Crazy tenant puts landlord through hell
Published 27/02/2013 
Landlords and letting agents who visit their female tenants need to be ultra careful based on this landlords story of a crazy tenant. The guest author of this post wishes to remain anonymous.
About two years ago I went to collect my keys from a female tenant. She wanted me to come and collect my keys, inspect the premises and of course authorise the return of her deposit.
One of my conditions was that when she leaves she must have all the carpets steam cleaned, as she was child minding and I could smell children’s urine around. The general condition she was leaving the property in was nowhere near as clean as when I let her in.
She promised me that she would have all the carpets steam cleaned, but when I visited her she had not even vacuumed it properly, let alone had it steam cleaned professionally!
When I suggested that I will need to deduct around £50.00 from her £600 deposit to hire a steamcarpet cleaning machine and do it myself she went berserk!
She started to scream and tried drawing attention to herself as if I had done something to her!
I realised her evil and dirty intentions, she was trying to frame me for something, worse thoughts ran though my mind, would she accuse me of rape, or attempted rape?
Later on as she left in a fit, throwing my keys at my feet, and still crying out loud, still trying to draw attention from neighbours I suspect. As she walked away she turned and shouted “I’m going to report you to the Police”
I protested “what for?”
“You will will soon find out” she yelled!
My god! I was so shaken by this experience, I could not believe how someone I tried to help and provide the best facilities turned against me just like that all for a £50.00 levy on her deposit for not having my carpets cleaned properly.
A month later the Police came and arrested me, I was being charged for a common assault!
I did not even know what a common assault was!
The arresting officer explained that just touching someone can be considered an assault.
In the end the truth won the day, but not without a load of hassle. I strongly believe in the Almighty, he sided the truth, she had no witnesses, and I was released from the charge. However, it left me completely shocked and sick!
I could not eat properly with the anxiety of not knowing what the outcome would be. Will the Police or the Judge or the Jury believe that I am totally innocent or will they take her side for being a female I thought
I was in a real dilemma, I lost weight, I was so afraid that I had to visit a solicitor and paid him over £250.00 represent me in the Police station whilst my statement was being taken.
In the end the end I was told that due to lack of evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service had decided not to pursue this charge any further but will leave my files open. Who knows for how long? They said that should any fresh evidence emerge I will face these charges again. I had to provide my fingerprints, DNA sample, and photos from all angles!
I feel so angry and will never trust another tenant ever again. I will always find another person to accompany me when visiting tenants in future, if not I will take a running Video camera.
I was thinking perhaps such evil tenants need to be named and shamed on a Landlord’s database so that other innocent landlords do not become her victim.
She is pure evil!
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Paul says:
27/02/2013 at 18:58
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Mary Latham says:
27/02/2013 at 19:11
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cosmo says:
27/02/2013 at 23:21
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annette stone says:
28/02/2013 at 11:16
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Mike says:
28/02/2013 at 12:10
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Darren Jamieson says:
28/02/2013 at 16:51
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Mark Alexander says:
28/02/2013 at 17:01
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Paul Barrett says:
01/03/2013 at 02:12
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Matthew says:
01/03/2013 at 16:05
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Paul says:
02/03/2013 at 07:17
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DaveyM says:
02/03/2013 at 16:15
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Lise willcox says:
03/03/2013 at 01:59
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Kev says:
03/03/2013 at 20:16
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Matthew says:
29/03/2013 at 15:54
Leave a commentSounds like a real crazy
Sensibly you say that “I was thinking perhaps such evil tenants need to be named and shamed on a Landlord’s database so that other innocent landlords do not become her victim.”… take a look at http://www.landlordreferencing.co.uk that’s where all the crazies and bad tenants are kept so we don’t have to take one another’s
I have heard this story many times and I always warn landlords, male and female, not to visit tenants or do viewings alone.
The name Suzy Lamplugh should not be forgotten because this beautiful young woman disappeared after showing a property to an unknown potential tenant and has never been found. Her family set up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to help to raise awareness and there is some excellent advice here http://www.suzylamplugh.org/personal-safety-tips/
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there is such a database.
several in fact. any tenant referencing organisation should have such a data base.
I’ve had one young woman offering sexual favours for rent.
never go down that road. that’s the worst thing any landlord could do…more to himself if the ‘relationship’ got out of hand.
I never, ever, meet anyone on my own. I absolutely agree with Mary. I remember the Suzy Lampaugh case and it was horrifying. If I have to go to a building I take a male member of staff with me and I make no bones about why he is there. If I have to have a meeting that cannot take place in my office I take a table at a local restaurant and meet out in the open. As a firm we also never send the guys out on their own for the reasons mentioned in this article.
We live in a lousy world and if any one doubts it read the newspapers of the past year or so!!!
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Thank you for your comments everyone, mush obliged! and that link to bad tenants data base. It will be very handy indeed.
And this woman was a child-minder? Any woman who can make up allegations such as this shouldn’t be looking after other people’s children. I’d name her, then she’d see how much work she gets and how sorry she’ll be for doing that.
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Have a look at LRS and the thread Tenant versus Landlord.
I’m the LL and you’ll find some peculiar similarities to this case.
My fraudster tenant was an absolute nutter.
Mind you I only have myself to blame as I did NOT do what a sensible LL should; and that is full DD on a tenant!
I consider I have valid excuses but of course really in no way does it excuse my incompetence in taking on such a risk, even though I knew it.
Circumstances sometimes conspire to force you in desperation to make knowingly a wrong decision.
I don’t know which is more stupid; making a decision knowing it is not wise or making such a decision in complete ignorance as to the possible ramifications!!!
This is one of the reasons that a decent letting agent is extremely useful, and I mean a decent one, like my present agents, Martin and Co at Newark to whom I have gone after being stung by two different agents before. I can now relax in the knowledge that my house and most impotantly, my tenants are looked after There are some dreadful, crooked agents around!.
Matthew Dickinson
Matthew recently posted…DSS Move says the LHA market is potentially 5 million tenants
I can’t tell you how many crazies I have had in the years and what it has done to a sane person (ask my friends)
It is so difficult to deal with the total illogical actions of some. Many years ago I had an experience with a very rotund Nigerian lady who had stayed over at a tenant’s studio flat after a one night out and would not leave. The tenant came to my office for help to get rid of her so we went together to explain that a studio flat was big enough for her to stay longer and she was not the tenant.
When we got to the door he opened the door and the very large lady was standing in her rather small pants and bra and asked him to take her back to bed. Explaining that he was not interested she turned to me and asked if I wanted some!!. “No” I shouted “you have to leave”- “ I don’t want to leave I like it here” she wailed and threw herself onto the floor saying she was taking up squatters rights.
To cut a long story short; We could not move her and we dared not touch her so we called the police. I don’t know how the poor lady on the phone kept from giggling when we explained the situation of why we needed their help.
Hello emergency services “Yes we have a very, very, large Nigerian woman lying on the floor of my flat part naked wailing that she is taking up squatters rights please help”..
They sent out a police with a police lady who took 2 hours to get rid of her. So the moral to the story is never take things home on a one night stand or you may never get rid of it.. and that’s not just traffic cones
This week our landlords working together have reported over £16,000+ in tenant alerts to warn one another about habitual bad tenants that use the law to rip off landlords. There are a few services cropping up that network landlords but only one (The biggest) that can warn you of a bad tenant 1 hour after he leaves his last landlord.
I thank Mark Alexander for letting me tell you about http://www.landlordreferencing.co.uk as like myself we understand that as good landlords we do not want your last bad tenant as you do not want ours.
Tenant alerts this week.
http://www.landlordreferencing.co.uk/discuss/community-forum/tenants-you-really-need-to-avoid/page-2/#p8560
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I had a bad feeling once about an outgoing tenant. On vacating day I put my mobile into my shirt pocket, camera facing outwards, and began recording before I rang the doorbell. The tenant duly tried to shake me down for more than his deposit for supposedly ignoring complaints about an essential repair that he had needed to do instead. He incriminated himself beautifully and wasn’t best pleased to be told (once I had my keys back and we were out of the house, of course) that the whole exchange had been videoed!
I don’t know about the legalities of that but as a defence it’s bullet proof.
Scary stuff… Not all LL are men, whatever age or sex of the tenant it’s best to consider the risks and consequences of all visits. Common assault is an offence where you don’t have to actually touch someone, just pointing aggressively is enough, but that’s all debatable too. I like the video idea ! If you do get nicked, use a free duty solicitor at the station…if you are worried about your actions go no comment and wait for the evidence. The CPS rarely prosecute Common Assault and never without an 80% chance of winning. But the law recognises that tenants are usually more vulnerable …… So beware go by the rules!
As my portfolio gets bigger and more complicated with a varied range of social economic tenants I watch for warning signals following the normal credit checks, my experience as a full time hands on land lord now directs me that should a tenant give me concern I speak only by text or phone, then if unresovable I get a reputable management company in to work things through and matters usually improve. Tenants who are good are valued and know their valued, i deliberately look to spoil them after a couple of years of no problems. Good regular communication works for me. I never am critical, just justify my concerns. I don’t attend with non independant witness’s. I pick times of repair, maintenance and the gas check! That way it’s not so threatening and intrusive into a home. Each property has a regular annual outside survey and discussions of improvement. Perhaps a carpet is changed just from the need of wear and tear, or the radiators are bled. It is money but also builds a bond. My end game is harmony and a regular income with a property that kept nicely could be sold easily. I look for long term tenants and actively take families with pets as I know they will stay because most landlords don’t accept pets. It can work. If a tenant is terribly ill I look for adjustments either aiding their ability within their lives, or in a payment plan if they suddenly loose their job. If they don’t have transport for unwanted furniture, I arrange it, the property stays nice. If they are moving in and I recognise a need, we do the move in, it helps cement a new understanding. I’m a pussycat really, but with rules and if the rent is a day late Im on to it. But rarely do I need to do that. I enjoy what I do and get good feed back. I recognise that some LL do not have the time I have. Or they have a big portfolio. I capped my portfolio this week with completion of my tenth property, done up on a retention mortgage, value added too (happy me) and tenanted next week, we will help her move in because she is disabled not terribly well off and with a lovely cat. she popped in regularly to see our renovating and decorating progress, bringing doughnuts ! and she chose the wallpaper and tiles. I don’t really want more than I can manage myself and my income is now sufficient. I’m sure there will be issues sometime but that’s life!
Just register with LRS (Landlords Referencing service) and put her details on there.
They have many warnings of bad tenents etc.
I’ve found it extremely helpful.
Kev
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This is the biggest load of rubbish that I have ever seen and I am amazed that you printed it!
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