Landlord has taken my belongings

Pixie5740

thesaint wrote: »

They would also mark your credit file which would stay on record for 6 years, which would limit your ability to gain credit.

I would rather pawn my goods for 2 weeks than this.

Can't landlord's mark tenant's credit files due to rent arrears these days?

thesaint wrote: »

Maybe for a first offence, but I doubt this landlord took this action after a one time non payment(I say non payment, as it isn't a late payment if it still has not been paid).

All of this unpleasantness would not have happened if the OP had paid their rent. The landlord is not a free credit facility for tenants who decide to use them as such.

Whether this is the first non-payment of rent or there has been a catalogue of late/missing payments then the landlord has tools at his disposal to deal with the offending tenant. Issue a section 8 or 21 notice and get the tenant out the property rather than allow them to remain in the property indefinitely without paying rent.

My tenancy agreements tells me what happens if my rent is late. I would get charged with X% over the BoE base rate. Maybe this landlord has a similar clause.

The tenant should have paid the rent but the landlord's actions are likely to do more harm to the landlord than the tenant. The landlord has shot himself in the foot with his rash actions.

dimbo61

You can only apply to the courts once a tenant is over two months late with the rent so YES the LL is in the wrong.
Why did the other tenants allow the LL into the property and let him remove items that clearly did not belong to him/her ?

Are you a student ? Is your contract up at the end of this month ?
Have you paid your rent every month without fail?
Did you provide a guarantor ?
Is it a joint tenancy where several people have paid a deposit and other tenants will not get there full deposit returned if YOU do not pay your rent !

The LL is very much in the wrong and stupid in his actions but in life you learn that if you do not pay your bills you get fined.
If I was late with my mortgage payment I would get a letter within days from my lender saying " Late mortgage payment £25 for this letter"
We have many, many posts on here about Mr X or Miss Y finding out they have destroyed there credit rating by having defaults because of late payments on credit cards, loans and even paying bills like mobile phones.
My very first priority is to pay the Rent or Mortgage payments, then the council tax and other important bills.
What would happen if the Boss at work said " money is tight this month so we are paying everyone two/three weeks late or not at all"
Would you be happy.
If the LL pays the mortgage/Loan on the property late you can be sure he will get a very fast letter by return of post from the lender.
Late payments leads to black marks on his credit file and repossession of the property.
How would this effect all the other tenants " Homeless "
Not all LL,s are rich and rolling in money, he is running a business and has bills and people to pay.
Hugh numbers of small businesses are struggling due to cash flow and late payment of bills.
Why is the tenant three weeks late in paying his rent? Why did he not speak to his LL to warn him before he failed to pay his rent.
Going to court or involving Shelter, the Police, council Rent officer all cause bad feelings between Landlord and tenant.
Pay your bills on time or life will make you Homeless.

chucknorris

slopemaster wrote: »

I think you will find it's the LL being described as "theiving scum", not the OP

He knows that, it was sarcasm.

PasturesNew

thesaint wrote: »

How does one get robbed legally?

Govt taxes

Matt_ftb

While the landlord has breached civil law so has the OP by failing to pay the rent.

thesaint

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Can't landlord's mark tenant's credit files due to rent arrears these days?

Experian were trying. This was their response to me in Feb 2013:

Thank you for your enquiry about the rental exchange and sorry for the delay in getting back to you. We are currently working on launching an online website that will enable private landlords to input their tenants data each month for free, and this should be launched in April. Your contact details have been added to the mailing list in order to inform you when the service is launched.

Not heard a dicky bird since.

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Whether this is the first non-payment of rent or there has been a catalogue of late/missing payments then the landlord has tools at his disposal to deal with the offending tenant. Issue a section 8 or 21 notice and get the tenant out the property rather than allow them to remain in the property indefinitely without paying rent.

My tenancy agreements tells me what happens if my rent is late. I would get charged with X% over the BoE base rate. Maybe this landlord has a similar clause.

The tenant should have paid the rent but the landlord's actions are likely to do more harm to the landlord than the tenant. The landlord has shot himself in the foot with his rash actions.

I would not advise a landlord to take this action, but can understand why some do this, and much worse.

Viberduo

thesaint wrote: »

They would also mark your credit file which would stay on record for 6 years, which would limit your ability to gain credit.

I would rather pawn my goods for 2 weeks than this.



Maybe for a first offence, but I doubt this landlord took this action after a one time non payment(I say non payment, as it isn't a late payment if it still has not been paid).

All of this unpleasantness would not have happened if the OP had paid their rent. The landlord is not a free credit facility for tenants who decide to use them as such.

I had agents at the door before because I paid standing order on date rent was due verbally threatening that I must pay on the doorstep as they didnt believe I paid, and if I refused entry they would break door, I was a good tenant though I may have paid a few days late sometimes due to forgetfullness so I ended up doing standing order which caused these problems and couldnt afford to pay before I got paid, had another landlord knock on my door 8am pay day to demand I pay him as he knew I was paid, the same LL used to go into property whenever they wanted and go through post and cupboards and eventually illegally evicted me due to him not turning up constantly on agreed times and dates for collecting rent(I had it safely in bank waiting to pay him) and he said I was avoiding him and he kept a plasma tv, a computer, a monitor, xbox, sky box, older games consoles, brand new clothes, furniture etc then had the cheek to say I left only junk at the flat and nothing of value.

Point is its not as clear cut as worse case scenario you get some bad landlords and tenants out there.

slopemaster

chucknorris wrote: »

He knows that, it was sarcasm.

lowest form of wit, they say

Hanky_Panky

I'm wondering if the landlord could argue he was using his right of set off.

mgarl10024

TonyMMM wrote: »

Police will not get involved in this .... there is no burglary (he was allowed access to the property), and the definition of theft requires an "intention to permanently deprive"

So if he leaves the keys lying around I can 'borrow' my neighbour's flashy car as long as I leave a note saying that I'll be returning it at the end of the year? Fantastic!