Tenant help ...

Cherryjack

theartfullodger wrote: »

Err.. are you just communicating with the Agent or also with the Tenant?? In your shoes I'd want to ensure if & when this gets to court (and you the Landlord will be the other party, not the agent..) I've the evidence ready.. Relying on (eg) "What the agent told me" won't help....

oh gosh.. its just me talking to the agent right now.. i havent had any direct dealings with the tenant (as i wanted it to be as hassle free as possible) lol.. not that thats happend.. :mad:

clutton_2

i suggest you stop taking ad hoc advice from a a forum and join national landlords association tomorrow. it is the best and largest of the landlord professional bodies. They have a brilliant legal help line which will guide you through step by step what to do, and how to proceed. It costs around £100 a year, but you get cheaper property insurances, and the joining fee is tax deductible. Also join property tribes forum - this is a forum for landlords and there are seriously professional and highly expert landlords and professionals posting on there who will give you excellent advice... I have been a LL for 12 years and see in your description the beginnings of a very difficult eviction.... This will take several months, and the sooner you start reading up on your legal responsibilities the better. Have you seen copies of the Landlods Gas Safety Certificate which the agent should have organised, and h ave you got an EPC certificate ? These two are legal requirements before a tgenant moves in.

As a LL you have THE final legal responsibility - even if you use an appalling agent, the buck stops with you - and you also have a right to see ALL documents the agent has in their possession about the tenant - referencing, previous landlords ref, if any, credit check info, if any...

If it was me, i would be down their offices like a shot asking to see the file and getting copies tomorrow... especially of the tenancy agreement and the inventory

Go get em gal !!

Cherryjack

clutton wrote: »

i suggest you stop taking ad hoc advice from a a forum and join national landlords association tomorrow. it is the best and largest of the landlord professional bodies. They have a brilliant legal help line which will guide you through step by step what to do, and how to proceed. It costs around £100 a year, but you get cheaper property insurances, and the joining fee is tax deductible. Also join property tribes forum - this is a forum for landlords and there are seriously professional and highly expert landlords and professionals posting on there who will give you excellent advice... I have been a LL for 12 years and see in your description the beginnings of a very difficult eviction.... This will take several months, and the sooner you start reading up on your legal responsibilities the better. Have you seen copies of the Landlods Gas Safety Certificate which the agent should have organised, and h ave you got an EPC certificate ? These two are legal requirements before a tgenant moves in.

As a LL you have THE final legal responsibility - even if you use an appalling agent, the buck stops with you - and you also have a right to see ALL documents the agent has in their possession about the tenant - referencing, previous landlords ref, if any, credit check info, if any...

If it was me, i would be down their offices like a shot asking to see the file and getting copies tomorrow... especially of the tenancy agreement and the inventory

Go get em gal !!

Thanks clutton.. will be sure to go over to the forum. I got the safety certificates arranged before the tenant moved in. I've not heard back today so will be making a trip down to them to check this file out! had no idea i could see all this.. i think enough of the emails / phonecalls to them a trip is needed.. will update :beer:

HP77

If you did not supply any white goods when renting the property why is she asking you to change the washing machine? As long as the electrics were checked before she moved in and you have a copy of the certificate then tell her to buy a decent washing machine!

Please tell me that you have kept (at your house in a filing cabinet for easy reference) your copies of the lease, T&Cs from the lettings agency, full inventory, landlords buildings insurance (with legal protection!), gas safety certificate, EPC etc. They all relate to your property so you should have then in case you need them...don't rely on the agent to send them to you when you ask for them as they sound like utter cowboys. Are they a member of a registered scheme?

Do you see where we are going with this?

Cherryjack

davehurd77 wrote: »

If you did not supply any white goods when renting the property why is she asking you to change the washing machine? As long as the electrics were checked before she moved in and you have a copy of the certificate then tell her to buy a decent washing machine!

Please tell me that you have kept (at your house in a filing cabinet for easy reference) your copies of the lease, T&Cs from the lettings agency, full inventory, landlords buildings insurance (with legal protection!), gas safety certificate, EPC etc. They all relate to your property so you should have then in case you need them...don't rely on the agent to send them to you when you ask for them as they sound like utter cowboys. Are they a member of a registered scheme?

Do you see where we are going with this?

Good Morning Dave,

Thanks for your message. What happened is i had it freshly re-wired before she moved in. Then she called to say shes had 3 washing machines and the fuse keeps tripping..and that there is something wrong with the electrics. The agency were gunna send one of there electritians in.. i said no Il send in the man that did it (ive got all the certificates).. on his arrival, water was flooding front and back of the machine and all the seals had gone. He said it was terrible!! and quite obviously the machine. He did all the tests and electrics are fine.. im not i have a £45.00 bill from this.. so ive forwarded this onto the letting agency to give to her (not sure if this was the right thing to do) but hoping she will think twice next time.. and also get rid of the dump yard machine! grrr
The letting agency are part of the registered scheme.. i am totally un-organised but do have a box file with everything at hand for the the house.. :T

:beer:

HP77

I would write to her and the agent stating that the house was rewired on whichever date and enclosing a copy of the electrical certificates that you have. Ask your electrician to put something in writing saying that on this day he checked the electrics and everything is fine but that he noticed the tenant has a potentially dangerous appliance...spell out to them that water and electricity do not mix. Ask her to rectify the situation as you are concerned that she may damage the property. Keep a copy of the letter.

When you carry out a visit to check things, remembering to give her at least 24 hours notice, I would check the washing machine. take the agent with you. If she is still using it then tell her to change it...by letter again. She's had her warning and if she can't be arsed to comply with a reasonable request then at least you know where you stand.

Is there something in the lease about electrical items needing to be up to a specified standard?

Maybe worth contacting your landlords insurance company to find out what they think...if you know she is using an unsafe appliance in your property then they would probably want to know about it and may be able to offer some advice.

Still, get rid of her at the earliest opportunity.

Cherryjack

davehurd77 wrote: »

I would write to her and the agent stating that the house was rewired on whichever date and enclosing a copy of the electrical certificates that you have. Ask your electrician to put something in writing saying that on this day he checked the electrics and everything is fine but that he noticed the tenant has a potentially dangerous appliance...spell out to them that water and electricity do not mix. Ask her to rectify the situation as you are concerned that she may damage the property. Keep a copy of the letter.

When you carry out a visit to check things, remembering to give her at least 24 hours notice, I would check the washing machine. take the agent with you. If she is still using it then tell her to change it...by letter again. She's had her warning and if she can't be arsed to comply with a reasonable request then at least you know where you stand.

Is there something in the lease about electrical items needing to be up to a specified standard?

Maybe worth contacting your landlords insurance company to find out what they think...if you know she is using an unsafe appliance in your property then they would probably want to know about it and may be able to offer some advice.

Still, get rid of her at the earliest opportunity.

Thanks dave,

I got this letter back from the owner of the letting agency today.. (not written back yet)

xxxxxx


Your e-mail of the 12th November refers - all your comments are noted, and fully understood. We will pass on the electricians bill, and follow up regarding the repair of the washing machine. I will ask for spare window keys as soon as possible.

Kind regards
xxxxx

RAS

When are you going to the agency to view all the checks that they are supposed to have done on the tenant? And to see the inventory?

Cherryjack

Hi RAS,

Ive contacting asking them for a copy of the full inventory and have asked if they have taken dated photos to safe gaurd me. I will be in to see the checks in the next few days.. so will let you know.

Thank you