Is this legal?

PandaPants_2

My landlord wont let me set up a direct debit to pay my rent and insists on coming to collect it. I spend most of my time with my fiance and im rarely there on rent day as i also have 2 jobs. I explained this to him and he still refused a standing order.

To cut a long story short he has let himself into my flat 4 times and the last time i left a note on my door telling him that the cheque was in the main electric cupboard and he STILL let himself in and was looking through a box where i keep my bank and credit card stuff when i arrived home.

What are my rights? Can he do this??? It says in the tenancy agreement that if the rent is late that he can basically do whatever he wants.

He also tried to get me to sign the tenancy agreement before he wrote the amount of rent on it......

I live on my own and i feel really uncomfortable there now. I cant afford to move as i wont fund anywhere as cheap.

jillie1974

that is really creepy!! dont know about rights etc but when we rented a flat through a housing association they could only enter the flat with our permission..
did you check this guy out before you moved in?

PandaPants_2

No, he appears to own a few places locally. He seemed really nice at the start but yesterday the girl in the flat beside me was moving out and my finace said he saw him going through a load of clothes she had left! :rotfl:

I also left him a note on the door last month. It was a bit cheeky but i wanted to get my point accross.

"Cheque is in electric cupboard. Please do not enter illegally again"

lynzpower

he is breaking the law.

personally Id report him to the police for going through my financial documents.

Not having a standing order or DD, sounds like an excuse to rifle through your belongings. Maybe hes missed his calling as houseclearance or rag and bone man but thats not your problem

You have the right to quiet enjoyment of your property. Him letting himself in is a breach of that in itself. Going through your stuff is unforgivable.

jillie1974

the only advise i can give is maybe check out cab or the web to find out exactly where the law stands on this. have you a copy of the rental agreement?
but he definitely should not be going through your stuff! anyway why would he need to if youhave clearly told him where to find the money! and maybe as he doesnt want the money paid directly to his bank that the taxman may not know exactly how much he is earning from lettings?

silvercar

Change the locks!

He is within his rights to decide how he wants to be paid.

He has to give you privacy and cannot enter without your agreement.

If you don't feel confrontational enough to change the locks I would make sure you post a cheque to him to arrive before the rent due date; that way he has no reason to visit. By law he must supply an address and this is generally shown on the tennancy agreement.

Doozergirl

I wouldn't take what your tenancy agreement says on face value either. Dodgy landlords (which he obviously is) often put in illegal clauses to suit themselves.

PandaPants_2

I dont have an address for him, he didnt put one on the tenancy agreement. Im paying by cheque because he doesnt give me receipts either and i want some proof that he has had the money.

Im worried that if i cause a fuss he will evict me or make it difficult for me to get my deposit back.

jillie1974

this is sounding dodgier by the minute...
have you got a friend or family member who could be at your flat the next time you are due to pay him? they could ask for a receipt for you

Lotta_Littlies

This character sounds far too shady for my liking. I found some information here for you: http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-3181.cfm#wipLive-17064-1

It clearly states that if he continues to enter your home without your permission it may be classed as harrassment. Personally I simply wouldn't feel safe living there as he doesn't sound too trustworthy to me.

Lotta

going2die_rich

Just have a quiet word with him and show him the bat you keep around for burglars and say you have once or twice when you've found him in your home you've thought he was a burglar and he's lucky he never ended up in hospital.

I'd personally give him a demonstration of the bat, help him see he shouldn't be snooping :A

Oh and get a receipt of all rent payments, and then report him to the inland revenue saying you suspect he may be commiting tax fraud