problem tenant

[jules2008]

:tinysmile_cry_t:

Hello beagles have not posted for a while as been sorting out finances after my payment for bank which i received 1st Jan 2009 thank you very much. Although this is a fantastic start to new year when you have as many debts as i have £6k does have to stretch quite far. (i hope this does not sound ungrateful as it is not but reality is i now have mortgage arrears of 4k so really it is only 2k then i have gas bill £500, council tax 1.5k so there you go left with about £5 to my name)

Happy new year everyone by the way!

Anyway as if i have had not had the worst year so it seems last year 2008, i seem to have another problem which comes in the form of a tenant that i took on Oct 2008 to help me to pay my mortgage. It is all fine and dandy the government encouraging people to rent rooms out but 1. my house is quite small and 2. you dont know who you are getting.

Anyway rented a room out in good faith until i found out the tenant wants to use his room as a drug den i cant believe i am in this predicament, anyway me and my son could smell it a mile off and it is making us sick and my son is complaining of headaches also he is very paranoid and argumentative at times. Also he brings home his 'mates' who stay over night which makes me paranoid as i dont know them and have to protect myself and son.

I have told the tenant that he needs to leave( i told him i was selling the house did not want to argue bout the drug thing) and i have given him 1 weeks notice even though i want him to leave asap we have agreed the 13th Jan if he does not leave at this agreed time what rights do i have? shall i go to CAB or just wait and see if he leaves when we have agreed.

does anyone have any ideas?

i am sure you wonderful beagles will be able to help me on this one!:beagle:

[Mochamoo]

Re: problem tenant

Hi Jules welcome back xx


If he doesnt leave call the police, and explain the drug situation they are more likely to help as there is a child involved.

Have you drawn up a contract with the tennant?

[Guest]

Re: problem tenant

You should call the police immediately, not wait for him to leave. Under s.8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) you may be liable for the activities of your tenant and/or his visitors.

[Sapphire]

Re: problem tenant

Hiya, sorry to hear you are experiencing troubles.

If you have signed an agreement, then tell him that he's broken the terms and telll him to leave immediately.
If not then tell him to pack his bags and get his sorry backside out of your home, and let him know that you have reported him to the coppers. That should put wind in his sail.

[jules2008]

Re: problem tenant

Hello mochamoo

Thankyou for your reply i hope that you had a lovely xmas and new year!

There is no contract with the tenant which is probably a good thing right now.
Do you think it is ok to phone the police if he does not leave then ok i did wonder. He must have rights though they will prob just release him after a couple of hours and tell me to get legal advice the police really are useless to be honest at times.

Do you think i am being unreasonable as i have tried to be fair but if it is effecting my son then i think i have to do something. plus if i dont my son will think that i am ok with drug taking in general which is not the impression i want to give him.

I am more annoyed with myself to be honest because i am so desparate at times to pay my mortgage and bills i am putting my son and myself at risk all for the sake of money that is what makes me so mad.

Hopefully he will leave on 13th Jan like he says but i dont really trust him what if he says squatters rights or something? Am i being a drama queen? lol

[Sapphire]

Re: problem tenant

Hello mochamoo

Thankyou for your reply i hope that you had a lovely xmas and new year!

There is no contract with the tenant which is probably a good thing right now.
Do you think it is ok to phone the police if he does not leave then ok i did wonder. He must have rights though they will prob just release him after a couple of hours and tell me to get legal advice the police really are useless to be honest at times. Phone the police immediately and report the scum bag, then when they arrive ask the coppers to wait there and ensure that he has left your property with all of his belongings, also make sure he is aware that if he darkens your doorstep again you will have him nicked.

Do you think i am being unreasonable as i have tried to be fair but if it is effecting my son then i think i have to do something. plus if i dont my son will think that i am ok with drug taking in general which is not the impression i want to give him. You are not being unreasonable, you are protecting your child.

I am more annoyed with myself to be honest because i am so desparate at times to pay my mortgage and bills i am putting my son and myself at risk all for the sake of money that is what makes me so mad. Don't be annoyed with yourself hun, you have been taken in and it happens to the best of us. Then when you are ready advertise for a new tenant and make sure you take up references etc before you let them move in and make sure you have a list of house rules, ie: no visitors, no drugs etc.

Hopefully he will leave on 13th Jan like he says but i dont really trust him what if he says squatters rights or something? Am i being a drama queen? lol

Nope your not being a drama queen you are doing whats right, and don't give him time to leave its his problem not yours, just kick him out and be done with it.

[Mochamoo]

Re: problem tenant

Totally agree with Sapp!

Dont be silly, I got taken in by someone I thought was a close friend...she didnt pay the rent, ran up huge bills, commited identity theft in my name to the tune of £3k then legged it!Protecting your son is the most important thing.



oh and for your next tenant I have some where in this lappy tennancy agreements I can send them to you if you want, make it legit. you can add clauses into it if you want to protect yourself xxx

[Sapphire]

Re: problem tenant

I used to be a publican, and had a live-in barman. One day I popped into his room to leave his post on his bed and spotted a few strange looking plants on his windowsill, when I asked him he told me that they were a new strain of Geranium. Errrrrrr hello I thought I might not be Percy Throwup but I know a dodgy plant when I see one. Hence one very quickly evicted barman, in fact he went that day and his plants were burned in front of him in the incinerator.

[Paule]

Re: problem tenant

Would you say that there is a constant smell from his room, or that every night or so there is a blast of smell

[jules2008]

Re: problem tenant

hello pkea

I would say every evening when he is in his room there is a smell and i know for a fact what it is because he offered me some also i went into his room to close a window as it has been cold of late and i saw one of those bong things. The smell is unmistakable and my son has complained it gives him a headache also my house does smell of it now i have to joss sticks to disguise the smell.

[Sapphire]

Re: problem tenant

Jules hun,

Phone the police and get him removed from your house immediately, don't hang about, if a neighbour complained to the coppers YOU would be in a very sticky situation as by having him in your home you are basically allowing him to carry on his activities, whether you agree with it or not, that is fact.

The authorities won't like the fact that you have failed to report him and have him removed, and even worse because you have a child in your home you will be accused of being a bad parent, which I am sure you most certainly are not hun.

Please, please do pick up the courage and take a walk into your local Police Station and ask to talk to someone in confidence, voice your concerns and ask them to help. Explain that you are scared of him and what ramifications there might be and they will probably give you a panic button, and (hopefully) be there to remove him from your property.

Don't sit and think about this hun, just do it and then you can move on.

I don't know whereabouts you live but I really wish it were near me because I would be there alongside you to support you along the way. Have you got family or friends near you ? Can you ask for their help ?

((((((((((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))))))))) for you, I'm sorry I'm being harsh on you but you MUST, MUST, MUST get this guy out of your home and quickly.

[jules2008]

Re: problem tenant

Hello and thankyou for your support i really appreciate it.
I live in Colchester in Essex.
I do have neighbours etc who prob would help but i dont like to ask as they probably have problems themselves and i dont want to seem as though i cant cope with my own life you know it is difficult.
Also other people dont always want to get involved in other peoples issues even though they would probably say why didnt you ask i would of done something.
My family live quite close by say 30 mins drive but they are retired and i dont think they could deal with it my fathers not well also so that is defo a no go area.

I dont think you are being harsh but i have left it that he will be gone on the 13th Jan as i have threatened him with the coppers and he just laughed and said he knows his rights and he will be back within 24 hours if they did arrest him. (which is probably true knowing them) all they will do is have a quiet word with him and tell him it is in his best interest to go and then leave it up to him he will be back.
Also i am trying to be diplomatic about it because he has a key to my house and in effect he could steal stuff if i threatened him, it is a very worrying time right now. I have not slept properly for weeks and i lock my self in my room and just dont speak to him it is awful.

[Sapphire]

Re: problem tenant

Hello and thankyou for your support i really appreciate it.
I live in Colchester in Essex. I'm in Wickford so not that far away, give me a shout if you get really stuck hun.
I do have neighbours etc who prob would help but i dont like to ask as they probably have problems themselves and i dont want to seem as though i cant cope with my own life you know it is difficult. True but if your neighbours suspect whats going on they could report it and you could be in a hell of a lot of trouble.
Also other people dont always want to get involved in other peoples issues even though they would probably say why didnt you ask i would of done something.
My family live quite close by say 30 mins drive but they are retired and i dont think they could deal with it my fathers not well also so that is defo a no go area.

I dont think you are being harsh but i have left it that he will be gone on the 13th Jan as i have threatened him with the coppers and he just laughed and said he knows his rights and he will be back within 24 hours if they did arrest him. (which is probably true knowing them) all they will do is have a quiet word with him and tell him it is in his best interest to go and then leave it up to him he will be back. He is so full of the brown stuff here and he is bluffing, he has no rights and he knows it, all you need to do is tell the coppers what he has said, he is basically holding you to ransom and thats so bloody wrong.
Also i am trying to be diplomatic about it because he has a key to my house and in effect he could steal stuff if i threatened him, it is a very worrying time right now. I have not slept properly for weeks and i lock my self in my room and just dont speak to him it is awful.

Its your decision hun, but I personally couldn't/wouldn't live like that, its YOUR home, and YOU say what goes on in there and who goes in etc. I really do think that you should go and have a chat in the police station, tell them that he's due to go on 13th and ask them to be prepared to come out to you if needed. They will also advise you on the best course of action. It really is worth you taking a walk in there if only to find out for yourself where you stand and to put your mind at rest.
Also if I were you I'd take pictures of anything you feel is valuable in your home, just in case he tries to remove it when he does leave and as soon as he's gone get the locks changed.

[Mochamoo]

Re: problem tenant

Did he go Jules?