Landlord Help

Pabloed55

Hi

First time posting on MSE and i really hope someone can help me. My wife and I were newly married when the property slump took hold here in NI and despite trying to sell her house for a year, ended up renting it out, which was a miracle in itself. At that time my own job was on a knife-edge and it looked as though I would be made redundant and we would be relying on her salary to pay for her house and my own which we decided to live in. The bank was no help at all.

However, the tenant has proven to be a nightmare. 5 weeks before the end of his 12 month tenancy we told him in writing that we would not be renewing his lease. That was back in March 2010 and he is still in the house. Police have been called out on several occassions, we get regular complaints from neighbours and cannot contact him as he keeps changing his number. Apparently he has mental health issues which we were not told about before he moved in. His family have also threatened myself and my family.

Housing Exec have been hopeless - basically don't want to know about anything and wash their hands of it all. He has continually said he is at the top of the list for housing but we have ceased to believe him. The latest incident involved the PSNI being called and apparently he broke the front window of the house. We can't make contact and the house is over 60 miles away.

We want to evict this guy - for our own sanity and for the neighbours'. We have been told that the notice that we sent to him in March was not sufficient enough and we need a Notice to Quit. It was my understanding that we could simply not renew his lease as long as we put this in writing to him which we did do.

I would be grateful for any help and advice out there - the solicitor told us that the process could cost thousands - we are just about holding our heads above water at the minute and my job (which I changed) is now under severe risk yet again. As far as I can see there is absolutely no source of support or advice for landlords in NI.

We never wanted to be landlords but were forced into it and know that there must be many others out there who have been in the same situation as us. At times it seems like a neverending nightmare.

Thanks

Paul

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

Hi there, maybe someone over on the housing board could help you. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16
Hope you get it sorted.

Greentea

Sorry to hear about your tenant troubles.

Im not an expert but I have some experience. You could get advice form the housing tread above, prob the best place to start, there are some very experienced landlords there can give you good advice. There is also the NLA National Landlords Association which you have to pay to join but they can step u through the correct notice to quit procedure. All this will take months, as far as i am aware where there is no rent outsranding you have to issue a section 21 notice which gives your tenant 2 months in which to leave. If they stay on, then i think you have to instigate court procedings, the whole process can take a year.

I assume you are still getting paid the rent? If thats the case, think yourself lucky, it would be much worse if you were not getting any rent!

Golden_Anemone

Just be careful Pabloed as property law in NI differs significantly from that in England and Wales so you need to make sure you follow the relevant NI legislation. There is an organisation called Housing Rights - they more commonly advise tenants but it can't hurt to ask them for advice. Even reading the advice they publish for tenants may help - eg, if they say that a landlord cannot evict them until he has done x, y and z they you will get an idea about what you need to do.

Just noticed that's the policy site - their advice website is different. It's here.

Pabloed55

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I have been onto some of the websites and whilst there is some advice there is a definite lack of detail - 6 months or so is what we have been told for the length of the process. I am aware of the difference in NI law which is why I was initially reluctant to post in the Housing Forum.

We are still getting the rent but we just want rid of the house - it's dictating our lives at the minute and has been for the past 2 years which is a shame as it is actually a good house and was never bought as an investment but to live in.

The thing that has taken us aback is that apparently informing someone in writing (twice and once in person!) that you are not renewing their lease is not sufficient enough to proceed with an eviction; and secondly the attitude of Housing Exec - although not their tenant this guy has applied to them for accommodation and they pay his rent- they also have their own tenants right beside him - they just could not care less to be frank - quite happy to let him sit where he is whilst at the same time telling me a whole load of c**p over the past 6 months. Absolute disgrace - but now I am ranting!

smokiewater

Feel for you, we were in a similar situation this time last year, and thankfully got rid of the problem tenant in February.

Did you use an agent to let the house? If so can they not help? Ours wasn't much use, but at least we were able to pester them to sort out the problems, we have new tenants now who are great, strange though that we rented to a 'single' guy (he had 14 living in the house at one point!) and had trouble, you rented to a single guy and are having trouble but we now rent to a family who are a pleasure to have! No wonder landlords only want to rent to families!

Rach39

Send him a Notice to Quit immediately - just a standard letter with 'NOTICE TO QUIT' written clearly in bold across the top and telling him that you hereby give him notice to vacate the property by ... (1 month from date of letter). This may actually help speed the process up without having to do anything further as he can present this letter to the NIHE as evidence that he is to become imminently homeless and will push him up their list for securing alternative accommodation. If he still doesn't move out you will have to issue ejectment proceedings which will involve instructing a Solicitor (or you can always send da boys round....!) Good luck, first get your Notice to Quit issued asap.

grogdog

i know what i would do and worry about it afterwards.