Lodger Done / Doing a Runner , with £700 owed - what can I do ?

MoroFenrir

Posting this for a friend of mine.

He has a lodger who rents a room in his house , all official with a contract etc and has been there since 8th may.

Lodger owes £300 in rent , and £400 is due today for next months rent as they have NOT given notice to leave.

However his room door was left open and they've noticed he's emptied his room and taken 90% of his things , and he's done a bunk, leaving a letter saying "He's been depressed and felt unwelcome etc."
He's also blocked him on facebook

When he didn't pay the £300 he owed , he gave a letter from his employer stating he was due to be paid the next day... my friend has gone to email him and found that it's a false email.

He's also not left his keys to the house meaning that my friend will have to get all the locks redone.

He's left the room in a mess and in a bag of trash was a letter from 02 saying he's had his phone barred for not paying them either...

I'm going to phone CAB , but what can and can't my friend legally do ?

He's owed £700 to date and might have to get the locks redone.

We belive he's run back to his mums

MoroFenrir

Yes , written agreement and all official

Jox

Maybe it would be best to just let it go and try to move on and hopefully have better luck with the next lodger. This person may have mental health issues and trying to get the money may be a long and painful process.

fishpond

If you have proof that the lodger has left, then the small claims court.
Also how long has the contract got left to run, as you should also claim for future rent until you find a new lodger.

G_M

1) option is to sue him. For this, he'll need toknow where he's gone, to serve court papers on him

2) Change the locks. He'd have to do this anyway each time a lodger gave notice so no difference. Keep the old lock and use it next time a lodger changes!

3) Rent. Although strictly speaking notice should have been served so the next months rent is due, the relity is that the landlord has got the room back, so not worth chasing the rent really

4) the rent arrears. The deposit should cover this.

Mark it down to experience. It's really not worth the time, hassle, stress of court action (assuming he can locate the lodger).

MoroFenrir

It's a month to month rolling contract , with 4 weeks notice.

So he only owes £300 , Plus the next month's rent at £400 , as he gave no notice to leave.

And he's kept the house keys

david1951

Even if you win a small claims case that is no guarantee of getting the money back. I agree that the best thing to do is simply take the deposit (there is a deposit, right?) and save the time and hassle.

MoroFenrir

No there was no deposit , friend was desperate for a lodger at the time , and agreed to take him with no deposit in good faith , as when he first moved in he did pay the rent upfront

Guest101

Blood out of a stone springs to mind.


And he can certainly argue he gave a months notice, as a lodger the court may accept he did this in person and not posted.


Personally I'd possibly claim the £300, but chasing next months rent would be more hassle than its worth.

G_M

MoroFenrir wrote: »

No there was no deposit , friend was desperate for a lodger at the time , and agreed to take him with no deposit in good faith , as when he first moved in he did pay the rent upfront

Well, he decided to take a risk. He gambled. And he lost.

He now knows why all sensible landlords take a deposit, so the lodger has taught him a useful lesson. Perhaps £300 worth of learning!

If an applicant cannot afford a deposit it should ring alarm bells so loud that agreeing to the contract is total madness.

Where a landlord is 'desparate' for a lodger, he has to weigh the benefit of geting someone in this week rather than next week, against the huge risk of taking on an unsuitable lodger/tenant.

Frankly no one to blame but himself.

david1951

MoroFenrir wrote: »

No there was no deposit

Oops.......