Urgent - Dealing with a Break In and Surrendered Tenancy

rpc

Good luck with the move.

Once you are settled in your nice, comfy, secure new place you can come back here and get advice on reclaiming your deposit.

Elle7

Thank you all so much.

No further contact from anyone today, although I was awake all night wondering if the strange noises was someone letting themselves in. This had made me rather jumpy!

Trying to pack up a whole house in a day, without over doing it and injuring myself, ready for the move.

When I'm all done and I'll come back and ask you all what I should do next. Thank you again.

Elle7

Hi everyone.

So, we've moved.

We were hounded about viewings all weekend (including five times on a Sunday, which seems crazy) and refused them, stating that viewings will take place on one night a week (specified) because I can't cope with all this and they keep breaching the contract.

We were told that is unreasonable.

Offered half rent to end our tenancy now, so that the agent could do as many viewings as they like, it was rejected this morning.

I'm due to pick up the police report on the break-in today, but I've got an emergency mental health appointment so won't get to do much more. Rent is usually taken today, but I've cancelled the DD, although it's not due til Wednesday.

I'm so scared. I can't sleep, I keep having nightmares about the break in and I'm finding it very tough to cope with the constant calls (that they claim are necessary, and I would be breaching my contract to ignore).

This is so tough

rpc

Elle7 wrote: »

I'm so scared. I can't sleep, I keep having nightmares about the break in and I'm finding it very tough to cope with the constant calls (that they claim are necessary, and I would be breaching my contract to ignore).

Keep a written log.

Point them at Protection from Harassment Act and Protection from Eviction Act, then take your log to the police and register a complaint.

I'm sure it would go down really well with the judge when (s)he learns that the agency who broke into your home are also harassing you.

Elle7

I've made a log, and I went back to the old house last night to get most of the stuff that's left. I've got a very small car so moving it will take a few nights, but it should be done soon.

I've arranged a professional clean for this week, too.

Now I'm drafting a letter to the landlord and agent to state that we have left due to be given permission from the agent to surrender, and them then breaking into our home and continuously harassing us. I'll post special delivery, and include the house keys in the letter to the agent.

I did manage to speak to the council's private let department yesterday, so she'll be contacting the agent today too.

Anything I've missed/should change?

SuzieSue

Elle7 wrote: »

I'll post special delivery, and include the house keys in the letter to the agent.

The general consensus on here is that you shouldn't send letters special delivery as they might not sign for them and then you can't prove that they have received it. It is best to send it first class and get a proof of posting (which is free).

RAS

SuzieSue wrote: »

The general consensus on here is that you shouldn't send letters special delivery as they might not sign for them and then you can't prove that they have received it. It is best to send it first class and get a proof of posting (which is free).

Cast iron is two copies opf the letter, posted first class from two different post offices, with free proof of posting at both. One letter might get lost, two is considered most unlikely.

Elle7

Okay, I'll do that. Finding two post offices shouldn't be too hard.

I've spent today running around after them again so far...

They've changed a lot of utilities and put them in our names along with random people...so we've just got a huge water bill for water until 2016 with some random account holders. I'm sorting it, but it's hard work!

Also still waiting on the police report. It seems that they have just noted that it was an agent and don't have much other information, which is making life harder. I'm waiting for a call back now to try to get an accurate report.

Starting to wish that they'd just accepted half rent yesterday so that I didn't have to deal with this...moving house has made getting crisis team help hard and I have to wait til late next week to see my usual doctor.

RAS

Elle7 wrote: »

They've changed a lot of utilities and put them in our names along with random people...so we've just got a huge water bill for water until 2016 with some random account holders. I'm sorting it, but it's hard work!

Also still waiting on the police report. It seems that they have just noted that it was an agent and don't have much other information, which is making life harder. I'm waiting for a call back now to try to get an accurate report.

Starting to wish that they'd just accepted half rent yesterday so that I didn't have to deal with this...moving house has made getting crisis team help hard and I have to wait til late next week to see my usual doctor.

Stop chasing the utilities; if the agents have changed ther names, then you cease to be responsible.

Make sure you read the meters today and take photos, and after that let the agents cough up.

Elle7

RAS wrote: »

Stop chasing the utilities; if the agents have changed ther names, then you cease to be responsible.

Make sure you read the meters today and take photos, and after that let the agents cough up.

They are changing them into our names, if that makes sense.

So we've left and closed the account, but today we got a new bill in my name + someone I've never met or heard of, until 2016. So I had to call and explain that I don't live there, and that I can't talk to the landlord about it, and they are going to write to me to say the account has closed - again. But they said they can't do anything about the agent switching names all the time. Water until 2016 was over a grand :eek:

I see your point, though. I need to pick my battles. I'll try to concentrate on the police report for now, and getting letters to the LL and agent written and sent.