Tenant vacated property with MY white goods, what now?

Andrea15

Hi,
my tenant of 20+ years left my property to go into sheltered accommodation. The property was left in OK condition and with next to no stuff left over. However, in her wisdom she took My washing machine, MY cooker and MY electrical fire, all fairly new - she left the fridge, though... I thought it wasn't working, but it seems OK. Clearly I have all the invoices for when I purchased/repaired the stuff.
Should I call the police or just content myself with "what goes around comes around"?
In case it makes a difference, I am in Scotland.

[Deleted User]

Andrea15 said:

Should I call the police or just content myself with "what goes around comes around"?

I'm fairly sure that's not a real thing, even in Scotland.

If you would like your things back, or to be compensated for them, report it to the police, or deduct from the deposit.

Norman_Castle

Can you claim from the deposit?

Andrea15

Deleted_User said:

Andrea15 said:

Should I call the police or just content myself with "what goes around comes around"?

I'm fairly sure that's not a real thing, even in Scotland.

If you would like your things back, or to be compensated for them, report it to the police, or deduct from the deposit.

Hahahaha, I know, but I just wonder if it is worth the hassle. Googling it it looks as if it is not even police matter.

Andrea15

Norman_Castle said:

Can you claim from the deposit?

Clearly not. She had been in the property for a long time and in those days, I was young and naive, I didn't get a deposit. Besides, the deposit would cover half of it.

[Deleted User]

20 years of continuous rent, for at most £500 of white goods.  Sounds like you got a pretty good deal there!

Andrea15

Ah, I forgot to add to the list some linoleum that she had me lay after great insistence just a few weeks before she said she was moving. What on earth would she do with that, unless she scammed me for he money, is beyond me.

AdrianC

Never mind the "BUT THEY'RE MINE!".

You are owed the depreciated value of the goods.
How much were they new, and how old were they at the time of moving out?

If you don't have a deposit, launch a small claim for the value.

If that's your biggest issue after 20yrs of letting, then...

TonyMMM

Assuming you have her new address, send her a letter requiring return of your goods or payment of their value within maybe 7/14 days, telling her if she doesn't comply you will start a small claim in the courts. 

Then go ahead and submit the claim.

Andrea15

I do not have her new address (but the council does) and needless to say she is not picking up her phone, so if I wish to pursue it all I can do - I think - is go to the police.

Suseka97

I'm not saying it's okay that your tenant took those goods, but my thoughts have run to the fact she's been a tenant for 20+ years and now going into sheltered accommodation.  Does this mean she's elderly or vulnerable?  Has she been a really good tenant over the years, always paid rent when it was due etc?     That would be something that would affect my decision making.

If you have her address you could write to say that you would like those goods returned or payment of a certain amount to reflect their (now) secondhand value - but as for taking this as far as a small claims court...Hmmm....

I imagine when you rent it again, assuming that's your plan - you'll have a deposit scheme in place and so can avoid this situation in future.