Nightmare lodger.

samwilliams1988

Hello,

A little advice is needed regarding a nightmare ex lodger who was staying in my property with me with no contract or tenancy ( I am the landlord.) I asked her to move out of the property and she was not making any moves on this thus I served a notice to quit. When this did not work her possessions were carefully moved to a safe storage unit and she was given the keys. 5 weeks later she is now claiming damage to her possessions and threatening to call the police. A professional man with a van was hired and oversaw the packing of the storage unit and when it was packed no items were broken. She is now claiming intentional damage to her property which I know was not caused by myself.

I was wondering if any advice could be given to get this nightmare of a situation sorted out please?

Many thanks!

gazter

samwilliams1988 wrote: »

Hello,

A little advice is needed regarding a nightmare ex lodger who was staying in my property with me with no contract or tenancy ( I am the landlord.) I asked her to move out of the property and she was not making any moves on this thus I served a notice to quit. When this did not work her possessions were carefully moved to a safe storage unit and she was given the keys. 5 weeks later she is now claiming damage to her possessions and threatening to call the police. A professional man with a van was hired and oversaw the packing of the storage unit and when it was packed no items were broken. She is now claiming intentional damage to her property which I know was not caused by myself.

I was wondering if any advice could be given to get this nightmare of a situation sorted out please?

Many thanks!

I hoped you took the cost out of her deposit. The police would not be interested unless she could show some kind of criminal damage. She might have some kind of civil case, but it sounds more like hot air. Unless you get a letter from her giving you notice that she is taking you to court, just ignore her. The worst she can claim is the actual cost of the damage caused plus the court costs.

Rambosmum

I wouldn't worry about it (easier said than done). She did have a tenancy agreement if she was paying you rent, it was just verbal/ presumed. If you gave her notice which was equal to or more than the period of which she paid her rent (e.g. if she paid weekly, then one week, if she paid monthly, then 1 month) then you are fine- have you a copy of the notice?

I really wouldn't worry. Lodgers have few rights and it sounds as though you did everything right. I really hope you too the cost of the man and van out of her deposit and got a receipt for him.

If she serves you with a court summons then come back, but I suspect she'll get over it. The police won't care and will consider it a civil matter.

moneyistooshorttomention

Fingers crossed for you that she's just trying it on.

I think it was rather generous of you I have to say putting them in a safe storage area. Who is paying for that?

When I got a nightmare lodger (quite some years back in the past now) I found they clearly had no intention of moving out on the day I had told them they were going to. They came home to find their stuff packed for them and sitting in the garden for them to collect.

There were no repercussions from that.

So - wishing you that this works out well for you.

Guest101

OP in the future, you change the locks and leave the stuff where it is.

You then arrange for the police to be present (to prevent Breach of the peace) and allow the lodger (or preferably a friend of the lodger) access to remove his or her property.

Do not interfere with property that int yours.

The lodger could have a vaery good case. This would be loss + costs + possibly some compensation for loss of use of.

(e.g. loss of earnings if it was a tool of the trade)

Guest101

Rambosmum wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about it (easier said than done). She did have a tenancy agreement if she was paying you rent, it was just verbal/ presumed. If you gave her notice which was equal to or more than the period of which she paid her rent (e.g. if she paid weekly, then one week, if she paid monthly, then 1 month) then you are fine- have you a copy of the notice?

I really wouldn't worry. Lodgers have few rights and it sounds as though you did everything right. I really hope you too the cost of the man and van out of her deposit and got a receipt for him.

If she serves you with a court summons then come back, but I suspect she'll get over it. The police won't care and will consider it a civil matter.

I really hope she didnt take the cost from the deposit. But that's anther matter.

I know you said lodger later, but she didnt have a tenancy, she had a licence to occupy