HELP - tenant has done a moon light flit

Rabiddog_2

Whats happened to good old fashioned character judgement? When somebody comes to rent your property surely you rely somewhat on your own judgement? When I rented I was never asked for references..
MAybe I'm just old fashioned.
As to taking out a big advertisement.. ho-hum .. the word defamation comes to mind..no more problem with the house.. no more house!

Tassotti

Nice Suit, Well-spoken...NO RENT!!!!

Always credit check and reference

oki_2

Hi all - I wrote to ex-tenant with an estimate for uninsured losses giving him 7days to respond. You will not be surprised to hear that he has not responded. I would like to take the small claims court approach. How best to do this. Can I do it myself and what costs are likely to be involved?

Once again thanks all for your replies, oki

prudryden

oki wrote: »

Hi all - I wrote to ex-tenant with an estimate for uninsured losses giving him 7days to respond. You will not be surprised to hear that he has not responded. I would like to take the small claims court approach. How best to do this. Can I do it myself and what costs are likely to be involved?

Once again thanks all for your replies, oki

You can do it yourself. Costs are minimal. Sign on to the www.landlordzone.co.uk and the people on the forums there will talk you through it.

mlz1413

oki wrote: »

Hi all - I wrote to ex-tenant with an estimate for uninsured losses giving him 7days to respond. You will not be surprised to hear that he has not responded. I would like to take the small claims court approach. How best to do this. Can I do it myself and what costs are likely to be involved?

Once again thanks all for your replies, oki

Its quite easy ring your local County Court or go to www.courtservice.gov.uk get a claim form and the booklets that go with it (eg how to make a claim), fill in the form and pay the fee.

When I filled in mine I attached copies of letters sent and gave a brief overview of communications made. I think if you show you have made an effort to get payment before going to court always helps.
You normally get a date for the hearing quite quickly, if the defenant doesn't turn up you are automatically awarded the full amount. Then you have to try and get the money!

I believe you can file your claim on line now, but I have only used the old paper system.

tbs624

Oki - did you head your letter "Letter before Action" as per Olly's suggestion and did you mention that you would also seek to recover relevant costs of pursuing it to court? If you didn't, send off a 2nd one with both of those in, & re-iterating request for payment within 5 working days before filing. Good luck with it & let us know how it goes.

Trollfever

I prefer this link to The Small Claims Court:

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp

oki_2

Thanks all for your help. tbs - I didn't head the letter as was suggested - I will send another one with the heading. I did write about seeking to recover relevant costs should it go to court. I am off to redraft the letter, fingers crossed.....oki

oki_2

UPDATE

Not sure if i said that I had to call police and get a crime reference number (for insurance)......they came by the house to inspect and i had to supply details of ex tenant.

The tenant has had a visit from police and they have said that this 'offence' or 'complaint' will stay on his record. He is not a happy chappy!!! He has had a record in the not so distant past and apparently had only just cleared it. SHAME!!

He had not responded to my last 'letter before action'. I am now ready to take him to small claims court but a part of me is now worried because he knows where I live. Is it worth taking it further do you think? as always any advice appreciated.

Oki

mlz1413

Your ex-tenant should have known your address all along as you were his landlord and your address should have been on the AST. But either way you must have realised you would need to give your contact address at some point to get payment from him?!

As the police have visited him I'm sure ex-tenant is aware that if he threatens you that will just go against him with the police and the court case, it will also be another black mark on his record which I'm sure he doesn't want.

You could send him another letter with a photocopy of your filled in court form stating that if he forwards payment within 7 days you will not registered the claim, hence saving X in court fees.