Unreasonable tenants

mrputney08

I have just moved in new tenants. They have signed the tenancy agreement (legally drawn), signed the photographic inventory, paid 1 month up front and a deposit which I will be protecting within the legal framework of 30 days. They are refusing 2 things: 1) to sign the written inventory, saying there is something 'missing', I said that's fine I'll come down tomorrow and we'll run through it, anything you feel I have not documented correctly I'll signature and correct. Yet when I went down today and ran through it with them showing them that everything is documented fairly they started to text and just lost interest completely. I found this strange, especially as they are 40+ and apparently proffesional people! I have bent over backwards to get the place ready for them, newly decorated, new bathroom, carpets, even bringing their moving in date forward at their request! 2) (they have) refused to to accept a verified (by a proffessional body) copy of the tenancy agreement saying that they must, must, MUST have the original! I said I'm not obliged to give them the original, it belongs with either me or solicitor for safe keeping. They are still hell-bent on having the original. They tried to get it by lying to me the day before saying that they were at the council offices and that they need the original agreement in order to get their free parking permit, the council say this is not neccessary. I know, I spoke with them. They have been picky from the start, saying they can see things wrong that are not even there, lines on the ceiling etc, very strange behaviour, and the curtains were drawn on my 1st visit, the place was in total darkness. Am I being unreasonable? I'm inclined to just pop the copies through their door and leave them to carry on with their uneccessary drama, as I feel they're just holding things up, I need the paperwork signed and delivered asap but they're refusing, on, I feel, unreasonable grounds. I've never had tenants like this before.

Fire_Fox

Don't put anything through the door, they could pretend never to have received it. Did you take up personal, employment and previous landlord references and did you double check all are genuine?

pmlindyloo

I agree - just pop the copies of the inventory and agreement through the door and leave them to it.

I would also be inclined to set out in a letter what has happened - that you went through the inventory on such and such a date and agreed to change anything but they were disinterested, refused to sign it and put that through the door as well. (Keep a copy of course)

As long as you have photographic dated evidence of the state of the property I wouldn't be too concerned.

Who knows what is going on. From what you've said I hope that you have only done a 6 month tenancy or a year with a break clause.

I am not in favour of the issuing of a Section 21 so early but in this case if you have any doubts about them I would be getting one issued as soon as the deposit is protected and you have issued them with the prescribed information about it.

pmlindyloo

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Don't put anything through the door, they could pretend never to have received it. Did you take up personal, employment and previous landlord references and did you double check all are genuine?

OK then send copies from 2 separate post offices and keep the free receipts (not recorded delivery as this can be refused)

mrputney08

Sourcing and refs was done through a known online agent which has good reviews. I asked in detail how they sourced their info' and how thorough and it seems ok; they've gone through Equifax, and electoral role, employment, and previous adresses, CCj's, income and affordability of the rent all been checked out. I also have ID on their driving licences. They just seem very cagey to me.

I am going to jot everything down in a letter to them, how they've been from the start, not only for my records, but on paper it shows how reasonable I'm trying to be, I just want to get the paperwork up together for them and get on with things.

Yes, I have a 6 month AST, I will deliver by hand with a witness anything that requires it as this is what I have done in the past and this is acceptable as delivered. I really at this stage am thinking if they're like this now how are they going to be like for the rest of the term!

Fire_Fox

mrputney08 wrote: »

It was done through a known online agent which has good reviews. I asked in detail how they sourced their info' and how thorough and it seems ok; they've gone through Equifax, and electoral role, employment, and previous adresses, CCj's, income and affordability of the rent all been checked out. I also have ID on their driving licences. They just seem very cagey to me..

IMO ask for copies and double check all the personal, employers and previous landlord references yourself. Most of what you list is affordability, credit checking and identity not references from real life human beings. Presumably these were done?

mrputney08

I know what you mean Firefox, I will ask.

summerholiday

Record the delivery using the mobile phone camera and from what you have outlined I too would be very suspicious of their behaviour.

Find some ways of visiting the property regularly, ie gardening, gutters checks etc. Anything you can without interferring with their peace and enjoyment rights.

Have you tried ringing up their employers?

You might like to use a private detective on occasion - and I am not joking!

Go with your 'gut feeling' as they sound evasive and 'professional tenants'.

joolsybools

Just to play devil's advocate a bit, I have rented many properties and have always signed 2 copies of any tenancy agreement - one for me and one for the landlord/agent. Did you not do this? I can see why they might be funny about having a 'copy'. What 'professional body' has 'verified' the copy tenancy agreement?

G_M

Indeed.

Print two identical copies of the AST. Then LL signs one which tenant leeps and tenant signs one which LL keeps, or better still both LL and tenantt sign both, and keep one each.

I'm a LL, but I can perfectly understand a tenant wanting an AST with the LL's original signature.

olly300

I often draw my curtains during the day so that's not a big issue. The reasons to do so is to prevent sunlight falling on screens i.e. TV, monitor.

As the others said like with all contracts it's common to print out/photocopy two copies of the tenancy agreement then both the landlord and the tenant put their original signatures on both copies.