Nightmare New Tennants in Flat - HELP!!

Greenr

Hi all

Some advice would be greatly appreciated...

I live in a block of 12 flats (and run the Management Company with a couple of others). Most of the flats are owner occupied apart from 2. Two new tennants moved into one of the rented flats about three weeks ago and they have been an absolute nightmare:

1) constant banging of doors, shoulting at all hours
2) constantly drunk and hanging about so very intimidating
3) keep leaving entrance doors open/unlocked
4) they jump over a 6 foot fence to get out/in of the back garden generally after dark
5)notorious criminals have been seen coming and going
6)one of the tennants has been arrested (but obviously released) whilst living here
7)post has suddently started being opened/stolen (were tightening up security)

i have writtent to the owner of the flat but he doesn't seem to care. residents are feeling generally scared.

does anyone know what we can do? It's a difficult situation as we have to live in the same building as them...

thanks

EliteHeat

Even asbos have to have somewhere to live.

Debras_Angel

Hi R,

I've PM'd you.

Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble!

That was really helpful Elite:rolleyes:

Premier_2

Greenr wrote:

1) constant banging of doors, shoulting at all hours

Refer to the lease agreement. Even the LL as the leaseholder could be held responsible if his tenants are breaching the terms of the lease agreement.

Greenr wrote:

2) constantly drunk and hanging about so very intimidating

Being drunk in their own home is not an offense. If you are really being intimidated by them, whether they are drunk or not, call the police

Greenr wrote:

3) keep leaving entrance doors open/unlocked

Is there any requirement in the lease about ensuring the doors are always kept closed? If not, then perhaps you should approach the management company about fitting automatic door closers and locks that automatically activate on closure

Greenr wrote:

4) they jump over a 6 foot fence to get out/in of the back garden generally after dark

So? If their actions causes damage then they can be held resposnible for that specific damage.

Greenr wrote:

5)notorious criminals have been seen coming and going

And? Are these people currently wanted by the police? If so, call the police. If not think about moving.

Greenr wrote:

6)one of the tennants has been arrested (but obviously released) whilst living here

...and these issues started out so well!
Why do you have a problem with someone being arrested?

Greenr wrote:

7)post has suddently started being opened/stolen (were tightening up security)

Any increase in security measures is probably a good idea.
Not sure how it relates to the above though?
Could the post be going missing because the doors are left open? If so another reason to take the action I proposed in (3) above.
You could always arrange to have the post retained at your local sorting office so that you collect it in person if you can't discover why it is going missing.

Greenr

Thanks for that. If anyone else could offer some advice or has been in a similar situation, please let me know.

Greenr

Premier wrote: »

Refer to the lease agreement. Even the LL as the leaseholder could be held responsible if his tenants are breaching the terms of the lease agreement.

If the LL is responsible what do we do? would it mean taking him to court?

Being drunk in their own home is not an offense. If you are really being intimidated by them, whether they are drunk or not, call the police
most of the residents seem to worried to call the police but i'm presuming their names wouldn't be mentioned?

Is there any requirement in the lease about ensuring the doors are always kept closed? If not, then perhaps you should approach the management company about fitting automatic door closers and locks that automatically activate on closure
Yes the lease states that doors are to stay shut. I am part of the magement company. the back door is a fire exit with a push bar but even so, they'd put something against it to keep it open i'm sure

So? If their actions causes damage then they can be held resposnible for that specific damage. these kinds of people wouldn't take likely to us knocking on their door regarding damage...

And? Are these people currently wanted by the police? If so, call the police. If not think about moving. I don't know if they're wanted but i wouldn't want to be the person responsible for 'dobbing' them in if they are well known criminals!

...and these issues started out so well!
Why do you have a problem with someone being arrested?
the police have been twice in the as many weeks - would you like to live in the same building as people like this??

Any increase in security measures is probably a good idea.
Not sure how it relates to the above though?
Could the post be going missing because the doors are left open? If so another reason to take the action I proposed in (3) above.
You could always arrange to have the post retained at your local sorting office so that you collect it in person if you can't discover why it is going missing.

we're in the process of making the post more secure by putting lockable boxes up. i work full time and wouldn't be able to pick the mail up everyday. Other answers are in the main text - I didn't know how to quote individual questions....

mlz1413

As your on the management company could you and the other members word a letter to the owner of the flat saying that if the tenants cause damage and do not pay for it that he as the owner will be held liable?

Also as part of the management co do you access to legal advise or a solicitor who works for you - I think it would be wise to find out what the management co can do within the terms of the lease.

As a resident I would start a diary of noise, intimidation and other complaints, recommend to the other flat owners to do the same thing and go through the normal channels - ie enviroment health and police, with such complaints.

You are not 'dobbing in' indiviuals if you are keeping a track of all problems. I would think if the new tenants realise the authorities are contacting them they may well move on.

Good luck, horrible neighbours can make your life hell so I hope they move on quickly and your flat owner is more responsible in future.

Greenr

mlz1413 wrote: »

As your on the management company could you and the other members word a letter to the owner of the flat saying that if the tenants cause damage and do not pay for it that he as the owner will be held liable?

Also as part of the management co do you access to legal advise or a solicitor who works for you - I think it would be wise to find out what the management co can do within the terms of the lease.

As a resident I would start a diary of noise, intimidation and other complaints, recommend to the other flat owners to do the same thing and go through the normal channels - ie enviroment health and police, with such complaints.

You are not 'dobbing in' indiviuals if you are keeping a track of all problems. I would think if the new tenants realise the authorities are contacting them they may well move on.

Good luck, horrible neighbours can make your life hell so I hope they move on quickly and your flat owner is more responsible in future.

Thanks for this. I have written a letter but the owner hasn't responded. I called our company solicitor but he's off sick today so i'll call him again first thing tomorrow...

I'll start keeping a diary of the noise - thanks for the suggestion. At least I'll have something to back me up!

lauzjp

Unfortunately unless you are at least a little well-off, you are going to get this sort of thing no matter where you live.

I'm a council tenant, so obviously have regular dealings with these sort of people - nothing will ever change, as the police are going off shift / it's not on the little list of things to do today / have they actually damaged anything / can you describe every little thing they are wearing / accurately guess an age at 50 paces / AND be willing to stand up in court, point the finger, then get said finger and many other things broken when the person gets lets off (for the tenth time) for whatever they're up to...

Premier_2

If you want to enforce any terms of the lease, yes it will mean going to court. I'm not sure what you can do about enforcing someone to close a door though? I suppose you might be lucky to get a judge to issue an order telling the tenants to close the doors (but then you'll probably moan about the noise won't you?). Probably my earlier suggestion would be better for the doors.

What does it suggest to you when the neighbours prefer to accept the actions of the tenants rather than calling the police?
Why don't you call the police?

You don't need to knock on anyones door if you have evidence they caused damage. Tell the management company and they will write to them or the leasholder.

You don't have to tell the person you've called the police. The police will not tell anyone they are already after who reported they were at the location. Just because they've commited a crime in the past does not mean they are not allowed to come & go as they please.

Nice the see the police are taking an active interest in the location and the tenants. If he's been arrested twice in as many weeks then chances are the police will find something to charge him with soon (if they've not already). Then, as long as it's good enough to have any chance of success in the eyes of the cps, it's up to the courts to decide on what action is to be taken.
If you don't like living there, move!

Welshwoofs

Personally I'd harness the power of the crowd.

The problem with anti-social idiots is you often find that, although everyone around them agrees 'something needs to be done', everyone is too intimidated to do anything on an individual basis.

So, I'd stick a note through the door of everyone bar the prats that you're holding a residents' meeting. At the residents' meeting agree that groups of people will approach the anti-socials to complain about their behaviour when it crops up.

With regards to jumping over the fence, get some security spikes on the top...that'll stop the !!!!!!s (or make them wish they hadn't..). Re the firedoor left open, get a webcam up on the wall and then you'll have evidence of who's doing it. Likewise, get a webcam trained on the post area...if you pick up someone thieving, get a group to go make a complaint to the police. If anything personal gets damaged and you can prove it's them, hammer the landlord with a small claim's court action... it won't get anywhere but the hassle may make him/her take some notice.

If they're really loud, get in environmental health people to measure the noise.

Good luck to you, I'd hate to be in that situation but there's been a lot of studies that very robust residents associations can turn things around, even on rough estates.

As for the person who said that ASBOs have to live somewhere......not if I were dictator they wouldn't. Stalin would have nothing on me