Landlord ending Tenancy

JPin

Hi All, 

This is a topic that I'm reluctant to get involved with and it involves a work colleague. They've been having a difficult time both personally and professionally and at the beginning of January their landlord gave them 2 months notice. My manager has asked me to assist my colleague on this matter (I think my colleague requested this). As I've said, I'm reluctant but I did say I'd try to find out the facts.

I called around today to the property and I didn't feel my work colleague looked after the house particularly well. It was dirty with rubbish strewn everywhere and it was in need of some repair. I was shown communications (all WhatsApp messages) from the landlord, they had flagged issues with rubbish and complaints from the council about animals etc. There were a number of animals in the property, they didn't appear well looked after. The main issue in the texts was that the landlord was constantly chasing rent, it appears on 3rd January when they were chasing it, my colleague gave a vague answer so the landlord advised that time was up and they now have until 3rd March to leave. My colleague replied that he was fine with this and wanted to move anyway, this was certainly bravado. It transpired that the contract ended in March 2021. 

I have a few questions based on what my colleague has advised:

1. Is termination of contract via WhatsApp allowed?

2. What happens on 3rd of March if he does not move out?

3. My colleague has advised they won't be paying any further rent, is this allowed?

4. Landlord wants to meet with my colleague at the end of the month to finalise some points and present them with a letter of tenancy termination, my colleague has refused to meet saying this is harassment. Who is right here?

I'm not impressed with the behaviour of my colleague and I would prefer not to be involved. However, I did say that I would get answers to the points above, can anyone help?

Please note that my colleague rents in Northern Ireland.

Thanks in advance. 

Slithery

Landlords can't end tenancies, only the courts or the tenant can.

JPin said:

1. Is termination of contract via WhatsApp allowed?

As above, LL's can't terminate a contract. If you meant 'Is a S21 notice that's been served via WhatsApp valid' then the answer is 'it depends on the wording in the current tenancy agreement'.

JPin said:

2. What happens on 3rd of March if he does not move out?

Then the LL starts court proceedings for eviction.

JPin said:

3. My colleague has advised they won't be paying any further rent, is this allowed?

Well it's not illegal, but the tenant continues to owe the money and can be taken to court to get it recovered.

JPin said:

4. Landlord wants to meet with my colleague at the end of the month to finalise some points and present them with a letter of tenancy termination, my colleague has refused to meet saying this is harassment. Who is right here?

Both of them. The LL can ask to meet with the tenant but the tenant can refuse.

Please read...

Ending/renewing an AST

Slithery

Sorry, ignore my above post. I'd missed the Northern Ireland bit.

canaldumidi

Few people here are familiar with N Ireland where tenancy law is dfferent to Eng/Wales.

Try https://shelterni.org/  or

https://www.housingadviceni.org/advice-private-tenants

JPin

I should add a point that the actual contract ended in March 2021. 

dimbo61

At this point your colleague need professional help.
CAB in Northern Ireland ?
Shelter or Homeless charity.

Wyndham

I'd be careful about getting involved. It seems a little odd to me that the colleague should have asked the manager to ask you to help. It sounds as if the colleague may need help from an external agency such as Shelter or Citizens Advice (assuming both are in NI?) If you were friends it would be different, but that's not how you describe this relationship.

Chandler85

The colleague may have very few friends or family to actually help them, so they have desperately asked if anyone at work can help them.  That help might be merely pointing them in the right direction, maybe helping them do washing up and make the house tidier etc, depends on the situation entirely.  If the colleague is having issues, then maybe everything has got on top of them and they cannot sort things themselves, when normally they are fine.

I once got told a story (years ago before the Internet was widespread) of a bloke who had personal issues and had split up from his wife, he came to work everyday as normal but slowly and slowly got smellier and smellier.  Everyone started to make comments and eventually his manager asked him about his aroma shall we say.  It turned out that he didn't know how to use a washing machine and had no one to ask but hadn't even realised it was causing a problem (the smell)/

What I am really saying is that it is very hard to judge a work colleagues personal life and what has happened and what is effecting them and I would hope people will help them out when they can, as I said whether it is pointing in the right direction or something more, that is your choice.

JPin

I've told my manager that I'm a little uncomfortable with this case, my colleague does not seem to be in the right. The landlord wants to meet my colleague next week but the request is being ignored. I have been asked to attend by my colleague but I'm not sure I should. 

canaldumidi

Do you have some sort of official support role at work? Human Resources? Legal Dept? Union Rep? Councillor?

If not, you should really not be getting involved in my view, unless you do so as a friend.

But being asked to do this by a manager is not the same as doing it as a friend!

And the fact that you are on here asking basic questions about LL/Tenant law in N Ireland means you are not the best person to be helping him!

Have you passed your colleague the links to the advice sources we've given you above? That's where he/she should getting information and support from.

london21

Your colleague needs to be realistic.
I do not think it is wise for you to get involved.
Get your colleague to contact a charity that can assist them.

The LL will take your colleague to court and try to evict them.
Your colleague seems to be in the wrong here.
Not paying rent and trashing the property.