Housing Issue

JPin · 13 January at 11:15PM

Posting this from a separate forum as it appears to be NI specific:

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, the actual contract ended in May 2021. 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.

D.A. · 14 January at 11:50AM

If it were me, I'd be telling the manager that it's a non-work-related issue, so isn't something you want to be involved in. If it's affecting your colleague's performance in their job, then that's something for the manager (and potentially HR) to address, not you.