Any landlords or anyone know where i stand....

Hope your next tenant is better!

I've just remortgaged my house for another 2 years but may end up living with my other half before then... advisor suggested letting to avoid early repayment but to be honest hearing stories like this and what my old man had to deal with when he let really puts me off!!

 

Serve a Section 8 and 21. Post it through the letterbox, get someone to take a photo of you doing so (make sure the camera has a date/time function). You'll get a template of each bit of legislation online.

From memory it's still a bit of a grey area even if you've done this about changing the locks before acknowledgment from the tenant. If you have his number, send him a message asking for an email/text saying he agrees to an early termination of the tenancy. Don't ring him, because tenants that have disappeared tend to not want to talk to landlords.

Ask him also to agree in writing that you keep the bond to cover a months rent out of the 4 that remain on the contract. If he's anything like any of the bad tenants I've come across through work, then he'll be happy to make a clean break and although it's a pain, I would advise to be as helpful as possible and appear non confrontational.

Send him a text saying if he puts the above in writing, then you consider the matter closed.

Good luck.

 

I have had tenants in the past with no problems so please don't be put off by other people's problems. I believe it's a good way of generating a bit of extra income and covering the mortgage but it's not always plain sailing.

It's my fault this time because I let the letting agent do all the referencing and never met him before I had to go round to sort out problems. Had I met him I don't think I would have proceeded and would have hung on for someone more suitable but I'll learn my lesson.

The amount the letting company charged was expensive and I feel like I've been conned as his references all came back fine and I was told he was a decent lad but obviously they just wanted my money and told me what I wanted to hear and took my cash.

That's what I'll take away from the last few days to be a bit more hands on and make sure I meet the prospective tenant myself before I trust a letting agency who are only in it for a quick few quid then move on and leave you with all the fall out.

 

Id be going back to the letting agents...

 

I have been today to try get it in writing that he has indeed gone and won't be returning but they can't get hold of him so as of yet I can't do much even though I have the keys back and the property is empty.

I want to get stuff fixed and hopefully get it back on the market but until I get it in writing I can't do anything.

I'm off to change the locks tomorrow against the advice of the letting agent but I don't want him back in and all indications are that's he's gone.

 

Give it a lick of paint and get it flogged . There's a lot of negative media about dodgy landlords but dodgy tenants must be ten fold . Good luck , I've dipped my toe in before and never again .

 

I wouldn't worry too much. If he's cleared out and returned the keys the tenancy will almost certainly be deemed to have been surrendered by operation of law.

 

Firstly, check the electric meter hasn't been bypassed, then check the loft.
A sudden moonlight flit is a trait of those 'growing', then if so, you will have the police on your side and hopefully a set of hydroponics to flog on eBay and help cover your costs.

 

If they're uPVC doors with the standard eurocylinder locks, get anti-bump or snap locks such as Avocet ABS. Not only are they more secure, you can't just get a key cut off an existing one. You would have a card with a serial number on that you can then order extra keys with. You then write into the tenancy the number of keys supplied and that if the same number are not surrendered, the cost of changing the locks will be deducted from their deposit. Then you know you always know how many keys for your property are in circulation and can change the locks at their expense if they're not returned. Ideal for landlords. No use in this particular case but worthy of consideration

 

Cheers I will look into it....

 

Selby, hope you get this resolved soon.

When you are ready to re-let the house, try using OpenRent. I have just used them and they were brilliant.

For £50 your property is advertised on Rightmove and other websites. You are in control of the advert (words and photos and price etc), and receive emails from people wanting to view. You do the viewings, so meet all interested, the tenants pay for references and if all okay OpenRent produce the contract. They take the first month's rent in advance and pay it to you within 2 weeks or so of tenants moving in. OpenRent also pay the deposit to the DPS.

Their communication by email is excellent. It's the only way a private landlord can advertise their property on Rightmove ( I used to have my own business as a letting agent and used Rightmove, but it was incredibly expensive). I wish I had thought of the OpenRent model myself!!

 

Thanks for the info... Just trying to decide what to do next but if I decide to let I'll give that look.

 

Ive been this morning and fixed the doors and changed the locks that had been damaged and decided to get it back up for let....

I'll be looking into a few of the suggestions posted and will be in a better position going forward.

The bond is going to cover the months notice and go towards the damage so I won't be out of pocket and it's a lesson learned!

Thank you for all the comments and advice....

 

Thats not the case[/QUOTE]

Well, things may have changed since I was in the business, or maybe I just never knew that private landlords can advertise their property directly themselves on Rightmove.
Or is their another way that they can, Gally?