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tenant not living in flat .

Old_Git
Old_Git Posts: 4,751 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Mortgage-free Glee! Cashback Cashier
edited 6 June 2010 at 2:55PM in House buying, renting & selling
I have a flat rented to the same tenant for 5 years .
I now suspect the tenant is not living in the flat .
Never had any problems, been a good tenant .
Everytime I go past the curtains and blinds are closed day and night .
The rent is paid by housing benefit .
I have checked with the electric company and no electricity has been purchased since November .(pre paid meter )
I have not been in the flat but I have left a not saying I need to discuss the tenancy and will call again on Thursday .Any advice on how I should handle this .
"Do not regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many"
«13456

Comments

  • Wee_Willy_Harris
    Wee_Willy_Harris Posts: 7,512 Forumite
    You're getting your rent and he isn't trashing the place. Where's the problem?
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »
    You're getting your rent and he isn't trashing the place. Where's the problem?
    Tenant might be dead in there.

    In any case, it might be that the LL has to repay the housing benefit if the tenant's been claiming it illegally/fraudulently ... and if he doesn't know where the tenant has gone/why, then this might come back and bite.
  • Old_Git
    Old_Git Posts: 4,751 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Mortgage-free Glee! Cashback Cashier
    PasturesNew wrote: »
    Tenant might be dead in there.

    In any case, it might be that the LL has to repay the housing benefit if the tenant's been claiming it illegally/fraudulently ... and if he doesn't know where the tenant has gone/why, then this might come back and bite.
    This is what I am worried about ,also if the place is not lived in my insurance wont be valid .They are not dead as the post is being collected
    "Do not regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many"
  • Wee_Willy_Harris
    Wee_Willy_Harris Posts: 7,512 Forumite
    Old_Git wrote: »
    This is what I am worried about ,also if the place is not lived in my insurance wont be valid .They are not dead as the post is being collected

    If you've acted in good faith, any overpayment will be collected from the tenant.
  • Old_Git
    Old_Git Posts: 4,751 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Mortgage-free Glee! Cashback Cashier
    Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »
    If you've acted in good faith, any overpayment will be collected from the tenant.
    maybe and maybe not as it is paid directly to me . Still doesn't solve the insurance issue .
    "Do not regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many"
  • Wee_Willy_Harris
    Wee_Willy_Harris Posts: 7,512 Forumite
    Botton line is, you know what he's doing, he knows what he's doing. You only have one option if you want to change anything, and that is to serve notice.
  • Jowo_2
    Jowo_2 Posts: 8,308 Forumite
    When was the last time you inspected the property?

    Any potential for it to be a cannabis farm? Drawn curtains is one signifier, though I understand that payment of the rent is often upfront in cash so HB makes this unlikely. The electricity for the plants is often drawn by bypassing the meter.
  • poppysarah
    poppysarah Posts: 11,522 Forumite
    What does the tenancy say about living in the property?
  • csnann
    csnann Posts: 468 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Photogenic
    Maybe he has moved in with his girlfriend and not given up the flat so that their benefits won't be affected.
  • Wee_Willy_Harris
    Wee_Willy_Harris Posts: 7,512 Forumite
    Bingo!....
This discussion has been closed.
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