Tenant has lied and not paid the rent

harvey1964

My sister has rented out her home and the tenant who has been there for 7 months of a 1 year tenancy has not paid the rent at the beginning of October . She rang him to ask why and he said there was a family emergency and had to leave the country to go back to Africa but would be back at the end of October. He said he didn't have the money but sure she had the deposit ( which was put in a tenancy deposit scheme)
Neighbours of the property have told me they have seen lights on and I went round today and there was food in the kitchen etc definitely bought since the beginning of the month. I rang his mobile number withholding my own number and it was not a foreign ring tone.
What can she do next ?
It was let with a letting agent but they only found the tenant they don't take to do with the renting of the property
I think he is intending to move out and going to just let his deposit pay the last month as there is bin bags left upstairs with clothes

booksurr

STOP RIGHT NOW

- you have no relationship at all with the tenant
- you have entered their home without their permission and rifled through their belongings

if you carry on the way you have you will land your sister in a whole heap of trouble. It is the tenant's home and you cannot just walk in when you feel like it.

jamei305

harvey1964 wrote: »

What can she do next ?

What does she want to do? She obviously decided to manage the tenancy herself without the help of an agent so presumably has some idea whether she wants to evict the tenant or let them stay until they leave of their own accord.

anselld

I hope you have not entered the property without serving the correct notice.

There is very little you can (legally) do in the short term except wait and see if he either leaves or pays rent. Prepare to serve s8 notice if he misses a second rent day and in the meantime refrain from illegal entry.

alibean121

You sound kind of crazy.... What right do you have to be rooting through the tenants fridge and harassing them on the phone? Over rent that's not even 2 weeks late?

Back off is my advice!

csgohan4

You have no legal right to intervene. If I found you rifling through my things, you would be done for breaking and entering.

How is it your problem? do you own the house? Are you on the deeds? Are you getting the rent?

If your Sister wanted to manage it herself, let her do it, whether she is doing it well that is her problem.

She should serve a section 8 and follow the LAW if the tenants have not paid rent for 2 months which is a minimum.

Did you follow the LAW???

fairy_lights

Just to echo what everyone has already said - don't just go round and let yourself in and look through the tenants stuff, ever. You're not even the landlord (not that it would be ok if you were) and you're building a whole heap of trouble for you and your sister by being so heavy handed.

csgohan4

What goes around comes around. Lets hope it's not the case for you.

Just let your sister know and leave her to deal with it. It is not your problem.

Pixie5740

If your sister is unsure of what she is doing I recommend she joins a landlords association and (assuming the property is in England or Wales) reads up on Section 8 and Section 21 notices if she does indeed want to evict the tenant.

agrinnall

I assumed from the OP that she'd just looked through the windows, although we may never know as she's probably been scared off now (although hopefully that will stop her doing anything that actually is illegal).

Guest101

OP

neither you nor your sister can just enter the property - you need to step back. Your sister needs to learn about being a landlord.

And if the tenant finds out, you could easiy be classed as an agent of the landlord and get her a harassment charge to boot and all.