Bully boy letting agent - advice please

Milliebert

Hi lovely people,

A bit of background before I get to the nitty gritty.

My partner and I moved into our privately rented home 2.5 years ago, he gave up private rental elsewhere and I gave up a council house. Love the cottage, although they do no repairs etc. Anyway...

We are at fault at the moment. No excuses, but we haven't paid the rent which was due on Boxing Day. (Please bear in mind that there have been holiday days and weekends in this time) but we are now 16 days late. We are planning to pay it on Monday. We paid it late once before, it was due on a Friday and the LL was on the phone shouting at me on the Saturday morning! Anyway, at 20.30 this evening, the letting agent knocked on the door to discuss non-payment. I got my partner who explained we'd pay it on Monday. He asked why we have ignored all contact from them and that they've rung us numerous times. They haven't, they've called once yesterday and left a message. He kept saying they had, I kept saying they hadn't, he said "we have procedures, do you understand?" In the end I said I understood perfectly, that he was standing at my door calling me a liar. He was rude, and wouldn't let me speak, eventually saying madam, shut up and let me speak. I said no, you're at MY door, you shut up until I've finished when you will have the chance to reply. He did. I showed him the call registers on my phones - like I said, I know we're late but I won't be called a liar. Anyway, to continue, he said let me explain what happens on Monday if you don't pay... under section 8 we will take possession of the property!

Now he didn't say section 8 of what, but I assume that's a Housing Act? Can he speak to us like that? I know we're in the wrong, I know we have to pay the rent and like I said I make no excuse for not paying it yet, but can he evict us that quickly?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Millie x

ciano125

Although I don't know the answer to your question, and as you say, you should have already paid the rent, I'd just tell him to go b0ll0cks, and make sure you pay it lol!!

copier_guy

Sounds like an ar*e!!

I think you have to be 2 months in arrears before any attempt to evict you can be looked at. Its not a quick process at all and could take months.

Did you pay a deposit 2.5 years ago? if so has it been protected?

Milliebert

ciano125 wrote: »

Although I don't know the answer to your question, and as you say, you should have already paid the rent, I'd just tell him to go b0ll0cks, and make sure you pay it lol!!

That made me laugh! Lol... I almost did, my OH told me to get away from the door in case I made it worse! Thanks for putting a smile back on my face x

Milliebert

copier_guy wrote: »

Sounds like an ar*e!!

I think you have to be 2 months in arrears before any attempt to evict you can be looked at. Its not a quick process at all and could take months.

Did you pay a deposit 2.5 years ago? if so has it been protected?

Deposit paid to that central place, can't remember without digging out the file but yes it is protected, does that make a difference?

Morgan_Ree

Did you contact the agent at anytime to say you'd be paying it on Monday?

DVardysShadow

Milliebert wrote: »

Deposit paid to that central place, can't remember without digging out the file but yes it is protected, does that make a difference?

Just something we check with every tenant. Some if not all notices to quite are invalid if the deposit is not protected.

As to your primary problem, you do have the right to quiet enjoyment of the property while your tenancy lasts. Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but even if it is about debt, you can send the agent packing. In your position I would send a letter, noting the visit and the general tone and insisting that they only contact you in writing from now on. Keep a copy. And if he turns up again, shut the door on him.

Oh and do manage your finances so that rent comes before festivities.

cyberbob

Yes he sounds like an idiot. But as you say your 16 days late surely the intelligent thing to do would have been to contact them first as you have had a couple of weeks and it could have saved you from someone knocking on your door

Also I cannot believe you gave up a council property to go into private rent. As someone who spent the past 10 years in private rent and is now in a council property there is no way I would go back to private letting

Fire_Fox

I'm not sure what the problem is, you sounded like you handled yourself just fine. It won't happen again because you won't pay your rent late again will you? You are more than sixteen days late, your rent will have been due to be with them in cleared funds by Boxing day, which means you should have paid your rent in cash on the 24th December (nineteen days ago, ten of which were normal weekdays).

Morgan_Ree

cyberbob wrote: »

Also I cannot believe you gave up a council property to go into private rent. As someone who spent the past 10 years in private rent and is now in a council property there is no way I would go back to private letting

Why is it so unbelievable??
I gave up a council house to private rent and there's no way I'd ever want to go back!

cyberbob

Morgan_Ree wrote: »

Why is it so unbelievable??
I gave up a council house to private rent and there's no way I'd ever want to go back!

I find it quite unbelievable due to the lack of security with a private let. I know I could stay in my present house for life if I want. The High rents (our last one was over 1 and half times our present rent). The last house we had we had a 2 year fixed lease and there is the stress at the back end of every lease whether they will renew it or not The amount of harassment we got from landlords. Being unable to do basic decoration in a house without permission that can be refused. A couple of times we were ripped off regarding our deposit ( I know deposits are now central but they weren't when we were).

I am just happy to be out of that. I know private lets can suit some peoples life styles if they wish to move much but generally in my opinion I think your much worse off