PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Landlord has installed CCTV INSIDE our house and will not return my deposit

1234689

Comments

  • UnderPressure
    UnderPressure Posts: 3,204 Forumite
    WOW what an a**hole!

    You are all such nice people on here your advice is always perfect in these kind of situations good luck OP I really hope you get some kind of legal recourse with this waste of space!

    He must decide when he is seeing potential tenants how they may deal with him and his antics, he has obviously been very very careful on the kind of personality and character he lets move in, he has to he is still breathing after all! Someone with less patience could well have........... sack.....head.....clobber......car boot........ grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :) well I am sure you all get the picture ;)

    Best of luck OP.
    "You can measure a man's character by the choices he makes under pressure"
    Sir Winston Churchill
  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,475 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    As has been mentioned... I'd inform the police and consider going to the papers. At the very least, I'd get his name out there on the internet in case people search for it before entering into any agreements with him.

    I wouldn't expect anything to be done, but I agree it's not not normal behaviour. I too thought of the film Sliver. I don't think it would hurt to have his name logged somewhere.

    No way would I stay there.

    Good luck!

    Jx
    2024 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • poppysarah
    poppysarah Posts: 11,522 Forumite
    vax2002 wrote: »
    put a sticker over the lens or better still shaving foam


    Better to put a bag over them.

    AND MOVE!

    I'd ring the local council and ask them if CCTV inside HMO is normal.

    I think the guy sounds far too weird!


    I'd get the local and national press involved - this sort of thing is far too creepy.
    Daily Wail might run with it.
  • thequant
    thequant Posts: 1,220 Forumite
    G_M wrote: »
    1) you are a lodger, not a tenant. The 12 months fixed term business is rubbish. Give 'reasonable' notice in writing (2 weeks?) then move out. Better still, give a months notice but don't pay rent for that month

    2) Sounds like you'll have to go to a Small Claims Court for your deposit (which you'll get eventually)

    3) 7 separate people in the house? (you plus 5 others plus LL?). That's a HMO (House of Multiple Occupation). LOTS of regulations. Contact the council! I bet he's not registered and it'll cost him a lot to fix things right!

    4) internal CCTV? spray paint.

    5) Is he declaring these 6 people's rent for tax? I bet not. HMRC tax fraud here.

    6) Does he have a mortgage and does his lender know he has 6 lodgers? £4 to the Land Registry will reveal his mortgage lender.

    7) is there gas in the house? Have you seen a gas safety certificate?
    "What should I do if my landlord refuses to arrange servicing for the appliances s/he has provided for my use?

    Remind your landlord of their legal duties under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 . If your landlord still refuses to arrange servicing for the appliances they have provided contact your local HSE Area Office."

    just signing in to 2nd GM's post, especially re. 1) & 2)
  • stekin
    stekin Posts: 16 Forumite
    Hi all,

    I've made the decision to move out today (delivery van is booked for 7pm and I'm packed up and ready to go!). Will be temporarily living with my partner.

    G_M: just saw your udate to the post... I know he has a mortgate and so point 6 could well be worth following up on!

    Hi Anubis: not sure about going through all of his post - think that would just be stooping to his level of insanity! I'll be out of there by tonight! The property has a hard wired alarm, double locks (two doors), an electronic gate entrance on the front and cameras on the outside and in the garden. How much security does one person need!!!

    Hi Eskimo: I'll definately keep hold of everything including the original advert. He still hasn't given me my copy of the contract so I'm a bit screwed in terms of being able to look for any holes in it from his side. I have asked him to email me this ASAP though I am confident he just won't bother.

    Hi Dorset_nurse: true, but he has the right to kick me out without notice if I go into arrears!

    Hi Lizzielondon: Eeeek!!

    Hi Jenhug: everything is packed up in boxes and bags now, I'm hopeful he won't go snooping around.

    Hi Pinkshoes: thank you so much, that is a great template for me to use for a letter and a good idea; thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

    Hi Dancinfairy: I thought the same but it sounds as though he has the right to record whatever he wants within communual areas :(

    Hi Underpressure: Yes, the guys on this forum have been great & super helpful. Can't say thank you enough to everyone!
  • jhxmt
    jhxmt Posts: 164 Forumite
    Best of luck!


    Re:
    stekin wrote: »
    Hi Dorset_nurse: true, but he has the right to kick me out without notice if I go into arrears!

    If you're moving out today, that doesn't matter any more, right? :D
    Anything I post here is purely my own personal opinion. As such it may be wrong, poorly worded or written very tongue-in-cheek. Please therefore treat it the same way you should treat anything you read on the internet from an unknown person - with a healthy pinch of salt and scepticism!
  • shammyjack
    shammyjack Posts: 2,685 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I always suspected Rupert Rigsby was not really dead ! :D
  • WelshNic
    WelshNic Posts: 303 Forumite
    I wasn't the only one that thought of Rigsby then :D

    LL sounds like a nightmare fruit loop!
  • olly300
    olly300 Posts: 14,738 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    stekin shame you didn't take time to go to the police. I'm sure they would be interested to come and have a look at his rig particularly if there are any female lodgers in the house.
    I'm not cynical I'm realistic :p

    (If a link I give opens pop ups I won't know I don't use windows)
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,571 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The advert - http://student.spareroom.co.uk/accommodation/bow/0/344278/ - says "THE HOUSE AND MYSELF IS ALSO BEING FEATURED IN THE ''25 MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES''MAGAZINE. NOVEMBER ISSUE." Maybe the magazine would like to do a follow-up featuring the new cameras!
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.8K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.1K Life & Family
  • 257.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.