two lodgers now asked to leave as refuse to pay rent

lindalou1

Money_maker wrote: »

I wouldnt do this as a paper trail would be better. Photocopy everything - particularly the postal order if you pay them by this method. Also ensure it's crossed so it has to be paid through a bank account.

How is the other lodgers relationship with them? She wouldnt 'lend' them her keys, would she or is she aware of the problems? How about letting them into the house?

She is a nice girl and staying neutral. She obviously built up a housemate friendship (as I did too, even lent one of them noney when she lost her purse and made a house xmas dinner for us all!!)with the girls but understands my position as landlord.

So no feel secure that she would not do this... Very aware of what has gone on.

bitsandpieces

lindalou1 wrote: »

They are demanding a breakdown of bills too.

That's fair enough - and you'll need to do one anyway, to calculate deductions. Even if they haven't been reasonable, no reason why you shouldn't be.

G_M

lindalou1 wrote: »

They are demanding a breakdown of bills too.
Locksmith been and gone £56 -will deduct from deposit!

A breakdown is only fair. Wait for the bills to come in, or call and ask for interim bills, then calculate their share, deduct and add it to the breakdown.

I wouldn't send it to employer. You can't be sure they haven't resigned/will receive it.

If text is the only way to communicate, do nothing. Wait for their next text. Then reply "this is my final text. I will only communicate in writing by post from now. Please forward address and I will send deposit and breakdown as soon as bills are calculated. I repeat I will not respond to further texts.

Oh - does your door have a peephole? If they come to the house, don't let them in or open the door.

And be absolutely catagorical that your remaining lodger must do the same. No "Oh but they insisted - they said they'd left their teddy bear and just wanted to pick it up so I let them in...."

lindalou1

yes, i appreciate that but feel i am being good enough as I am the one out of money not them, it has suited them to move on without paying no rent this month and still get the deposit back.
And they demanded me to sign this letter they out together with their deductions just a bit cheeky( i did not sign anything from them!)... but yes, i will be reasonable but doing it through gritted teeth

lindalou1

G_M wrote: »

A breakdown is only fair. Wait for the bills to come in, or call and ask for interim bills, then calculate their share, deduct and add it to the breakdown.

I wouldn't send it to employer. You can't be sure they haven't resigned/will receive it.

If text is the only way to communicate, do nothing. Wait for their next text. Then reply "this is my final text. I will only communicate in writing by post from now. Please forward address and I will send deposit and breakdown as soon as bills are calculated. I repeat I will not respond to further texts.

Oh - does your door have a peephole? If they come to the house, don't let them in or open the door.

And be absolutely catagorical that your remaining lodger must do the same. No "Oh but they insisted - they said they'd left their teddy bear and just wanted to pick it up so I let them in...."

have sent last text but after that will take your advice...

ali-t

has any mail arrived for them in the last few days? If not they may have already asked royal mail to forward mail. If this is the case then you could send a cheque addressed to them at your address and it will get forwarded to them.

lindalou1

no mail for them as yet, I don't think they would have organised this yet or have even thought about going on how their minds work :P

spirit

lindalou1 wrote: »

She is a nice girl and staying neutral. She obviously built up a housemate friendship (as I did too, even lent one of them noney when she lost her purse and made a house xmas dinner for us all!!)with the girls but understands my position as landlord.

So no feel secure that she would not do this... Very aware of what has gone on.

Also Linda bear in mind that your existing lodger is watching how you are handling this because one day she will be moving out too.

what you also don't know is the extent of her 'friendship' with them if she has been asked by the ex housemates to take the deposit to them. Keep professional about it and don't discuss it with existing lodger if you can.

what I must say to you is well done :T It has been a hard lesson for you and you have done extremely well. They have kept up the pressure on you by witholding your keys thinking that they have you over a barrel to get 'their' deposit back. It's a kiind of blackmail really and should be treated as such. That is, don't bow to it.

For future lodgers, you might want to put things on a more formal footing. OK they might become friends - most of mine have. But at the end of the day it's a business deal. They have to know where they stand as do you and what the limits are.

You can get a Licence agreement from Landlordzone. I posted one on here quite some time ago, if you can't find it i'll post another link. Essentially it's a licence to occupy a room in your house. It doesn't give them exclusive rights over any part of your house including the room they rent from you. It also sets out t's and c's of their occupancy including things like notice period, amount of deposit (should always be equivalent to 1 months rent) and that any deposit will be returned after they have moved out and any damages assessed (excluding wear and tear of course) and bills calculated. This includes outstanding rent of course.

by the way, these 2 ex lodgers, were they a couple renting 1 room from you or 2 separate lets?

lindalou1

spirit wrote: »

Also Linda bear in mind that your existing lodger is watching how you are handling this because one day she will be moving out too.

what you also don't know is the extent of her 'friendship' with them if she has been asked by the ex housemates to take the deposit to them. Keep professional about it and don't discuss it with existing lodger if you can.

what I must say to you is well done :T It has been a hard lesson for you and you have done extremely well. They have kept up the pressure on you by witholding your keys thinking that they have you over a barrel to get 'their' deposit back. It's a kiind of blackmail really and should be treated as such. That is, don't bow to it.

For future lodgers, you might want to put things on a more formal footing. OK they might become friends - most of mine have. But at the end of the day it's a business deal. They have to know where they stand as do you and what the limits are.

You can get a Licence agreement from Landlordzone. I posted one on here quite some time ago, if you can't find it i'll post another link. Essentially it's a licence to occupy a room in your house. It doesn't give them exclusive rights over any part of your house including the room they rent from you. It also sets out t's and c's of their occupancy including things like notice period, amount of deposit (should always be equivalent to 1 months rent) and that any deposit will be returned after they have moved out and any damages assessed (excluding wear and tear of course) and bills calculated. This includes outstanding rent of course.

by the way, these 2 ex lodgers, were they a couple renting 1 room from you or 2 separate lets?

Thanks, yes I have said to the current lodger that for her sake I would not discuss any of the other two lodgers with her or ask her to be involved in any communication between them and me.
She has been in the house longer than the other 2 lodgers and is friendly with my first 3 ex lodgers who lived with me (now 3 of my best friends!)

The ex lodgers are 2 girls who moved in around the same time. Actually come to think of it one of them has only been 4 months in the house and there was a minimum of 6 months stay agreed on moving in which she has clearly broke!! But had no contract so guess that is by the by now.

I am defo getting contract signed the next time I do this, I am going to have a break from it for a couple of months to lick my wounds! Will look at your suggestions and Badger_Lady also provided some good ones too.

Thanks very much for all of this...hope all you guys know how great you have been!!:T:beer::j

They still haven't text back about forwarding address by the way :S...think I have them stumped!

BitterAndTwisted

spirit wrote: »

For future lodgers, you might want to put things on a more formal footing.

You can get a Licence agreement from Landlordzone. I posted one on here quite some time ago, if you can't find it i'll post another link. Essentially it's a licence to occupy a room in your house. It doesn't give them exclusive rights over any part of your house including the room they rent from you. It also sets out t's and c's of their occupancy including things like notice period, Bad idea for reasons already explained in this thread.
amount of deposit (should always be equivalent to 1 months rent) Bad idea for reasons already explained in this thread.
and that any deposit will be returned after they have moved out and any damages assessed (excluding wear and tear of course) and bills calculated. This includes outstanding rent of course.

by the way, these 2 ex lodgers, were they a couple renting 1 room from you or 2 separate lets?

As already explained in this thread, these are two people who rented separate rooms at different monthly rates but have palled-up and have rented somewhere else together, probably beggaring themselves in the process, hence demanding that any rent due for the current month be deducted from their deposits ignoring the fact that there are bills due to arrive so said deposits cannot be returned immediately. Now they've withheld the keys as blackmail necessitating that the locks be changed which will also be deducted from their deposits. I hope they're really bloody skint now. Serves them right for being so unreasonable