We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
A horrific 'bad tenants' tail
Options
Full_of_angst
Posts: 116 Forumite
My mum has a house on IOW and had it rented out and on the market at the same time.
At first her tenants seemed really good. They kept the place nice, did the garden etc, and even talked about buying it once their business was established. However, their business never was established. They fell on hard times and asked for a temporary reduction in their rent. My mum, kindly (or stupidly) allowed them a reduction on their rent on the understanding that they would pay her back the money when they were in a better position and also that they would go on a rolling monthly tenancy agreement on the understanding that if/when the property sold they would move out with a months notice.
Anyway, they then started complaining that there was damp and mildew in the house. There never had been before so my mum got a specialist surveyor to look at it. His report came back saying that there was no structural damp whatsoever, the cause of the supposed damp and mould was the fact that the tenants were not using the central heating, not opening windows and there was evidence they were using a calour gas heater.
He advised that the central heating should be used in the winter and that they ventilated it properly. My mum did however pay to have a proper extractor fan put in the bathroom which would also help.
This situation continued for months as they kept on insisting the property was damp. Then the rental managing agent contacted my mum to say that she'd heard from someone at the local council where the tenants had written to say the house was uninhabitable and that they wanted to be re-housed (obviously they were trying to get LA housing but didn't qualify).
Also potential buyers were being put off by something and we couldn't work out what it was.
They then stopped allowing viewers to look at the property at all so my mum was about to give them notice when they gave their notice.
They moved out on Wednesday and the house was filthy. Nothing permanent but it took 2 people 10 hours to clean it.
They have not paid their last month's rent and they owe my mum £1800 in rent arrears for the discount she gave them.
She is going to take them to court but what a pain that will be as you can't sue people who have nothing!
Does she have any recourse for the fact that they clearly obstructed the sale of the property, in fact utterly sabotaged it; as well as the money owing and the fact they didn't pay their last month's rent.
nightmare.
At first her tenants seemed really good. They kept the place nice, did the garden etc, and even talked about buying it once their business was established. However, their business never was established. They fell on hard times and asked for a temporary reduction in their rent. My mum, kindly (or stupidly) allowed them a reduction on their rent on the understanding that they would pay her back the money when they were in a better position and also that they would go on a rolling monthly tenancy agreement on the understanding that if/when the property sold they would move out with a months notice.
Anyway, they then started complaining that there was damp and mildew in the house. There never had been before so my mum got a specialist surveyor to look at it. His report came back saying that there was no structural damp whatsoever, the cause of the supposed damp and mould was the fact that the tenants were not using the central heating, not opening windows and there was evidence they were using a calour gas heater.
He advised that the central heating should be used in the winter and that they ventilated it properly. My mum did however pay to have a proper extractor fan put in the bathroom which would also help.
This situation continued for months as they kept on insisting the property was damp. Then the rental managing agent contacted my mum to say that she'd heard from someone at the local council where the tenants had written to say the house was uninhabitable and that they wanted to be re-housed (obviously they were trying to get LA housing but didn't qualify).
Also potential buyers were being put off by something and we couldn't work out what it was.
They then stopped allowing viewers to look at the property at all so my mum was about to give them notice when they gave their notice.
They moved out on Wednesday and the house was filthy. Nothing permanent but it took 2 people 10 hours to clean it.
They have not paid their last month's rent and they owe my mum £1800 in rent arrears for the discount she gave them.
She is going to take them to court but what a pain that will be as you can't sue people who have nothing!
Does she have any recourse for the fact that they clearly obstructed the sale of the property, in fact utterly sabotaged it; as well as the money owing and the fact they didn't pay their last month's rent.
nightmare.
Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes (Oscar Wilde)
If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything (Mark Twain)
If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything (Mark Twain)
0
Comments
-
are you seriously telling me you don't know how to spell "tale"?Money won't buy you happiness....but I have never been in a situation where more money made things worse!0
-
Er, actually no I'm not telling 'you' anything of the sort. I do know how to spell 'tale'. I was typing that quickly and obviously not really thinking.
How rude and unnecessary. A perfectly relevant post by me, followed by a facetious response.Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes (Oscar Wilde)
If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything (Mark Twain)0 -
You wont get much sympathy,BTL is the scourge for many on these forums.Official MR B fan club,dont go............................0
-
You wont get much sympathy,BTL is the scourge for many on these forums.
Hi, it isn't a BTL. My mum is very ill and has moved in with me, which is why her house was being rented out. Decided to sell as she won't be going back.Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes (Oscar Wilde)
If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything (Mark Twain)0 -
-
So tenants' circumstances change and they struggle with rent, tenants ask for repairs, tenants leave house a mess. All sounds pretty tame and well within what a landlord should really have planned for tbh.
I thought this was going to be about tenants having moved in 50 cats/dogs/monkeys/elephants (with tail being a pun.) Slightly disappointed now!Saving for deposit: Finished! :j
House buying: Finished!
Next task: Lots and lots of DIY0 -
At least they have moved out ...some landlords spend thousands to get bad tenants out0
-
I'm certain there are far worse situations and sorry to be so misleading with my obviously exaggerated and misspelled title!
I was just hoping for a bit of advice/knowledge from anyone who had better experience than myself. Also, I have given a pr!cis of what happened, it was actually much more protracted and difficult than I've described.
Neither my mum or me are experienced landlords. My mum has one little cottage on the IOW which she had to leave because she is unwell and needs to be on the mainland. It was her main home, not a BTL. She rented it out rather than leave it empty. She tried to be kind and got stung.
To her it's horrific.
Thanks for all the advice and spelling lesson!Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes (Oscar Wilde)
If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything (Mark Twain)0 -
It's part and parcel of renting out your home. To you it is your home but when you try to sell with tenants still in situ the uncertainty you put them under often causes resentment and the house stops been their home and becomes just an insecure roof over their heads-and with it a change in attitude.I Would Rather Climb A Mountain Than Crawl Into A Hole
MSE Florida wedding .....no problem0 -
Did you reference and credit check the tenants?
was there a letting agent?
how often did someone visit to check the property?
Is the deposit protected?
Has Mum declared the income for tax?
Letting houses is a buisness not a hobby or something to do with a house because you can't think of anything else.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 351.1K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.7K Spending & Discounts
- 244.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 599.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177K Life & Family
- 257.5K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards