Feeling at my wits end with tenants, don't know what to do (Scotland)

mrlegend123

Business risk for the landlord (major repair cost), BTL is not always risk-free win-win,
Tenants should be allowed to live there rent-free or at a reduced rent
Finally, don't use the dog as an excuse for eviction.......

mattyprice4004

mrlegend123 said:

Business risk for the landlord (major repair cost), BTL is not always risk-free win-win,
Tenants should be allowed to live there rent-free or at a reduced rent
Finally, don't use the dog as an excuse for eviction.......

Why on earth should they be allowed to live there rent-free? The landlord is offering to repair, if they're going to be fussy then that's on them.
I'm a lardlord, and a tenant that told me they're not moving out for repairs to happen (and bear in mind it's their fault for not telling the LL sooner!) and wants free rent would be sent packing.

Babybelles

Well said @mattyprice4004

Phil4432

scottishblondie said:

I've not outright said that the current situation is partially their fault as I don't want to escalate matters.  The husband has been rather aggressive towards me in the past.  They actually haven't even told me about the dog - my father went there with the guy that repaired the pipe and saw the dog.  I had given them permission for a cat 2 years back which they never got, but it seems they've taken this to mean getting a dog was ok too!  I'm just not bringing it up, but I obviously can't ignore it when looking for accommodation as then I'll be on the hook if the host finds out.

They've now said they can't sleep in strange beds or sofas as dust mites are too big of a problem.  There is zero chance any AirBnB host is going to let them bring their own furniture.  They're really not proposing anything, just giving me a list of things that they apparently can't have.

You should bring it up.  Its the only way to deal with Aholes, unfortunately.  Be gracious only when its deserved.

mrlegend123

mattyprice4004 said:

mrlegend123 said:

Business risk for the landlord (major repair cost), BTL is not always risk-free win-win,
Tenants should be allowed to live there rent-free or at a reduced rent
Finally, don't use the dog as an excuse for eviction.......

Why on earth should they be allowed to live there rent-free? The landlord is offering to repair, if they're going to be fussy then that's on them.
I'm a lardlord, and a tenant that told me they're not moving out for repairs to happen (and bear in mind it's their fault for not telling the LL sooner!) and wants free rent would be sent packing.

Landlord is legally responsible for the repair and not the tenants. Landlord should be offering to carry out the repair..... 
Also, the tenants might not of known how serious the damp problem was?
Remember BTL is a business therefore risk management. 

Slithery

mrlegend123 said:
Landlord should be offering to carry out the repair..... 

So you haven't actually read the thread then. The LL is trying to repair but the tenants are refusing all reasonable offers of temporary accommodation. It's the tenants that are being very unreasonable here, not the landlord.

davidmcn

mattyprice4004 said:

mrlegend123 said:

Business risk for the landlord (major repair cost), BTL is not always risk-free win-win,
Tenants should be allowed to live there rent-free or at a reduced rent
Finally, don't use the dog as an excuse for eviction.......

I'm a lardlord

One of those fat cats?

Bonniepurple

mrlegend123 said:

mattyprice4004 said:

mrlegend123 said:

Business risk for the landlord (major repair cost), BTL is not always risk-free win-win,
Tenants should be allowed to live there rent-free or at a reduced rent
Finally, don't use the dog as an excuse for eviction.......

Why on earth should they be allowed to live there rent-free? The landlord is offering to repair, if they're going to be fussy then that's on them.
I'm a lardlord, and a tenant that told me they're not moving out for repairs to happen (and bear in mind it's their fault for not telling the LL sooner!) and wants free rent would be sent packing.

Landlord is legally responsible for the repair and not the tenants. Landlord should be offering to carry out the repair..... 
Also, the tenants might not of known how serious the damp problem was?
Remember BTL is a business therefore risk management. 

The landlord hasn’t had any rent for months, so in effect the tenants ARE living rent free....

scottishblondie

Joyful said:

Surely there must be a way for you to get them to leave for the repairs to be done. What happens if the floor gives way due to damp? Health and safety should be a point here. 

Fortunately it's only about a 3 inch drop to the concrete slab, so I doubt that there would be any serious injury.  We have also already laid plywood over the worst areas as a temporary measure.  But I have pointed out to them that by refusing to leave I can't make any repairs, and they will need to live with it as is.

mrlegend123 said:

mattyprice4004 said:

mrlegend123 said:

Business risk for the landlord (major repair cost), BTL is not always risk-free win-win,
Tenants should be allowed to live there rent-free or at a reduced rent
Finally, don't use the dog as an excuse for eviction.......

Why on earth should they be allowed to live there rent-free? The landlord is offering to repair, if they're going to be fussy then that's on them.
I'm a lardlord, and a tenant that told me they're not moving out for repairs to happen (and bear in mind it's their fault for not telling the LL sooner!) and wants free rent would be sent packing.

Landlord is legally responsible for the repair and not the tenants. Landlord should be offering to carry out the repair..... 
Also, the tenants might not of known how serious the damp problem was?
Remember BTL is a business therefore risk management. 

At the risk of feeding the trolls... I don't think you actually read what I wrote.  As has been said I want to repair.  I'm trying to repair.  I have fa contractor and alternative accommodation lined up ready to go for the 1st of February, which they are declining to allow.  I've repaired everything that has gone wrong in that flat during their tenancy as quickly as is humanly possible once they've reported it, but this is work that cannot be carried out if they won't co-operate.

They absolutely knew how bad the problem was.  As soon as they reported it they started demanding I repair immediately because of how bad it was, complaining it had been like that for months.  They simply didn't report it because they weren't paying their rent and didn't want to give me any opportunity to open a dialogue about that.  It's a pattern they've displayed over the whole of their tenancy.

And I had no intention of using the dog as a reason to evict them, I only mentioned it as it complicated finding them alternative accommodation.  I have several other perfectly legal reasons to start eviction proceedings without bringing the dog into it.

Phil4432

Just get rid of them.  You don't need people like this in your life.