am lived in 250 miles far.

Last week I met the letting agency, I had filmed the letting agent, the police face, and talking for future evidences, but the letting agent stop me immediately for illegal, this is human right, the police and the letting agent asked me 'deleted' in front of them. the police says you are filming in wrong position. any advice for this too? in fact, I want to share all my experienced on media and public on youtube for real time and real life.

Hello vbpaul,

If you have no more extra £ then you will need to sell at a lower price because it needs re-decoration.  I'm really sorry to say this vbpaul, because it's not very rational, but there's something about the way you write which makes me think the most important people in the lettings busines (the agent and the tenant) have both taken you for a ride and it's due to you: You have an aura of "muggins" about you.  Irrational analsis by me, I know but there we are.  If you really want to stay being a landlord then can I suggest:
+ Sell your 250-miles-away property
+ Lick your financial wounds.
+ Use the experience to learn about the pitfalls of being a landlord and come back stonger
+ Buy somewhere local then you can use local agents and tradesmen who have to offer you a good service because they rely upon local reputation to stay in business.

As matter of fact,
My wife and I decided to move to London for our future life, maybe 2 years after.
And we also are looking for an investment business there.

Once I purchased the property in London, and I lived in North Lincolnshire, 250 miles far.
I had spent a lot of money for the renovation, decoration and the best furniture's, and put a lot of heart, love and energy in this house.
At first, I do not think to rent out the property for everyone. It's just because I don't always stay in the house up to 2 years long. But twice Christmas holiday will stay here for 3 days. We are very thanks to god and happy to got everything's for my hard work. My dream is became reality.
In that time, I received many letters of the letting agency, and 'Maxwell agency call me so many times to advice me for let, good advance to go forward, but everything's changed once I got my wrong decision and believe to the bad letting agency. Now, I am still got strongly hurt. It's very difficult to write in very long stories. Now I realised that, the bad and inexperienced letting agency will make you fail.

Right now, my wife and I've changed my mind; we decided to sell the property. And do not think to move in the area.
Terrible letting agents Behaviour, mistreatment, Harassment, THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE MONEY, not responsibility.