Property I let has been sub-let and I'm upset!

r.mac_2

Alan_M wrote:

r.mac wrote:

There's a fine line between being a racist and being a realist, I live in the real world and I personally would be uncomfortable about letting any property I owned to immigrants - no matter what country they are from. After all people have no problem clearly stating "No DSS" on their adverts, which is discrimination of the underprivileged or unfortunate. How do you pigeon hole that in your politically correct world? And how would you consider "No immigrants" any more offensive than "No Dss"?

This isn't racist - this is sound business sense.

The OP has now found himself in a position where He is morally correct to withhold money to repair his property and I would normally champion his cause to the hilt.

However, it is clear that He is intimidated by these people and considering He will be moving into the property with his young family and therefore every one of the tenants know who He is and where He lives then I would advise the money is refunded and He be a little more choosy who his next tenants are. You live and learn.

If you think this makes me morally repugnant then you're entitled to this opinion - me - I think you're pandering to political correctness just a little too much and it's time to wake up and smell the roses.

I would like to make it very clear that at no point in my post did I call you racist or morally repugnant.

My point was that there exist good tenants and bad tenants, regardless of nationality.

RabbitMad

Just because some of the people look intimidating, doesn't mean that they are. I would do the check out with the guy and point out the damage. If he starts being threatening then you can try to negotiate with the guy. If you don't get anywhere, hand the money back (smiling) and say you'll claim on your insurance for the damage then.

After all he might see loosing his deposit as an occupational hazard. If he's been making £3K a month, then loosing £2K isn't too bad.

Zammo

Voyager2002 wrote:

I strongly object to the anti-immigrant remarks posted above. All kinds of people come to this country for a whole range of reasons, and many of them are fine.

However, migrant workers who are willing to live under overcrowded conditions, and probably plan to return home or move on once they have made a bit of money, are probably high risk if you care about the condition of your property.

I'm not a racist but....:T

wifeforlife

Put it this way, if I lived in your property and treated it in the same way, you would either ask my to leave under breach of tenancy agreement or with hold my deposit. Why is in different for these people? I may be small and a woman but I'm a little firecracker and can easily intimidate if I want but I choose not to lol.

The point I make is, why treat them different just because they have a problem with the language.

Also I would definatey get back onto the letting agent surely they have a duty of care to you, when arranging tenants. Do they not have to monitor them and deal with the payment of rent instead of you? Maybe I'm wrong but thats what I thought their role was, so maybe you can advise them and the tenants to deal with each other and not to you direct.

Cath

barnaby-bear

Scooby_Man wrote:

A property I own in London I let out to 4 polish guys last year and their tenancy expires in a few weeks and then they leave. However, I have noted that they have sub-let throughout the year to probably over 9 people at a time!!
Any advice??

I bet the neighbours loved having their "slum" landlord allowing this to go on all year...... and very difficult to complain about neighbours because they know where you live.... as you are now worried about.... wonder if the neighbours know who you are - if I'd had some hostel forced upon me and the landlord moved in I could have a lot of fun....:rotfl:

morg_monster

My bf's old flat used to have a similar flat to this one above it, and our current flat has a few in the block being used in the same way. Just want to reassure the OP that although of course this multiple occupancy causes headaches inside the flat/house, I have always found that this doesn't necessarily translate to problems outside, ie things which might cause your neighbours to want revenge! We find/found them always quiet (they all worked different shifts so never had the TV or music on loud, actually not even sure they had a TV!) and the only reason you really knew so many people lived there was the outside door opening and shutting more than usual. I wouldn't worry about your neighbours too much!

full-time-mum

Scooby_Man wrote:

A property I own in London I let out to 4 polish guys last year and their tenancy expires in a few weeks and then they leave. However, I have noted that they have sub-let throughout the year to probably over 9 people at a time!! every room has been turned into a bedroom and it seems more like a small hotel.

My BIL had a similar problem with a small one bed flat that he rented out - again to polish workers.
The couple moved in and then moved in the relatives, then got re-housed by council due to overcrowding half-way through their tenancy. They 'sub-let' to another couple and then BIL found exactly the same over-crowding. After a lot of soul searching, he reported the problem to social services as he was worried that he would get into trouble for overcrowding his flat so that his tenants could get council housing.

He decided that he would no longer accept polish (or similar) tenants. It wasn't that he didn't like them or that he is racist, he just saw it as the only way that he stayed out of trouble. He felt a bit sorry for them and said that, even though, by our standards, 6 adults and a couple of kids in a one bedroom, one kitchen, one living room, small shower room flat was over crowded, it was, to them much better than they had come from and they didn't see what the issues were. He also had the advantage that all the workers came from the same employer so he spoke to them. I think the emplyer then invested in some static vans for use by his works.

Fortunately, other than the additional wear and tear on washing machines etc, there was no real damage and they weren't planning to move back in

lush_walrus

I hate to say it, but I have to agree that I would not rent my property to the majority of Polish people (or any other group of temporary imigrants). Most Polish people I know live at least 2 to a room. In some cases it starts as a temporary thing, where a friend wants to come to uk and they let them stay temporarily etc, others its just the way they live to keep bills very low. I guess if I were planning to live somewhere temporarily, maybe I would take the same tac.

Anyway, off the point really. Personally I would keep back the deposit. Otherwise, aren't you just rewarding this sort of unacceptable behavour? If I were you I would get the agent to put it in writing, that in their opinion the deposit has been forfitted, due to damage to x, y and z. Then it is the EAs decision rather than yours. Evne if they are not managing agents, if you ask them to write the letter on your behalf and pay them a bit of money I am sure they will.

Whether the people staying in your house will actually bother to come back to haunt you or not is anyones guess. In my experience, most people just move on.

Giving the deposit back on all levels sounds like the wrong thing to do to me.

BTman

I would worry more about getting them out than a deposit etc.
I bet they claim squatter's rights.

Another greedy LL bites the dust.

MWAA HAA HAA

nej

We've got some Polish tenants, and they are very good indeed.

The girl is studying architecture at university, and the guy works. Place is well maintained etc.

However we had a little trouble recently with another resident in the building and the man who runs the building management company accusing them of being illegal and having something to hide (I suspect because she had a couple of relatives over last summer for a couple of weeks).

If they had been English I doubt it would have even been mentioned...