Something fishy with my landlord....

LondonGirl08

(LONG! SORRY!)

So I've lived in my flat for over three years. And in that three years my landlord has been an ok guy. Sometimes he does slightly dodgy things that annoy me but nothing too bad.

He's always been right on it when it comes to rent and if you have trouble paying he always sends a text saying "I have not received this months rent blah blah blah" and says to let him know if you're having trouble etc. Also in the entire time that I have lived here I have never had a rent increase.


Anyway a few months ago he gutted the flat and changed the living room into another bedroom which he justified by not putting my rent up, giving me a brand new redecorated room and a tumble dryer. All was well.

Then after the tumble dryer came in and new tenants moved in everything was good. Cut to August and my birthday, he says new tenant hasn't paid deposit and nicely gets the cheque from them (they were waiting for the cheque book to arrive). I tell him I have paid my rent (as I have... at that point) and he says "brilliant thanks etc".

Few days later I go out and have a good time and strangely have a few extra quid in my account. My dad said he was going to pay me some money in for my birthday so yay, drunk.

Few days later I look online and realise that it's actually my rent that has bounced back into my account as I sent it to his old account (Which has recently closed....) thus I'm out of pocket (for the splurging I thought was courtesy of my dad) and quietly wait for him to say something.

Time passes by.... he says nothing. VERY STRANGE. Landlord may have 40 odd buildings in the capital but he NEVER, EVER, EVER misses a payment. Not for a second. I pay next month's rent and nothing has been said.

Cut to last week. One of the new guys who moved in was promised room with all bills inclusive. Very nice for him, shame all bills are in my name. Anyway attempt to get ahold of landlord and he doesn't contact. Thus I deduct these bills from my rent and send him a text specifying each deduction with receipts to prove it in my person. He leaves me a voicemail saying that's all brilliant etc. Then nothing.

Then it gets odder. All four of my flatmates haven't paid their rent yet. Their rent is nearly a month overdue. He has made absolutley no attempt to contact ANY of them. Like me, as we are all pretty much broke are waiting for him to get in touch but it's just really REALLY odd for someone who just spent a fortune decking out a soon to be demolished building.

Then we started getting letters. They have his name on and are from the London Court's Service, a CCJ from the water board (one was addressed to me and I rang to say I don't pay for the water and they amended it). Letters from the council etc.

I'm moving out pretty soon due to my own financial hardship at the moment however something REALLY isn't sitting right at the moment. I have been in contact with him briefly but nothing that gave anything away. Given we are in a credit crunch and financially things are looking bad as is, you think someone would notice if over £1k didn't go into your account, particularly as he is an ACCOUNTANT?

Any ideas what's going on? I don't want to call him, it's not my place and although I didn't pay the rent the other month it was attempted in good faith and would quite happily pay him the month I owe if need be.

My flatmates and I reckon he's involved with some sort of legal/financial trouble and maybe the IR or someone are trawling/freezing his accounts.


OK... essay over, if you can read all of that you deserve a medal. If you read all of that and then can answer you deserve a knighthood!

frank.hopper

!!!!!!, pass me a knife to cut my wrists, you could talk the hind legs off a donkey!:D



Who can really say, dodgy time for LLs in the capital, with falling rents etc, get out quick he might be an ACCOUNTANT for HBOS or RBS.



SIR FRANK HOPPER

silvercar

If he was in financial trouble, he would be on your case for the missing rent.

More likely he has bigger worries than your rent at the moment, so hasn't made contact.

Or he is lying on a beach somewhere, relaxing while the markets sort themselves out and hasn't thought about your missing rent.

Premier_2

Just mark any correspondence addressed to someone that does not live at your address as "moved away", "not known at this address", "no longer at this address", etc. and pop back in the post unopened. No stamp required.

Right, what's left?

mrs_deadline

Sounds like you already have a shrewd idea of what's going down. Good idea to start looking for somewhere less dodgy. Don't forget final readings on the meters and bills back in his name before you go.

mlz1413

londongirl08 as you have documented everything you have paid I would stop worrying about your LL's life, you need to make sure you have given the correct notice, your inventory is in order when you leave and you written to all the utilties you pay to ensure you are not responsible after you move out.

Ensure how your deposit will be repaid and how long it will take (read your contract first it probably says in there how long the LL has to repay). If it's with DPS ensure you log on and start the reclaiming process.

Your LL may have won the lottery and not care about day to day living, he maybe in deep trouble, but you can't do anything about it and as your about to leave just be grateful your going. If you were staying then you may have to get involved, but your not staying your leaving. You also have no responsiblities to your flatmates apart from friendship, ensure they know when you leave your taking your name off the bills but apart from that do not get involved in who or how the bills are paid - your leaving its not your problem.