[Australia Question] - Tracking Landlord Down!

[Deleted User]

macman said:

If the OP's sole purpose in seeking an address is to serve notice on him for an action via a tribunal, then surely the address originally given on the tenancy agreement is valid? Papers will be served at the last known address, and if the LL does not respond, then the action will be won by the OP by default. 

Depends which address was given.  Was the landlord's address ever put in the tenancy agreement or was it just the letting agent's address although it sounds as if the letting agent is just a friend of the landlord rather than an actual letting agent.  Is there even a written tenancy agreement?  The whole set up sounds hooky.

slenderkitten

Lover_of_Lycra said:

This thread has descended into a downward spiral.  Posters need to remember that the OP is in Scotland and the housing law and procedures for getting things such as repairs carried out is not the same as in England & Wales.  For the OP to go to the First Tier Tribunal for repairs, or whatever else, the application form specifically asks for the landlord's contact details and the contact details for the landlord's agent if there is one.  The OP is legally entitled to be given the landlord's contact details either from the landlord's agent who also needs to be on the Scottish Letting Agent Register, it's a criminal offence to operate as letting agent and not be registered, or if the OP pays the rent directly into the landlord's bank account the bank needs to provide the landlord's contact details if asked.  Both these avenues cost no more than the postage and that's what I'd be doing in the OP's shoes.  I'd also be withholding the rent to see if it draws him out of hiding.  Not a course of action I'd usually advocate but it's more difficult to evict a tenant in Scotland.

I'd also be pushing the council to hit the landlord with a Rent Penalty Notice (RPN) if he's not properly registered.  That means the OP wouldn't have to pay any rent whilst the RPN in force.  This isn't a deferment of rent, a RPN means that the landlord is not legally entitled to receive rent for the period the RPN in force.  

https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_topics/neighbourhood_issues/antisocial_behaviour/private_landlords_and_antisocial_behaviour/rent_penalty_notices_and_rent_payable_orders 

I didn't know i could contact the recipient bank in this way, the agent has been receiving the rent, not the owner.  What he does with the money is between him and the owner.  Unfortunately, the owner is hiding from me and the authorities.
If I must make it plainly clearly i am only posting here to seek a way to FIND THE OWNER, if you don't know of a way then there is no point responding. 

slenderkitten

Lover_of_Lycra said:

macman said:

If the OP's sole purpose in seeking an address is to serve notice on him for an action via a tribunal, then surely the address originally given on the tenancy agreement is valid? Papers will be served at the last known address, and if the LL does not respond, then the action will be won by the OP by default. 

Depends which address was given.  Was the landlord's address ever put in the tenancy agreement or was it just the letting agent's address although it sounds as if the letting agent is just a friend of the landlord rather than an actual letting agent.  Is there even a written tenancy agreement?  The whole set up sounds hooky.

Yes there is a tenancy agreement i didn't even get it until moving day so no time to read it properly.  it doesn't state the owner's details at all, just the agent.