Ex landlord

Brokenpancreas

We moved into a private rented house year and a half ago as we moved from London due to money problems. My partners sister got us up here and her husband had the keys at the time... The landlord didn't even come to the house or check it before we moved in, we was just happy that we was away from London and all of our worries. My partner was told by his sister and brother in law that he would easily get a job, and we stupidly believed them. Anyway landlord eventually came round a month after we had lived there with a tenancy agreement which looked like it had just been printed off and it wasn't even filled out properly. Anyway a year on and no luck with a job, I have severe anxiety and depression, we struggled to afford to live there, so we applied for a council house which took us 6 months and we got accepted for a council house and we moved in a week ago.
Landlord has now started being horrible to us and verbally aggressive reducing me and my partner to tears. When we moved into the other house we was told that whatever was left there was now ours, so we took the cooker and washing machine with us when we moved, he never came to collect rent maybe 3 times a year, and never wanted it put into his bank. We have suggested loads of times that we would set up a payment plan to pay back what we owe, we have no problems doing that, as we know we owe it, and the council said for us to do that too. But he rang up today shouting down the phone that we have stole money off of him (we haven't) and that the house is a shitole (we have left it how we found it) he said if we don't go back round and sort it he will come to our door and drag us round there, not sure how he knows where we now live either (probably my partners sister!) We have a 2 year old daughter who the landlord said he doesn't give a !!!! about!! We have just taken the washing machine and cooker back, but are still extremely scared and don't want to leave our house!
Landlord is also saying that we apparently bad mouthed him to the council as that's why we apparently got a council property so quickly and that he is going to ring them when he can to find out, but we really haven't bad mouthed him, all we said was that we needed to move as we was struggling to afford to live there as he wouldn't come round for the rent so the money would just be sat there and when we would be struggling we would end up taking some of the rent money to get gas electric and food! Whilst living there we was awarded discretionary housing payment to help cover the full rent, which he knew. I just don't know what to do now and am scared to leave the house. I know we are in the wrong as we owe rent but we are trying to sort it.

elsien

What sort of tenancy? Did you give the correct notice? Did he protect your deposit, carry out all the mandatory tests etc?
What about the inventory when you moved in/out? If there isn't one he doesn't have a leg to stand on.
Did you take any photos of the house when you moved in/out?

Stop letting him bully you. Stop answering the phone and communicate in writing from here on in. If he turns up threatening you, call the police.
What do you think you owe him?

And if he rings the council they'll tell him to do one. You are crediting this character with far more power than he actually has and he's probably trying to make you pay more than you owe.

So take a deep breath and go back to the beginning - tenancy details and what he's trying to claim.

Wanderingpomm

Block his phone number.
Keep a record of the harassment
Report him to HMRC because I doubt he’s paying tax.

There’s very he can legally do to you if you hsvn’t Signed anything and we’re not paying regularly.

Even if the place is a ‘shithole’ if there was no inventory it’s your word against his. Saying that taking the oven and wahing machine, which you knew weren’t yours was pushing your luck.

jonnygee2

When we moved into the other house we was told that whatever was left there was now ours, so we took the cooker and washing machine with us when we moved

Firstly, I think you will need to arrange to return these. This could be seen as theft, unless there is something written down.

Everything else, including the rent you have not paid yet, I would ignore until you get formal written notices asking you to pay them. Frankly it does not sound likely you will ever get any.

If the threats continue call the police (not 999, call the local station!).

I know we are in the wrong as we owe rent

Your landlord may have been illegally subletting, evading tax or worse. Frankly paying the missing rent at this point might be more immoral than not paying it.

Hasbeen

Brokenpancreas wrote: »

We moved into a private rented house year and a half ago as we moved from London due to money problems. My partners sister got us up here and her husband had the keys at the time... The landlord didn't even come to the house or check it before we moved in, we was just happy that we was away from London and all of our worries. My partner was told by his sister and brother in law that he would easily get a job, and we stupidly believed them. Anyway landlord eventually came round a month after we had lived there with a tenancy agreement which looked like it had just been printed off and it wasn't even filled out properly. Anyway a year on and no luck with a job, I have severe anxiety and depression, we struggled to afford to live there, so we applied for a council house which took us 6 months and we got accepted for a council house and we moved in a week ago.
Landlord has now started being horrible to us and verbally aggressive reducing me and my partner to tears. When we moved into the other house we was told that whatever was left there was now ours, so we took the cooker and washing machine with us when we moved, he never came to collect rent maybe 3 times a year, and never wanted it put into his bank. We have suggested loads of times that we would set up a payment plan to pay back what we owe, we have no problems doing that, as we know we owe it, and the council said for us to do that too. But he rang up today shouting down the phone that we have stole money off of him (we haven't) and that the house is a shitole (we have left it how we found it) he said if we don't go back round and sort it he will come to our door and drag us round there, not sure how he knows where we now live either (probably my partners sister!) We have a 2 year old daughter who the landlord said he doesn't give a !!!! about!! We have just taken the washing machine and cooker back, but are still extremely scared and don't want to leave our house!
Landlord is also saying that we apparently bad mouthed him to the council as that's why we apparently got a council property so quickly and that he is going to ring them when he can to find out, but we really haven't bad mouthed him, all we said was that we needed to move as we was struggling to afford to live there as he wouldn't come round for the rent so the money would just be sat there and when we would be struggling we would end up taking some of the rent money to get gas electric and food! Whilst living there we was awarded discretionary housing payment to help cover the full rent, which he knew. I just don't know what to do now and am scared to leave the house. I know we are in the wrong as we owe rent but we are trying to sort it.

You got payment from the council to pay the rent? Which you did not pay?

You took his washing machine and cooker from the house.

You left the house looking like a S***hole.


The Landlord appears to be a muppet but he is not alone in this mess.

But you can report him. No deposit? Not paying tax etc.

silvercar

...all we said was that we needed to move as we was struggling to afford to live there as he wouldn't come round for the rent so the money would just be sat there and when we would be struggling we would end up taking some of the rent money to get gas electric and food! Whilst living there we was awarded discretionary housing payment to help cover the full rent, which he knew. I just don't know what to do now and am scared to leave the house. I know we are in the wrong as we owe rent but we are trying to sort it

So the council gave you a property after you told them you had built up rent arrears, even with a discretionary housing payment!

You have been very lucky indeed to be given a council home. The priority now is to make sure you don't get into arrears with this property.

jonnygee2

The Landlord appears to be a muppet but he is not alone in this mess.

Clearly this is no model tenant. But if you are a dodgy landlord this is the kind of treatment you can expect. You can also expect the law to not be of much help to you when you are left out of pocket.

SandraX

Hasbeen wrote: »

You got payment from the council to pay the rent? Which you did not pay?

You took his washing machine and cooker from the house.

You left the house looking like a S***hole.


The Landlord appears to be a muppet but he is not alone in this mess.

But you can report him. No deposit? Not paying tax etc.

Thank you for your honest post.

OP, you say you have been there but not able to get a job. Is the area you moved have an unemployment rate of 50%?

Brokenpancreas

Please don't make me feel anymore sh*t than we already do. The discretionary payment was paid directly to him, we didn't see that money. We owe about £100, which we are setting up a payment plan, we never unwillingly didn't pay rent!!
My partner did get a job in April but they let him go in July due to his mental health which jobcentre was aware of and were apparently dealing with it.

Cooker and washing machine are now returned, and house is cleaned again... Which we did in the first place!

We was given a house by the council because we couldn't afford to live there and the council spoke to the landlord at the time too and was happy.

Sandra I am not sure how we find out about the unemployment rate? He applies for jobs every day.. He has 5 years cleaning experience and applies for literally every cleaning job and any other job but no one gets back to us.

jonnygee2

Cooker and washing machine are now returned, and house is cleaned again

That was quick!

HampshireH

So do you still have keys or have you ended your tenancy?

You do have a tenancy as you appear to have been (or the council have) paying regular rent which has been accepted by the LandLord.

You will still be liable

Did you give the correct notice etc?