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Whats the worst that can happen

Started by carlybell, December 30, 2013, 10:41:58 AM

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carlybell

I have a tenant in my property who is DSS.
She has broken a number of the terms of her contract - late payments 3 out of the 4 months she has been in, but only by a few days max.
Noisy and nuisance calls
she is an award of the social services and her partner has an anti social behaviour award - so a term in the contract was that he was not allowed in the property - I have had some of my item (left in the loft) stolen. My kids toys etc.

I can not prove any of this and she now tells me that at the end of the contract its unlikely she will leave as the council have not found her anything yet.

She has had a £250 discount based on the fact that she is my ex partners neice and had hit hard times so I wanted to help her out.
Repairs need doing to the property(my responsibility) but I do not have any money to do them.

I am being threated by her parents with legal action.

I intend to serve a section 8 due to her breaking the terms and was going to change the locks and remove her belongings if she was not out by the time the section 8 states. I know this is not the legal route but can anyone tell me whats the worst that can happen ? Please help me, its a good turn gone very bad.

Riptide

Quote from: carlybell on December 30, 2013, 10:41:58 AM
I have a tenant in my property who is DSS.
She has broken a number of the terms of her contract - late payments 3 out of the 4 months she has been in, but only by a few days max.
Noisy and nuisance calls
she is an award of the social services and her partner has an anti social behaviour award - so a term in the contract was that he was not allowed in the property - I have had some of my item (left in the loft) stolen. My kids toys etc.

I can not prove any of this and she now tells me that at the end of the contract its unlikely she will leave as the council have not found her anything yet.

She has had a £250 discount based on the fact that she is my ex partners neice and had hit hard times so I wanted to help her out.
Repairs need doing to the property(my responsibility) but I do not have any money to do them.

I am being threated by her parents with legal action.

I intend to serve a section 8 due to her breaking the terms and was going to change the locks and remove her belongings if she was not out by the time the section 8 states. I know this is not the legal route but can anyone tell me whats the worst that can happen ? Please help me, its a good turn gone very bad.

Well it's a criminal offence so start from there and elaborate

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/eviction/harassment_and_illegal_eviction_by_landlord/illegal_eviction

Problem 1 - DSS tenant - could have mitigated some problems in the first place

Problem 2 - Personal items left at property and now missing - only one person who's responsible for that I.e you.  Shouldn't have been left there.

Problem 3 - Helping someone out and getting screwed over, not the first time, definitely won't be the last.  Don't mix business with personal.

Why are the parents threatening with court?

boboff

Mate if you can't afford to repair it, then you have to sell it.

If its not up to scratch then the discount could also be considered a discount for slum rather than son.

I don't agree with riptide on the belongings, although I am sure legally he may well be right, but if it was locked up, and specifically excluded from the tenancy agreement, then it is theft, in my mind, if not the law.

You need to get out the mess the quickest way, best way is to sit down and talk with them, forget notices etc at the moment, just be patient though, and try and get as much rent as you can, and look at way to do the repairs cheaper and sooner, so that can not be an issue

Riptide

I wasn't saying that they deserved to have the things go missing or that it's right to steal them but if they weren't there in the first place then it couldn't have happened.  It's a bit like another thread on here where the tenants have broken a £500 mirror.

boboff

£500 for a mirror! Wow thats not Rich Dad Poor Dad that at all, agreed!

I suppose the loft things boils down to coulda shoulda woulda, I was defensive obviously as I left a load of stuff in a loft for nearly 10 years! It was all my ex Wifes Childhood memory boxes, and our wedding photos! They never bloody nicked them! (tbf I have now moved them to the garage at the property! But only down to me getting some cheap insulation, and whacking down about 6 ft deep of the stuff)

Riptide

Quote from: boboff on January 02, 2014, 08:09:13 AM
£500 for a mirror! Wow thats not Rich Dad Poor Dad that at all, agreed!

I suppose the loft things boils down to coulda shoulda woulda, I was defensive obviously as I left a load of stuff in a loft for nearly 10 years! It was all my ex Wifes Childhood memory boxes, and our wedding photos! They never bloody nicked them! (tbf I have now moved them to the garage at the property! But only down to me getting some cheap insulation, and whacking down about 6 ft deep of the stuff)

Twas here Bob!

https://www.landlordforumproject.co.uk/landlord-advice-help/broken-item-thrown-away/