Can we arrange when the bailiffs visit?

jobbingmusician

OK, cruel landlord writing here. Before you condemn me, here's the background.


We are a small charity who let a miniscule number of flats attached to our main property. Times are hard - we are having to sell the property and so evict the tenants (and yes, we have referred them to other local agencies who are helping them with their rehousing).


We served the S21 in December and have a possession order - the tenants have until Wednesday to vacate.


I believe the next stage is bailiffs (we do have a solicitor on the case but I am asking here rather than him to try to save his time, therefore the charity's money.)


What actually happens? I understand it will be at least another 3 weeks before the bailiffs actually come (and that the tenants actually need to be evicted before they can be considered for rehousing.) Can we arrange the date with them?


The tenants owe us money - am I right in thinking bailiffs will take goods? We want to work WITH the bailiffs (remember that we are talking to our tenants and know they need to be evicted, although it is an awful process) and we need to ensure that our own possessions in the flats are not seized. Any advice?

agrinnall

Well surely the bailiffs are working for you and will therefore take your instruction. If you want them at a specific time I'd expect them to either agree or say they can't make that time and ask you for another one.

Could you go with them to ensure the charity's possessions are not seized?

[Deleted User]

So you are a charity, 'reluctantly' evicting tenants so they are homeless, selling the properties, and wondering if you can keep the charity's possessions safe while the bailiffs (if they can) take the victims/tenants property because the tenants owe you money.

I suppose you tell yourself it'll mean the tenants will have less to carry on their hand carts.

Hmmmm.

I assume you took a deposit?

thesaint

You are not right. The County Court bailiffs will not take the tenants belongings.

They are only there to give you possession of the property.

HappyMJ

jobbingmusician wrote: »

OK, cruel landlord writing here. Before you condemn me, here's the background.


We are a small charity who let a miniscule number of flats attached to our main property. Times are hard - we are having to sell the property and so evict the tenants (and yes, we have referred them to other local agencies who are helping them with their rehousing).


We served the S21 in December and have a possession order - the tenants have until Wednesday to vacate.


I believe the next stage is bailiffs (we do have a solicitor on the case but I am asking here rather than him to try to save his time, therefore the charity's money.)


What actually happens? I understand it will be at least another 3 weeks before the bailiffs actually come (and that the tenants actually need to be evicted before they can be considered for rehousing.) Can we arrange the date with them?


The tenants owe us money - am I right in thinking bailiffs will take goods? We want to work WITH the bailiffs (remember that we are talking to our tenants and know they need to be evicted, although it is an awful process) and we need to ensure that our own possessions in the flats are not seized. Any advice?

It's very unlikely the bailiffs will take any goods from the tenants. HCEO's may but they rarely do. The objective really is just to regain possession.

jobbingmusician

deannatrois wrote: »

So you are a charity, 'reluctantly' evicting tenants so they are homeless, selling the properties, and wondering if you can keep the charity's possessions safe while the bailiffs (if they can) take the victims/tenants property because the tenants owe you money.

I suppose you tell yourself it'll mean the tenants will have less to carry on their hand carts.

Hmmmm.

I assume you took a deposit?

No. These were homeless people, with no money. Perhaps you can come up with an alternative to eviction, given that we are having to sell the property to continue providing services to our clients? Our objective is simply to protect the contents of the flats which belong to us, so that we don't have to do something stupid like paying the bailiffs to return our property. Moderate the sarcasm, please!

thesaint wrote: »

You are not right. The County Court bailiffs will not take the tenants belongings.

They are only there to give you possession of the property.

Thank you.

HappyMJ wrote: »

It's very unlikely the bailiffs will take any goods from the tenants. HCEO's may but they rarely do. The objective really is just to regain possession.

Again, thanks, this is the information I needed.

PlutoinCapricorn

A locksmith often attends too.

jjlandlord

HappyMJ wrote: »

HCEO's may but they rarely do.

If they were instructed to collect on a debt, they will seize what they can.

jobbingmusician

Thanks again. I think it is unlikely we will recover any of the debts owed to us (except by the reliably incompetent Housing Benefit office.)

thesaint

PlutoinCapricorn wrote: »

A locksmith often attends too.

A locksmith only attends if the landlord arranges one to.

[Deleted User]

No alternative to eviction if you need to sell the properties to continue.., but to drool over their TV or whatever whilst evicting them (which you'd only get a pittance for at auction if the bailiffs can even take them) is not really what I'd expect a charity to do. Whilst of course, making sure the bailiffs don't take what belongs to the charity.

Providing better or effective support and being aware of the high risks of renting to this population group would perhaps have been more beneficial to the charity. Having action plans to prevent high arrears would have helped too (including having housing benefit paid direct to yourselves).

But deciding to take belongings off previously homeless people.., as a charity.., kindof questionable. Better to question what went wrong within the charity's own set up. Because a lot did.