Rented House advice

Paul_Jones_1984

Mojisola,
Thanks for your advice.
I have posted about my colleague's advice about sending a letter to my ex girlfriend stating that I will no longer be paying the rent or utilities.
Is that a good idea?

I can see I'm in a weak position here regarding the landlord.
But I really don't want to be accused of harassment. Neither do I want any of my belongings thrown out in the bin etc.

VintageHistorian

Paul_Jones_1984 wrote: »

GM,

Thank you for your advice.
I'm sure I'm not the first man to have a relationship end with a girlfriend I've been living with.
Apart from refusing to leave a house, where the relationship had ended and was becoming bitter, what other choice did I have?

Wait for her to take the kids to the park and change the locks while she was out. Not the gentlemanly thing to do certainly, and you'd have been slagged off to all and sundry, but frankly it sounds like she spotted a way to get nearly a year living in a nice flat rent free and went for it.

Ms_Chocaholic

If you catch her off guard she's not going to trash the place in advance.

Get in the house, change the locks and if you're feeling generous, give her the train fare to get back to Leeds.

VintageHistorian

Paul_Jones_1984 wrote: »

I have posted about my colleague's advice about sending a letter to my ex girlfriend stating that I will no longer be paying the rent or utilities.
Is that a good idea?

It will hold no legal sway. Your name on the contract, your responsibility to pay the lot. If you don't pay then you'll be taken to court, you'll get a CCJ against your name, you won't be able to rent another property, you won't be able to buy a property, start setting up a direct debit for costs to your parents because you're going to be living with them for the long run.

Paul_Jones_1984

I am grateful for all the advice. Sorry if it appears otherwise. It's been a long day.
I think I need to go to bed, then have another look through all these threads.
Maybe next weekend I will contact CAB.
I agree a solicitor would be a good idea. I'll need to look into the cost of that.

I also need to get a look at the tenancy agreement. Obviously the letting agency will have a copy.
I'm sure the letting agents have encountered relationship breakdowns before, so it's probably best just to be honest with them. They're going to find out sooner or later.

I think ex girlfriend will be happy to speak to the letting agents, rather than me. So maybe it's better if they approach her?

Ms_Chocaholic

CAB aren't going to offer you any better advice than has been offered on here.

I think you're being naive in thinking that your ex-girlfriend will speak to the letting agents.

This is so frustrating, we are all offering you advice on what you should do, most of which is along the same lines. Many of us are basing our replies on our own experiences yet you still seem to be wishing to take the advice of your mate's brother who happens to be a cop.

You are wanting to speak to the letting agents, presumably on the basis that your ex stays in the property. Not quite sure why you are taking that stance. Don't you want her out. The situation is only going to get worse unless you act. As one of the other posters explained, imagine when she gets a new bloke and moves him in, your problems will be doubled.

Slithery

Paul_Jones_1984 wrote: »

Apart from refusing to leave a house, where the relationship had ended and was becoming bitter, what other choice did I have?

You should have kicked her out.

VintageHistorian

Paul_Jones_1984 wrote: »

I think ex girlfriend will be happy to speak to the letting agents, rather than me. So maybe it's better if they approach her?

What exactly do you think they'll have to talk about? She knows you're contracted to pay everything, they know you're contracted to pay everything. Unless you're hoping they'll ask her very nicely to sod off (I doubt it) I suspect they'll hand over the contract, remind you when next month's rent is due, and tell you to go away and sort it out yourself.

Don't hang on until next weekend, don't send letters. Get a copy of the contract and book an appointment with a solicitor before the end of the week. Ask your parents to lend you the money if necessary, or take out a loan. But stop !!!!! footing around in the hope that it will sort itself out, it won't.

Paul_Jones_1984

It seems my best hope would be if the landlord agreed to cancel my tenancy agreement and set up a new one in ex girlfriend's name?
Then she could claim LHA. Obviously this is not what the landlord wanted, but maybe it would be easier and cheaper than taking me to court, evicting ex girlfriend and then having to find a new tenant?

That's what I can suggest to the letting agency anyway. At least it will look like I'm being reasonable.

The only asset I have is my car, worth about £4k. So I guess landlord's options against me would be going for CCJ, seizing my car and attachment of earnings? Car is for commuting, not business use.

Ms_Chocaholic

Why are you even considering that?

Why not give the Police a call on 101 tomorrow and explain the situation, say you want to avoid a breach of the peace but are considering changing the locks when your ex girlfriend is out. She has no rights to the property. Once you are in there, she is welcome to collect her property and leave but you are not willing to allow her to remain in the property. Ask them for advice if you don't believe the rest of us.