Tenants didn't pay the rent

clearmydebts

I have rented out my flat as I moved to another area. I rent now myself. I use an agency and my OH rang them today as the rental money hadn't been lodged. They looked up the system and said 'Oh, they never paid it'. They then said that they would check out what had been done to chase this up. They didn't ring back but we will ring them toorrow.

Am so !!!!ed off. And annoyed that the agnecy didn't inform us (they should have paid the money in on the 1st) and am upset as we have no money to pay credit cards until OH gets paid next week so we will have to pay late fees.

Has anyone any advice or gone through this?

Doozergirl

clearmydebts wrote: »

Am so !!!!ed off. And annoyed that the agnecy didn't inform us (they should have paid the money in on the 1st) and am upset as we have no money to pay credit cards until OH gets paid next week so we will have to pay late fees.

I know it's rubbish but if you have capacity on the credit cards, then even with the ridiculous interest rate, it would be better to withdraw some money in cash from your cc to pay into your bank account to pay the minimum amount.

If the tenant did pay the money in on the 1st then it wouldn't clear in your account until yesterday. Obviously it's not there now, but I wouldn't expect it in your account on the 1st in general.

PasturesNew

It depends what happens. You need to hear what the agent says first.

Could be a number of reasons:
- they didn't think it was important
- they genuinely forgot and will be horrified when reminded
- bank mistake
- they've done a flit
- they've gone onto housing benefit and now expect you to wait for it (2 months or more)
- they've no intention of paying you, ever, sue them

Here are some other landlord stories:
1] http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=782197
2] http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=887543
3] http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1985710.mum_trashes_325_000_home/

clearmydebts

Thanks for that. Will do that re: credit cards.

The rent always arrives in our account on the 3rd or 4th but the agency told us today that they hadn't even paid through the agency. What annoys me is the fact that the agency would have known on the 31st/1st that the money didn't come through and they said nothing.

I am trying my hardest to get the debts down and then the tenants do this. Am so upset. I rented for 7 years and never did this to a landlord. Fed up.

clearmydebts

It does seem dodgy as the agency obviously tried to ring them and heard nothing from them. Maybe it is a bank mistake. I don't have a good feeling about it though.

Old_Git

how where they suppose to pay the agent ? Was it by direct debit .cheque or cash ?

clearmydebts

I presume it was direct debit but it was the agency that sorted that out so not 100% sure

Old_Git

clearmydebts wrote: »

I presume it was direct debit but it was the agency that sorted that out so not 100% sure

right this has happened to me twice .My DD was set up wrong (1 number out ) but it meant the DD bounced . The first time I didn't no until Alliance & Leicester wrote to me .The second time I had online banking and knew the day the payment should have gone out .

tbs624

Have you checked what your contract with the LA says about late rent payments from tenants & notification periods ?

When did the LA last do an inspection of the property?

clearmydebts

All their previous payments went in so don't think it could be a digit missing.

The tenants are private renters (through an agency) so not through LA.

neverdespairgirl

clearmydebts wrote: »

It does seem dodgy as the agency obviously tried to ring them and heard nothing from them. Maybe it is a bank mistake. I don't have a good feeling about it though.

Don't panic. Our rent was late once, and we pay by DD. Despite it having gone through every month like clockwork for nearly a year, one month's payment vanished into the abyss and it had to be traced by the bank.

Oh, and we were on holiday as well! It does happen.