Neighbors from hell (who are tenants)

UK007BullDog

The owner moved out of the house a few years ago. He and his 3 wifes and a gaggle of children only lived there for a year and a half. He has many properties.

This property is rented out as a hotel. I call it a hovel or a place to lay the head. The people come and go with their suitcases. At times there are up to 16 adults in the property. Its been turned from a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house into a 7 bedroom 3 bathroom house as the rooms are quite generous. The internal garage has been turned into 2 bedrooms (no windows) and the living room split up as well.

The issues:

1. Noise (lots of door slamming)
2. Rubbish left outside because its not sorted properly and the refuse people wont take it. No one in the house seems to care. The fact is that they think its fine as it is. They do not live up to our general standards of cleanliness.
3. The past winds have knocked down the fences and he refuses to fix them. How can I prove its his side and he is responsible? He wants to do 50/50 but why should I pay for his fence?
4. People coming and leaving during the night and they are very noisy when they do. Breaking up my sleep. We are talking between 2 am and 5 am in the week.
5. The landlord told someone else in the neighborhood that he has no buildings insurance on the property (Terraced house in the middle of the terrace). How can I find out if he has insurance or not? If something were to happen in the house like a fire and spread to my side, would my insurance pay out or not?
6. General filth from that side is attracting foxes and rodents. Vermin exterminators have been at the property a number of times.
7. The garden is not being maintained and used as a rubbish facility. Again issues with the foxes spreading the rubbish about, especially now with the fences being down.

I thought of contacting:
1. Council
2. Police
3. Immigration
4. Landregistry to find out who the mortgage is with regarding the buildings insurance
5. HMRC to ensure he pays his taxes as he is a slum landlord

Its impacting my health and wellbeing, and the value of my property. The neighbors who bought here since after the landlord did said they would not have bought if they had known what went on in that house.

I cannot move as I am retired.

Landlord will not talk to us when he shows up to collect his rents.
As he is unwilling to come to some sort of arrangement, I am willing to involve other 3rd parties to get some peace. I wish he would just rent out to a regular family.

Any tips or suggestions please.

And no I am not racist or anything like that. WE ARE A MIXED COMMUNITY AND THE OTHER "MOANERS" ALSO COME OF ALL SHADES AND ETHNICITIES.

I just need some help, pointers and suggestions.

Thanks

theartfullodger

You have the list of people to contact: So what happened when you contacted them?? You did write & keep a copy??

If you are in Scotland btw a landlord can be made to take action on anti-social behaviour of tenants: Come on England catch up!!

Old_Git

try the local newspaper

anselld

Start with the Council. Find out if it is licensed as an HMO.
If it isn't then they should come down like a ton of bricks.
If it is then many of the issues you have listed must be dealt with effectively under the management regulations and the terms of the HMO license.

gordonbennet

Definitely speak to the council. It sounds as if it may be being run as an illegal hostel. The use of the garage as additional rooms may not be permitted under planning laws.

You don't even need to mention the ethnicity of anyone as this is not relevant to your complaint. Overcrowding and illegal use of a domestic property is.

cattie

My first call would be to the council, especially regarding the letting of garage rooms. Also, there are strict regulations regarding Houses of Multiple Occupation & it's very likely the owner is in breach of the regs.

Regarding the fence, unfortunately you can't get him to pay if he doesn't want to. There is no legal requirement for an owner to maintain fences that divide gardens from neighbours, unless they have a dog that needs to be contained. In light of this, I think you'd be wise to accept that if you want a fence up, then you'll just have to pay 50/50 with him.

If the house is owned & not mortgaged then he doesn't need to have buildings insurance if he doesn't want to for a residential property.

It must be awful living next door to this sort of set up, so get onto the council & find out if it's a legal set up before looking to take things any further.

I'm not sure if he'd be much good in such a situation, but often contacting a local mp regarding issues that are affecting you can help as you then have somebody else looking into things on your behalf.

Norman_Castle

Contact the council. If its used as a business he may not have permission. Planning permission may be needed for the conversions. Environmental health should be able to advise concerning noise and mess. Involving the other neighbors may get better results.

UK007BullDog

OK thanks so far. My main worry is if the property is not insured and something were to happen will my insurance pay out if he does not have one?

Never thought of the MP or local councillor. I will add that to my list.

My council is pretty weak, but I will write to them.

Then if no joy I will contact the other organisations.

Hmmmm... don't really want the media involved. They may come, write about it, but nothing after really will happen.

UK007BullDog

Regarding the fence he will drag his feet. If I have to put up a fence which I can ill afford, I will make it higher than it is now. But they may complain on me then as its too high.

Lord_Baltimore

At the moment the circumstances are making you a victim; you have to turn the tables around.

You have internet access which means you can bombard everyone with complaints of your own and you know where to start already - your MP and the Council. Don't let anyone fob you off either - MAKE them do something by being persistent.

I would get a name at the Council and email that person everyday. I would get the name of my MP and email him/her everyday. I would email Environmental Health everyday.


I would contact the police if he really has 3 wives because polygamy is illegal. I would contact the police anyway to get him on the radar.

Don't put up with this kind of abject rudeness and intrusion.

Write to them

UK007BullDog

Well you know, He has one official wife and the other two are "traditional wives". So not legally married as our laws here are different. But I don't care about that. Whatever rocks their boat.

Its the dozen or more so people living in the house at any one time.

As for the other neighbors, I can only see one couple pulling along with me. The others moan, but wont take action.