Over the top tenant!!!!!!!!!

far2812

Hi All

I have rented out my house which I bought with my inheritance to a lady aged 56 (not that that matters but I thought I would add it in for some reason??!!!).

Firstly she told me she was working and that she was off sick with a broken leg. It turns out that the reference she gave me was false/fake.

She rings me 3 - 5 times a day with questions, Problems (which are not problems) and generally is just being a pain in the bum.

She left me a message this morning saying that she now is going to claims benefits and needs me to fill in some forms for her so that she can claim housing and council tax benefit. I have been extremely busy today and just got back from an interview and I have 8 messages on my phone from her.

My question is how do I politely but firmly tell her that I am not a 24/7 letting agency, and that some things (like blown fuses) are not for me to sort!?

She is doing my head in to put it politely.

Thanks

poppysarah

Put together a tenant handbook

far2812

Any ideas where to get that started Poppy?

Fang_3

Serve her with notice to quit and then get an agency to find you a new tenant.

vaporate

Fang wrote: »

Serve her with notice to quit and then get an agency to find you a new tenant.

:rotfl:

evil

tbs624

far2812 wrote: »

...I have rented out my house which I bought with my inheritance to a lady aged 56 (not that that matters but I thought I would add it in for some reason??!!!).

Firstly she told me she was working and that she was off sick with a broken leg. It turns out that the reference she gave me was false/fake.

So you didn't properly reference this T *before * allowing her occupation of the property?

far2812 wrote: »

She rings me 3 - 5 times a day with questions, Problems (which are not problems) and generally is just being a pain in the bum.

You are discovering that property letting is not just a case of signing on the dotted line and watching the £££s roll in.

Many experienced LLs do as PoppySarah has suggested, and provide the T with a "welcome pack" explaining clearly what is the Ts responsibility and what is the LLs responsibility. "What to do if........" pages covering fuses, smoke alarms, burglar alarms, where stopcocks & meters are, water leaks, which days the bins get emptied, which tel no to use for emergency repairs/boiler issues, what brand/shade of paint was used on the walls, if LL is happy for T to touch up any minor damage etc. You can even enclose info on locality - nearest doc, supermarket and so on- plus leaflets on oven cleaning/general cleaning for when the T wishes to move out

far2812 wrote: »

She left me a message this morning saying that she now is going to claims benefits and needs me to fill in some forms for her so that she can claim housing and council tax benefit.

Make a mutually convenient appointment to discuss it and encourage her to get the forms back in asap.Many LLs complain that their Ts do not bother to tell them if they are making a benefit claim, and only get to know when the LL has fallen into arrears because of a delay in their benefit claim.

olly300

far2812 wrote: »

Hi All

I have rented out my house which I bought with my inheritance to a lady aged 56 (not that that matters but I thought I would add it in for some reason??!!!).

Firstly she told me she was working and that she was off sick with a broken leg. It turns out that the reference she gave me was false/fake.

She rings me 3 - 5 times a day with questions, Problems (which are not problems) and generally is just being a pain in the bum.

She left me a message this morning saying that she now is going to claims benefits and needs me to fill in some forms for her so that she can claim housing and council tax benefit. I have been extremely busy today and just got back from an interview and I have 8 messages on my phone from her.

My question is how do I politely but firmly tell her that I am not a 24/7 letting agency, and that some things (like blown fuses) are not for me to sort!?

Apart from your tenancy book or folder, use the answering machine on your phone at all times.

Oh and in the tenancy book/folder you may as well add a section on local leisure facilities ..................

maninthestreet

far2812 wrote: »

Hi All

I have rented out my house which I bought with my inheritance to a lady aged 56 (not that that matters but I thought I would add it in for some reason??!!!).

Firstly she told me she was working and that she was off sick with a broken leg. It turns out that the reference she gave me was false/fake.

She rings me 3 - 5 times a day with questions, Problems (which are not problems) and generally is just being a pain in the bum.

She left me a message this morning saying that she now is going to claims benefits and needs me to fill in some forms for her so that she can claim housing and council tax benefit. I have been extremely busy today and just got back from an interview and I have 8 messages on my phone from her.

My question is how do I politely but firmly tell her that I am not a 24/7 letting agency, and that some things (like blown fuses) are not for me to sort!?

She is doing my head in to put it politely.

Thanks

Surely the false/fake reference is enough to serve her witn notice to quit before the end of the tenancy??

princeofpounds

My question is how do I politely but firmly tell her that I am not a 24/7 letting agency, and that some things (like blown fuses) are not for me to sort!?

You do just that: ring her up and tell her politely... etc.

More seriously though, when you do talk to her I think you need to try and think out why she is so difficult.

If it's just a case of not knowing what her responsibilities are then she probably needs some instruction and patience. If she hasn't been in the rental market for many years (her age may be relevant!) she probably doesn't have a clue.

If she's just an attention-seeker then you might just have to put up with it and evict at the earliest opportunity.

If he wants to be evicted so she can get on the council housing list with a higher priority, you are going to have problems no matter what.

The fake reference is enough grounds on an ethical basis to evict, I would suggest, but of course you will have to wait 6 months if she doesn't fall into arrears. However, if she (eventually) proves reliable then you can probably look past this.

Any hints on where you think she is coming from?

twirlypinky

Sounds like a lonely old lady in need of some company if you ask me. Encourage her to join the local WI!

C_Mababejive

Serve notice and kick her out.

She obtained the tenancy fraudulently and as such,this indicates the kind of person she is.

If you dont dump her,you'll regret it.