Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

The trouble there is a new baby involved so they will be re-housed but I am definitely going to issue a section 8.... Just to compound matters Dyna rod can't fix the sewer as there is no outside tap !!!!! not sure what to do now

[Crazy council]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

I you have that from them by email, ( dyn

Do you have a copy of the TC, sometime theres provision in them about keeping the gutters and drains clear as part of the TTs obligations

Depending on the curcs, and how the council employee deals with it, it could work for you. Be open with teh council, about the rent arrears and time in the property, that you think its the currne partner, and that you think that wil dragg it ut to the end, and its making you sell the property. Do that by email, to the dept that served the action notice, and the housing dept. Dont be disparaging about the tenants, just explain your position and difficultys.

sometime it helps move things along.

When teh TTs recive the section 8, they will kick off a bit, but just sit back and await the timer to run out. Whatever there going to do ( fuss,dammage ) ther going to do anyhow, so just push them and take whatevers comming now, rather than in there time frame

When they kick off about the section 8, remind them that it makes them intentional homeless, adn that takes them off or knocks them down the council housing list,

Say to them, if they leave befoe the date, you will withdraw the section 8. Usualy works after they clam down.

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

I have contacted them and have had a very good relationship with the housing officer, I have told them that I will issue a section 8 but they seem OK with it .

They have no funds to do private rental again and housing officer has suggested to me to not do anymore remedial work at the property due to the high arrears .
They want to leave but can't until I at least get a possession order, I think they want out of the area due to the new partners indiscretions ..

If the sewer problem is down to mis use I will contact the council again and see what happens , ..Your help has been invaluable and I will keep you updated as things slowly progress

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

Ok peeps... I have spent all day going through papers for a section 8 notice plus a list of payments made and by whom... would anyone be kind enough to check to make sure I have done everything correctly.. I have only gone for rent arrears .. many thanks once again

[Crazy council]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

Hi

Is the drain problems deffinatly on your property, if not, it may be the local water company, especialy if its the sewer

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/co...ns-and-sewers/

Repairs to sewers

Sewers and lateral drains connected to the public network used to be the responsibility of the property owner. However, most are now maintained by local water companies. If you have any problems with your sewer or lateral drain, for example if it’s blocked, contact your local water company.
Your water company has a right to enter your property if it needs to do this in order to inspect or maintain the sewer.

will add to this later as well,

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

I am not totally sure yet , still waiting to here from Thames Water for a report, they are guaranteed to arrive today so as soon as I know I'll post

[Crazy council]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

Hi

Are they reciving housing benefit do ou know, if they get it paid to them, you can ask for it to be paid to you, just in the mean time while you evict them. ( contact the benefits dept if so with rent statment )

It used to be, as long as a tenant was at least 8 weeks in arrears, they would pay direct. not sure how that is with each individual council dept

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

Hi yes they do get HB and it's already paid to me but she has been caught with a new partner so it only covering just under half of the rent now

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

So regarding the TVR' and my non compliance , I received this email today :


The installation of the TRVs have nothing to do with a new installation. The occupants need to be able to control the heating individually and we have included this deficiency as part of the assessment of the Hazard 2, Excess Cold in accordance with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
There are several elements that we consider for taking enforcement action such as the risk to the occupants and its seriousness of the hazards over the next 12 months.

We appreciate that the current situation is not ideal; however as the landlord, you have the overall responsibility to ensure that the property is in sound and safe condition.

[ostell]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

I still think you have someone pushing their luck. They have the power and want to show they can use it, even if they are wrong. Heck they have heating and a thermostat on the wall no doubt. What has Excess Cold got to do with TRV's if the sytem is running?

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

I'm not understanding.. the heating has always worked well, the windows have all been replaced recently and all gas safety certificates have been made available since they moved in 12 years ago ... I'm really perplexed by everything.. I've never even had an advisory with the heating ... yes the stats are all working fine... the tenant is on meter and know that at times they complain about the cold but I can't pay for the bloody heating as well !!

It seems I have a power struggle on my hands

- - - Updated - - -

To be honest after spending over 5 k on a new bathroom, electrical safety certificate... I really am not doing anymore.. they haven't paid any rent except from HB, over 4 k in arrears now and a S21 expiring 17th October they can all go and swing... The bit that really is getting my goat is I've been sent a form to let the EO know whether I have a mortgage , whether I have another investor in the property... what the hell is it to do with them ???

[Crazy council]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

wow, thats seems a bit of a jobsworth.

The bit that really is getting my goat is I've been sent a form to let the EO know whether I have a mortgage , whether I have another investor in the property... what the hell is it to do with them ???

i need to ask somebody some advice on this, i will ring them tomorrow.

Are you prepared to ring them in the moring, ask them why they asked that at this stage ????

I do understand they do this at the twoards the end of the process, but usualy as they are about to take further action.

I find that if you use one point of contact, like the housing officer, who seems to be a bit more realsitic about the possition, to explain the position with the others to get them to eas off a bit.

Be carfull going forward here what you say to who, not that you have to be gaureded, but, you do. Serve the section 8 asap, i suspect teh tenant my try and defend the s21, so back yourself up with that

Then email the council explain what you have spent so far, and that you willing to do ay required work but they should consider that you have already paid 5k out on the bathroom ( fill out here if the tenat has caused damage through neglect )
Your tenant is substantialy in arrears and they are increasing weekly, they are refusing to pay
Your considering selling when they rehouse the tenant, you you evict them, due to the costs and stress since the tenats new partner moved in

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

Yes the housing officer is reasonable.. but it seems I am being cornered and I understand vulnerable tenants have to be safe guarded against unscrupulous LL's , but I have done everything to safe guard the tenants interest.
Now when I financially can't do anymore I'm threatened with fines and god knows what .

I'm pretty sure they don't want to stay as they say they want to be re-housed outside the area and can't wait , but as I believe they are under social services with the new born this EO has deemed me as ruthless as many LL's

The house will be put up for sale as soon as they have left as I have to pay off debts that have accrued in the last 18 months , I'm afraid I don't do debt of any description and the stress is far too much for me to cope with

The housing officer has spoken to me at length and has even said not to do any of the out standing jobs due to the arrears and damage done to the kitchen just the electrical safety certificate which happened today.

Sorry to offload but life for me is on hold until these people leave, I am even putting my own house up for sale to see if I can release cash to help .

Many people look and say that I am lucky to have my own home let alone a second, but I worked darned hard for it and it was my pension . I had to pay my mortgage when I was young and had children, I don't understand why others can't do the same ... and if you can't afford to have another child then why is it right to expect a tax payer to pay for them to do so ?

Sorry going off on a tangent , but the last nearly 2 years have been hell , a lot of my own doing as I gave them many chances but never thought I'd be demanded to pay for things that are just not of my doing

[Wylderose]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

Just been reading through the various threads you have posted since 2016.

It seems to me like your tenant's partner may be behind all the problems you are having with Environmental Health. As he is relatively new to the household, odds are that he has been the tenant from hell somewhere else before landing on your doorstep.

I assume that the Environmental H/O carried out a Health and Safety Housing Standards risk assessment when he came round a little while back. Did he send you a copy of his report or just give you a list of what he felt needed to be done?

I don't know if this will help or not and I know it is a lot of work but, get together all the gas safety checks you have had done over the last 12 years. List all the items that you are aware of them reporting as repairs. If possible back this up with when they contacted you and when the repair work was carried out. With a bit of luck you will be able to establish a pattern of escalating damages since the partner joined the household.

The burned out kitchen - you must have some records of who undertook the work, when and how much it cost. If you replaced it via Insurance claim, or even paid out of your own pocket it must go some way to prove to the EO that your tenants have not been living in a wreck of a property with a landlord who does no repairs.

My other thought is that if all the sudden repairs, Central Heating valves, electric sockets, dangerous placement of cooker, damage to the kitchen, bathroom damage etc - while some items may be down to wear and tear (radiator valves perhaps) most of this has to be deliberate and for that you need to get some figures together because when you do eventually get rid of them, you need to sue for damages.

OK your tenant may have benefits but..... You can apply to the DWP to have deductions taken from their benefits but this needs to be done by court judgement. Likewise if she is still working, you can also get an attachment to earnings - CCJ .

As to the Environmental H/O being on a fishing trip with your mortgage etc. Somehow you need to find a way to get him to work with you and not see you as the enemy. Maybe you need to make it plain that all the costs because of the recent damages and the possibility of E/O doing the work and fining you alongside would more than likely end up with your property being repossessed and/or forcing the sale of the property you currently live in.

Good luck - I think you need it

[bb41]

Re: Help ..me again . Tenant now 4k in arrears and trouble with EO

Thank you for that in-depth reply it really is helpful.. I don't have a mortgage on the property... that may sound as though everything is over dramatised but to pay off the mortgage was always my main aim and sacrificed a lot to do it

I've asked the EO for help and advise but this may sound harsh but I checked her profile as she has a very distinctive name and it's her first job since uni and power seems to gone to her head , all I get is " you must do this, or we fine you" "if you don't do this we will fine you "

The damages are deliberate there is no doubt about that... I was advised to go further after they have left but they have nothing and all I would do is end up paying to get nothing

After many years of industrial letting I will hang my residential letting pencils up and never ever do this again .. certainly not for HB tenants.. The sad thing is the need for housing is huge and yet when a private LL wants to gain back possession the council do everything to stop you doing so ... no wonder there aren't enough properties for vulnerable tenants to rent