Scary Mary stalker

bambammy

The call is coming from inside the house :eek:

I've a 4 bedroom I advertised for rental. First placed it on gumtree in April, stating it would be ready to rent in June.

I had this women with 5 kids ( one who has autism ) who wouldn't take no for an answer back in April. The young women I spoke to said....for instance......
"We live in a private rent just now and just spent a lot of money on it, we've installed a new kitchen and converted the loft"....Lied about her OH name and age. One minute he was 34yrs, towards the end of the call he was 32yr old.

What she was stating didn't ring true and I politely stated this, and that I would not be considering her as the new tenant ( she constantly kept emailing and ringing )

Advertised it again last week in the local paper, making arrangements with the mature sounding couple I'd spoke with on the phone to view it....and low and behold...who turned up....The scary Mary women who I said no to in April.

Yesterday, I told her, I other other people to see and I would let her know if she was successful. ( unfortunately, no-one else has rang about renting it, except estate agents asking if I would be interested in them managing it) She hounded me the whole day with texts and calls stating she'd given her one month's notice into the council and trying the guilt trip saying she will now become homeless, when could she move in.

My current tenant in a seperate property, in my BTL is aware of who this couple is and she's informed me, that even though the 25yr d scary Mary is generally an ok person and her current 5 bedroom council house is in good standard, the 19yr old boyfriend is in and out of jail and the trouble he causes is the reason why she's trying to locate. She thinks a new start will make it all better.

Just as I was leaving the property yesterday after ignoring 20+ now harrassing text messages, the scary Mary couple draw into the street. I kept driving. I don't know what the 19yr boyfriend is capable of. She's still texting, emailing me under different addresses and won't accept or leave me be, that she's not the tenant i'm looking for.

It all became to much the calls and turning up trying to back me into a corner. So I lied, saying someone who viewed it last week has paid two months rent and I've given it to them.

My mum suggested renting out rooms contractors. But I'm livid that these muppets who won't take no for an answer can have such an effect that I'm concerned about advertising it again with being harrassed and won't get it rented out.

Any have any advice?

delain

You know your local council's housing department can put you in touch with tenants!

sooz

put the house on with an agency, & warn them about her.
she does sound scary, & none of the story rings true. I can't imagine why anyone would want to leave a 5 bed council house to move into a smaller private rental.

Jowo_2

Sorry, just to double check, are you saying that the person you've rejected from the tenancy is actually inside your rental property at the moment without your knowledge and permission?

sooz

Jowo wrote: »

Sorry, just to double check, are you saying that the person you've rejected from the tenancy is actually inside your rental property at the moment without your knowledge and permission?

I think that is a reference to a horror film

Jowo_2

sooz wrote: »

I think that is a reference to a horror film

Oh, right, not a genre I'm familiar with, I just saw the statement 'The call is coming from inside the house' and assumed that the tenant had broken into the property after the landlord drove away, in which case they'd be dealing with a squatter.

If the tenancy hasn't been awarded and they are still being harassed, they should tell the scary tenants that the Police are being contacted and they contact the Police for advice on the harassment and false identities.

bambammy

I will look into that again, the council pass you to cyrenians who deal with it. And my experience them was not good. They were not to happy and started giving me a lecture when I rejected the possible tenant she sent . Stating I had no right to judge.

The guy she sent. Homeless for a twelve months, moved every 6 months, including schools with the two children. The mother of his two homeless children had the third child living with her, and he boasted that she was pregnant again, 7 months gone.
He also had two other kids , two different mothers, Stirling and in Fife.

I explained I felt uneasy that the man who has been homeless for over a year, yet the mother of his two homeless children is 7months pregnant.

Cyerians stated on the phone it was nothing to do with me and who was I to judge.

delain wrote: »

You know your local council's housing department can put you in touch with tenants!

bambammy

That did worry me yesterday. He's in and out of jail and I don't know what he's capable of.

When I left at 6pm, pulled over and observed. They'd arrived in the street, parked at my house for sometime before leaving. Only when I gave her a text that I knew she wanted to hear, did they go away from my house. Texted saying, I was driving at the moment and was late for work, but I would text her later.

Jowo wrote: »

'The call is coming from inside the house' and assumed that the tenant had broken into the property after the landlord drove away, in which case they'd be dealing with a squatter.
.

Jowo_2

If you are happy for LHA/HB claimants then you should choose them with as much care as any other tenant and put them through all the standard thorough tenant screening checks.

You are not a branch of social services and you may select whom you wish for the property so long as you don't break the discrimination laws so its a shame that the Cyrenians are making you feel judgemental when in fact, you are supposed to be!. Landlords run a business while social landlords do it because of social obligations. It's a shame they are confusing the two.

Stop justifying yourself to them and providing feedback on your decisions - tell them that the candidate is not suitable without elaborating and simply move on. If you get tenants with a chaotic lifestyle, the chances of having a smooth tenancy are low.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/tenant_screening.htm

Here is a forum chock full of scare stories about landlords who've handed over keys to unsuitable tenants and rue the day, plus it has handy hints and tips on how to minimise risks relating to the LHA/HB tenants.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=18

Jowo_2

One potential sign of being a poor tenant is not having their 6 month initial contract renewed. I hope that you intend to take up references for all previous landlords as part of your screening process and a condition of it, in order to understand why the tenancies have not continued.

PS, as you may be aware, local council's will not house homeless tenants who have made themselves intentionally homeless. Among this category are those who were evicted for arrears when they could have paid rent but did not. Local Housing allowance is paid directly to tenants and there are always a small proportion who do not pass it onto the landlord to pay their rent. Another category is when they've been evicted because of because of behaviour on their part.

I am wondering why the tenants you've been sent are strong candidates for social housing so why is it that the local authority aren't housing them but are keeping them in the private sector? Is it because there is a critical shortage of social housing in your area or is it because their past behaviour means that the council won't house them.

benjo

If you know this womans address, I would be tempted to write to her, thanking her for the interest she showed in your property, but firmly declining a tenancy agreement, wish her luck in her housing search and be sorry that you cannot help her any further. Im gonna be generous to her and suggest that perhaps she is so thick skinned she hasnt understood the word NO, ultimately that isnt your problem, however having it in black and white might get her off your back and if it doesnt..........

Keep a copy of the letter you send and a diary of any further texts, contacts, stalking etc and be prepared to drop it in the lap of the police if it continues - you are being harrassed and bullied by this.

In any further advertising you could perhaps insert the 'previous applicants need not reapply' - I would hope this isnt viewed as discriminatory, since it isnt aimed at exluding people based on race, age, sex etc - you are merely aiming not to waste peoples time, you have the details already of those interested - they dont need to apply again, you would contact any suitable tenants and inform them that the property is available.