Tenant from Hell= penniless and destroyed house

Guest101

banwa wrote: »

My parents rented out a house; the repulsive tenants had stuffed cigarette butts into the loo overflow pipe (amongst many other disgusting things, including storing all their bin bags in the shed, we had to shovel out three foot of used nappies, food scraps etc etc), which caused water to run down the side of the house, causing damp throughout, meaning the kitchen needed to be replaced and the downstairs floorboards. There wasn't a part of the house they didn't wreck, wilfully or otherwise.

This is why regular inspections are a good idea.

Dipak

Guest101 wrote: »

This is why regular inspections are a good idea.

My agent carried out regular checks but the problem was that you have to give notice and cant turn up out of the blue. Every time they went there with an appointment, the place looked ok. Also regular inspections wont show block loos etc.

I would suggest you kinda have to go with your gut on this, if between you and the agent you think that the house is not being looked after then serve notice and get them out.

Also for the next tenancy i would recommend you get an Guarantor that way they become liable if the tenant doesnt pay.

Hope that helps

Guest101

Dipak wrote: »

My agent carried out regular checks but the problem was that you have to give notice and cant turn up out of the blue. Every time they went there with an appointment, the place looked ok. Also regular inspections wont show block loos etc.

I would suggest you kinda have to go with your gut on this, if between you and the agent you think that the house is not being looked after then serve notice and get them out.

Also for the next tenancy i would recommend you get an Guarantor that way they become liable if the tenant doesnt pay.

Hope that helps

Inspections would no doubt so a shed with 3 foot high pile of nappies and food though, no doubt.

And actually a thorough inspection should check that the toilet is working.

I dont see how it is a problem to give notice. If your agent is event looking at the way the tenants live, ie it looks ok, and not carrying out a thorough look at the 'behind the scenes', get a new agent.

I couldnt care less if the tenants are nudists, minimalists, hoarders or turned the reception room into a sex dungeon! - im interested that my investment is being well looked after, so checking for signs of mould, damp, damage, etc is what i want.

oh and PS if you get a guarantor, makes sure it's executed as a deed. often done incorrectly, and becomes very unenforceable very quickly.

Pixie5740

Looks like the OP has some good advice already about getting the property let out again or selling. Even if this tenant has no assets I'd still pursue them for arrears and damage taking it all the way to a CCJ if necessary.

From other landlords', accidental or otherwise, posts, I'm surprised that so many truly awful tenants get past the referencing undetected. Unless they've always been decent tenants and then one day wake up and think, "This is it. This is the day I smash all the furniture and smear faeces down the walls."

Guest101

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Looks like the OP has some good advice already about getting the property let out again or selling. Even if this tenant has no assets I'd still pursue them for arrears and damage taking it all the way to a CCJ if necessary.

From other landlords', accidental or otherwise, posts, I'm surprised that so many truly awful tenants get past the referencing undetected. Unless they've always been decent tenants and then one day wake up and think, "This is it. This is the day I smash all the furniture and smear faeces down the walls."

:rotfl:
We've all had days like that, right?..... right?... oh

Pete9501

I am struggling to see why it needs £15k of work and if you can't afford this then you need to roll up the sleeves get down there and start painting it. A good coat of new white exterior paint would go along way to improving the street appeal. Same for the kitchen. Get the boiler serviced and working and fit the radiators. Plasterer in to fix any damage and then paint over it.

You paid £68k for it in 2002 and the EA thinks its worth £95k. Have you made any capital investment in it during this time? or just spent the rental income and re-mortgaged the property again?

This might sound harsh but you are living beyond your means and the only way out now is for you and your OH to put in hard work to sort it yourselves. You're on a slippery slope and to get yourself out of it will take all your spare time now for some months. The alternatives are far worse.

kinger101

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Even if this tenant has no assets I'd still pursue them for arrears and damage taking it all the way to a CCJ if necessary.

I guess their circumstances could change in the future, but if they're likely to be NINJAs all their life, then it could just be more money down the drain. Anyone know the likely costs on getting a CCJ for the £12K arrears?

DRP

A lot of your to-do list is definitely not absolutely necessary.

As others have stated, get your bums down there and a bit of elbow grease and a relatively small amount of ££ will get the house looking a lot better and in a rentable state.

Think of the whole thing as a buy-to-let learning experience.

Pixie5740

kinger101 wrote: »

I guess their circumstances could change in the future, but if they're likely to be NINJAs all their life, then it could just be more money down the drain. Anyone know the likely costs on getting a CCJ for the £12K arrears?

Artful seems to have chased tenants down and got CCJs awarded against them which is apparently very satisfying.

Even without a CCJ surely the next LL would at least contact the previous LL and ask what they were like as a T.

There was a recent thread where the OP hadn't paid rent for months for some really stupid reason and had been served with a Section 8. A little digging turned up their previous thread (couple of years old) where they were asking for advice after being served a Section 8 for not paying the rent. I'm amazed at how easy it seems to be to get away with it. Maybe I should try it. (Not really).

leveller2911

mrsmumbles wrote: »

Check a trade are good for vetting workmen, rated people allow you to post your job online and then traders all bid for the work, but beware of cowboys on that website, I've been caught out, but he did get the work done for us eventually. Check a trade are better.

I couldn't disagree more with regards to Check a trade and rated people. All of the people who advertise on CAT and rated people pay a fee to join. Its nothing more than a club. CAT in particular do not like posting complaints about the members of the site.

Have a search on the forum here and google about check a trade and rated people and you will see there are major issues with both sites.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2791140

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2671559/Can-trust-website-claims-banish-cowboy-workmen.html

You will possibly see the likes of these companies on Watchdog very soon.....

EDIT: Oh they already have been on watchdog..........