Tenant have moved out without telling anyone.

tumbledowngirl

Mylo_The_Moggy wrote: »

Absoloutely absurd advice!
Even if it was literally a joke.

Because of course, it's a great idea to smash up OUR property, only to then have to persue the tenants for the money to repair it....not to mention the criminal aspect of this suggestion. :-O

tumbledowngirl

whalster wrote: »

You have been given a lot of good advice here for running the tenancy better next time .

Go around to their new place get them to relinquish the tenancy smile nicely and chalk it up to experience

The most important piece of paper for you at the moment is that one stop chelping and remember you catch many more flies with honey than vinegar

I agree with your comment about honey not vinegar, which is why we have always tried to accommodate our tenants, past and present, as much as possible and tried to deal with issues raised. Apart from the repairs already mentioned, we didn't kick up a fuss when they were repeatedly late with the rent and we also visited the property to help out when they said they couldn't get the oven to work (they hadn't actually switched it on).

Had they said that they could no longer afford the rent, or needed to move to a different area etc as a reason for wanting to terminate the tenancy early, that would have been a different story. As it was, they simply fancied a change - and IMO, there is a difference between offering honey and allowing yourself to be walked over. As I've said elsewhere, they didn't offer a compromise - they simply said they wanted out, end of...in the same way that they said they wanted a 12 month tenancy agreement and all the security that goes with it.

At this point, had they communicated to the LA that they've now left and returned the keys - the honey, you might say - I would feel more favourably towards them. As it is, they seem to be very much souring the situation with copious amounts of vinegar. They've responded unlawfully to our lawful handling of the situation, whether anyone thinks we were "right" to turn down their request or not.

As you say, something ELSE to chalk up to experience - the last tenants decided that they couldn't pay the last months' rent AND the deposit on their new place, and also decided that they had the right to keep a cat in the house without permission...and I won't even bore you with the shenanigans of the tenants before THAT.

Slinky

I'm surprised given that they were awkward tenants who paid late, you didn't snatch their arms off when they wanted to leave early.


I do hope you manage to get it sorted to your satisfaction.

anselld

tumbledowngirl wrote: »

As you say, something ELSE to chalk up to experience - the last tenants decided that they couldn't pay the last months' rent AND the deposit on their new place, and also decided that they had the right to keep a cat in the house without permission...and I won't even bore you with the shenanigans of the tenants before THAT.

I fully agree with you on this one, but three tenant disputes in a row? Either you are serially unlucky or you have an incompetent agent or you are doing something else wrong!

allthingsmustpass

anselld wrote: »

I fully agree with you on this one, but three tenant disputes in a row? Either you are serially unlucky or you have an incompetent agent or you are doing something else wrong!

Like I said, 2 sides to every story.

Another landlord who doesn't know who the customer is.

My sympathies to the next victims.

tumbledowngirl

Slinky wrote: »

I'm surprised given that they were awkward tenants who paid late, you didn't snatch their arms off when they wanted to leave early.


I do hope you manage to get it sorted to your satisfaction.

We had 8 months of no problem with the rent (always paid on time) and, compared to the previous tenants, no particular hassle - so we cut them some slack when the rent started being paid late, as it was always paid eventually and they appeared to have a valid reason for the delay. We figured "better the devil you know", I guess.

tumbledowngirl

allthingsmustpass wrote: »

Like I said, 2 sides to every story.

Another landlord who doesn't know who the customer is.

My sympathies to the next victims.

The first tenants were a pair of 21 year olds, who apparently had no idea how to live independently.

The second tenants were a Romanian couple - perhaps that says it all.

Quick as you are to blame all landlords (I've read some of your other posts and it's clear you have a grudge against them), perhaps it's the mindset of certain tenants that is to blame - certainly our experience is that they think paying rent entitles them to the sun, moon AND stars...as opposed to *only* a secure, inhabitable property they can enjoy in peace, protected by rules and regulations that are weighted in their favour.

Victims? Hardly.

tumbledowngirl

anselld wrote: »

I fully agree with you on this one, but three tenant disputes in a row? Either you are serially unlucky or you have an incompetent agent or you are doing something else wrong!

The first tenants were found by a less than brilliant LA, fair enough. However, all credit checks and references were fine, as they have been with all tenants - so how do you possibly anticipate how people will behave? If tenants pay the rent on time throughout the tenancy, how can you anticipate that they will take the attitude that the deposit will do in lieu of the last month's rent?

If someone asks to be let out of their tenancy agreement, as opposed to simply leaving when they feel like it...BUT then leaves when their request is turned down, how do you head that off?

The property is fully managed, our LA is a long-established firm with an excellent local reputation. Everything that should be done when renting out a property has been followed to the letter - all communications from the tenants have been handled promptly, all requests dealt with by contractors we use for our own property, the AST, inventory, deposit etc all absolutely as it should be. At the end of the day, it's virtually impossible to foresee or change how a given individual will behave, other than having in place all safeguards I've already mentioned - there's nowt so queer as folk, eh?

franklee

tumbledowngirl wrote: »

If someone asks to be let out of their tenancy agreement, as opposed to simply leaving when they feel like it...BUT then leaves when their request is turned down, how do you head that off?

I'd suggest when the initial request is made it's better to say they can go if they pay all re-letting costs and rent up until the replacement tenant moves in. That way the LL gets co-operation with the re-letting and a clear end to the tenancy. Provided you weren't out of pocket switching tenants three months early would not have made a difference to you. In fact if the next tenant says long enough the LL will have saved a set of re-letting fees as the tenant leaving early will have paid them.

Whist you were perfectly entitled to give a flat no it hasn't left you in the best position as you now have to establish an end to the tenancy which will delay your re-letting. Although the old tenant is liable for the rent you also have the problem of collecting it which even if you win may only be paid in small amounts over a long time.

That said it seems bonkers for a tenant to move during their fixed term to such a nearby property as it seems they had no particular reason for moving. Given moving costs time and money, agent's fees can easily be a couple of hundred pounds, van hire, all the work of moving, changing utilities etc. why on earth did they bother? It makes no sense.

anselld

tumbledowngirl wrote: »

At the end of the day, it's virtually impossible to foresee or change how a given individual will behave, other than having in place all safeguards I've already mentioned - there's nowt so queer as folk, eh?

That is one point of view. The other is the better you treat your tenants and the more you get to know them, the less likely they are to shaft you. The truth is no doubt somewhere in between.