Tenant on Housing Benefit

skintsue

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

To be honest with you Sue if you are going to cancel your contract with this bunch amateurs or ruthless cynics if you like, I wouldn't touch another tenant they introduced. Or they could be offering you a properly vetted, referenced and credit-checked new tenant as a sop so you don' fire-bomb their office.

What do you think is most likely?

Oh, and what was that tripe about taking the wood from the garage, and who was the man who allegedly stopped them proceeding?

I have no idea who the guy was, or why she cancelled the carpet shampooer for the 9th, when she was meant to have vacated the premises on the 5th, by her claim to Housing Dept, and on the 12th there was still her junk in the place, when the keys had been handed back on Monday night/Tuesday morning

BitterAndTwisted

skintsue wrote: »

The damage in the house, is it wear and tear, or could any of it be claimed off the insurance? I'm not likely to need Landlord Insurance again so I don't mind if it would bump up next years premium, as it will be cancelled before it's renewal date.
Should I wait and see how much it comes to first, as I think off hand that the excess is about £250 per claim.

None of the damage you described could ever be attributed to "fair-wear-and-tear". That's neglect of a tenant's duty to behave in a tenant-like manner or willful destruction. I'd be classing it as criminal damage but that won't wash i court. I dunno whether your landlords insurance covers that or not

skintsue

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Sue do you think there's possibility, because you have already disclosed a rumour that she had some sort of "relationship" with someone at the agency, that someone may have been repeating confidential information about their client to her? That is the first thing I thought of. Not that you had discussed it with the neighbours.

I very seriously have a sneaking suspicion about that. Otherwise why the totally OTT bit at the end of the letter to me about how wonderful they had been, and how understanding and reasonable.
I've nothing concrete to go on at all, but if the PHASE 3 of 'The Plan' works over the weekend, something might crop up.

BitterAndTwisted

I love the excuse that she was compelled to quit the property (among many other incomprehensible excuses) because people in the corner-shop were looking at her funny and may have even spoken about her within earshot of her very suntanned kid.

BitterAndTwisted

Are you going to put any of us out of our misery about your hint regarding cameras etcetera, you tease? Or is that part of Phase 3 of "The Plan"?

skintsue

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Are you going to put any of us out of our misery about your hint regarding cameras etcetera, you tease? Or is that part of Phase 3 of "The Plan"?

Part 3 of "The Plan". Starts tomorrow at around lunchtime. Continues possibly Sunday.
Really looking forward to being able to spill the beans.
Might even PM you and Clutton to give you the heads up with all the juicy details, if any.

Sorry, I'm not trying to be mean and leave you on the edge, but I'm totally shattered after today, and I have to look my best for tomorrow.;)

BitterAndTwisted

Ach, dinnae fash yersel. It will be more fascinating to be able to hear all the details after it has passed. In any case, you never know who may be viewing a thread like this, mum's the word. Wear your most flattering outfit! You might make in onto YouTube....

Shelldean

*Whispers* I confess to being a reader and not a poster (didnt have any thing constructive to add)
Good luck and looking forward to next installment:T

clutton_2

Sue - this tenant has now gone - and yet you seem hell bent on wreaking revenge still... i can read that you are now really obsessed with "getting your own back" here and its such a waste of energy, it really is. If you do something "borderline" tomorrow you will be lowering your standards to those of bad tenants, and it really wont achieve much other than make you feel better for a short while... you will still have to deal with getting the house back together, redecorated, and ready for a new tenant or the market whichever you chose.

I know how easy it is to get suckered into these dramas, i have seen other landlords do it, and i did it myself.. but please take a step back and regain some sanity in all this....

She has moved on... it is time you did.... bw - and i really do meant that - i wish you the best with your next tenant

tbs624

skintsue - sorry to read that you were faced with a grim picture at your property.

Understandable though your reaction to all this is, I would focus on sorting the property out and deciding when, and how, you are going to re-let.

I absolutely would not use that particular LA again if my first rental experience with them had been as poor as yours seems to have been. You'd effectively be giving them a clear message that you still had faith in their "professionalism".

Bear in mind that if you let to someone who is in turn letting out their own home elsewhere there is always the possibility that, in the event of their own Ts giving them the run around on rent, their priority will be to prop up their own mortgage ahead of paying you your rent (unless they have an appropriate contingency fund)

Fully securing vacant possession and clearing the house up should be the priority: you do have to try to distance yourself from the former T in these circumstances, as Clutton says.

Once the house bit is sorted, you *then* pursue the T & her guarantor via the courts plus give the LA the "kicking" they deserve, once you have checked your contract with them and fully highlighted whatever their specific breaches may have been.