Tenant suspected of drug dealing

zzzLazyDaisy

tbs624 wrote: »

In your sig you describe yourself as a retired employment lawyer - did you often use *US* law references when you were at work ?;)

No. Well spotted. That's a mistake (had a glass of wine when I did the search, sorry ). I'm not a housing lawyer, hence my suggestion that OP contact a LL association for advice. But I am aware that landlords can be prosecuted for drugs offences on their property. I still think a quick call to an advice line would be in order, but I guess that's because I'm a lawyer....

jeffbadger

Hi all,
Thanks very much for all your help with this, you've all put my mind at rest somewhat! I've contacted the professional landlord association and have been speaking to my LA about this, they seem to think it's most likely a peeved neighbour so I will wait until we have any more indications that something is awry.
Again, a big thank you, much appreciated!

Tassotti

It does sound like a peeved neighbour, who got disturbed one night when your tenant was celebrating something...Call the tenant and have a 'chat'. See if there was a special occasion happening.

If there was say that this is fine, but don't do it every weekend please (which they probably won't)

Just busy bodies I suspect :mad:

Mips

jeffbadger wrote: »

Inspected the property myself a fortnight ago - it's absolutely immaculate, no signs of anything untoward and definitely not being sublet (or being hidden very well).

I'm not in contact with my neighbours - house in Liverpool, I'm in London so tricky for me to get back up. Will try and arrange something soon to head back up.

As far as legal liability goes, I was under the impression that I was only at risk if I knew of any drug dealing and failed to act - not quite sure how I can act based on one unsubstantiated complaint through my agent, or am I wrong about this?

LOL you're not my neighbours landlord are you? New build flats... on the Wirral.. close to the Sea?

sharkie

I'd ask the neighbours if the 'drug trade' is still continuing and if they willing to talk to the police. If they are willing, I would have words wit the tenant and tell him what you have heard (not from whom you have heard it) and that the police are now involved and they should expect to be undersurveillance and possibly raided. This will hopefully give the the willies and make them move very quickly.

You do not want police breaking down your door and ripping your place apart, or/and keeping it as a crime scene for months on end with no rent comming in.

silverchair

jeffbadger wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought they would make this stuff up but neither would I have pegged our tenant as a drug-running party animal!
What is slightly strange is she's been in for 8 months now and this is the first instance of it - seems a bit off to me.

It might be that the neighbours have put up with it for that long thinking that the tenant might eventually move out or it might eventually quieten down & then couldnt take it anyomre so eventually called the police.

When I lived above what seemed to be a nice cafe they started to hire it out as a night club. Really loud music during the week & weekend. Started at 10-11pm & finished at about 4-5. I was a wreck for work.

We put up with it for a few weeks thinking that it will evetually end, but obviously didnt. The police dont deal with loud music so we called the environmental health people. This was a real bother as they needed to come into the rooms to hear the music. So Im ringing them a 2am Im obviously in my PJs trying to sleep & then have 2 environmental health officer (blokes) that I didnt know in my bedroom which was really uncomfortable.

Every time they were called nothing improved. There used to be lots of fights in the car park behind us due to too much alcohol consumption from the night club. When I mean fight I mean people being threatened with broken bottles. Sometimes I'd ring the police sometimes I wouldnt bother. The police would then look for the broken bottles/ stabbing weapons.
Really awful.

My point is that 1) The guy that ran these parties seemed nice & presentable
2) The above info was never passed on to the actual Landlord

I had called LL own agency (not LA) to complain about what was happening, but this was never passed on (found this out when I moved out).

It takes a lot of time phoning LA, LL, Environmental Health officers, making a diary etc. When in your free time you dont want to think about this rubbish.

If your tenant is having loud parties dont let the neighbours have to suffer this

Tassotti

okay, a bit of undercover surveying may be in order.

Drive past at 1 oclock on a Friday and Saturday night (if you can be arsed) for 6 weeks and see if there is anything untoward.