UK Landlord Forum / Life

HI,

This is my first post and I am a relatively new LL. The flush system in the toilet has stopped working I have fixed it because I was not sure if it was one of the things I am supposed to do.

Hello... it's your first post, but not your first question... more of an announcement. In response I am gonna say - "well done".

Sorry, I thought I was asking if it was a job I am required to do?

Er,yes,you do have a responsibility regarding sanitation.Even if you did not,the possible consequences of just leaving it do not bear thinking about! Check your lease for the landlord's legal duties.

Er, Heavykarma. As I said I am a relatively new LL and still trying to find my feet. The reason I asked because the fruit loop is costing me in call out charges when there is nothing wrong with a so-called problem. I had a service done on the boiler as she said it was making loud noises. The chap went out to look at it and could find nothing wrong with it. The very next day she said the pump had gone on the boiler. He went out and looked at it - the pump was working fine. She said the same thing the next day plumber one refused to go back due to her attitude. Plumber number 2 went out declared everything fine. She called back the next day plumber 2 went back out everything was fine. Both plumbers have refused to go back while she is living there. Do I have to keep sending people out like this?

You did not mention any of this in your first post.Assume you are managing the place yourself? Do you live close enough to call and check before calling people out? I think I would be sending a letter,keeping a copy.Say that if she feels there is a problem,she can call someone out herself.If they confirm that something is indeed faulty,and it comes under your responsibilities,she can send the invoice to you (having paid it first) for reimbursement.Might make her think twice! Looking ahead,I think I would be issuing 21 at earliest opportunity. 

Quote from: Knights Templar on August 20, 2018, 02:11:14 PM
Sorry, I thought I was asking if it was a job I am required to do?

Sorry, I was pointing out you didn't ask anything.

Agree with HK.  If you feel pestered and they're taking the pee issue a section 21 and change tenants.

Quote from: Knights Templar on August 20, 2018, 02:11:14 PM
Sorry, I thought I was asking if it was a job I am required to do?

Nope, that definitely was not a question. But High Five on the repair 

Hi guys, sorry I am just a bit fraught at the moment, yes I am managing it myself, tried to get a management company to take the property on without going into detail they said due to checks they would not have taken her on as a tenant. The woman living there now was a friend of my last tenant who was a colleague at work. I have just re-signed her on a 6 month AST. The cooker broke down on 26th July so I had Currys deliver a new one. When they went to install they said the property had reversed polarity. I contacted the Electricity supplier ENW and they came out to check and said there was nothing wrong. She screamed down the phone at me because she did not think she should have to stay in for ENW I could not be there as I was away. After 4 days of phone calls, Currys said could not deliver it for almost a week and a half. She said she could get her brother to do it as he is a sparky. Three days later she was back screaming at me because she could not get hold of her brother and she was not going to wait any longer and that I would now have to get someone install it ASAP. Within 5 minutes she was demanding to know when someone was coming. Then said don't bother she would arrange it and invoice me. From then on she has blocked my phone calls and text (she would never give me an email address). I managed to get a company to go check the wiring and they agreed to install it a few days later. The problem I have now got is that she is now not paying her rent. She screamed so much abuse at me down the phone and sent such abusive and insulting text that I was in such a bad state at work they sent me home the other day. I don't think I am a bad LL when she first moved in she got caught with Universal credit and I had to let her off paying rent for several weeks. Because she did not have a lot of money when she first moved in let her off with a hundred pounds of her rent as it was Christmas and she has a little lad. She has been late several time paying but just by a few days. If a job has needed doing it has been done. She is only into her first month of the contract so I guess I have a long way to go. Any advice would be really appreciated.

This is going to be brutal.

Weather the storm until you are in a position to evict - then evict with a Section 21. Choose your next Tenant with a little more circumspection and, possibly, contemplate management.

Or... alternatively, do the first part of the above recommendation and then sell-up. It seems, to me, like you aren't due this amount of hassle for what must be very little reward - unless you have grand designs on growing as a Landlord, maybe it's time to say you dipped your toe in the water and decided it was waaaaay too cold for your liking.

Do not allow this Tenant to stay longer than is absolutely necessary, do not think you will get things back on track at this stage. This has gone too far already, now we have more detail about the screeching down the phone and blocking you, it is necessary to re-take control and do the only thing you can - evict and ASAP. Do not worry about her situation; she has brought it on herself, and her offspring (who is blameless - but that doesn't mean you are to blame for making him homeless).

Once you have made the decision to evict her and get shot, in your head, everything will become easier... because you know, at some stage, there will be an end to it.

The advice above is not brutal.It is just common sense.I groaned when I read that you had actually given her another 6 months...oh dear!  You are not a social worker.She sounds deeply unpleasant,not your problem.Serve 21 at the earliest opportunity,brace yourself for lies and manipulation.Get her out.You have broken cardinal rules,let to a colleague,then to a friend of a friend.False economy.Good Luck.