Evicted lodger now trying to sue me for £5000 at County Court?

Evicted lodger now trying to sue me for £5000 at County Court?

10:31 AM, 24th March 2022, About 2 years ago 17

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I recently started to rent out a room in my home. At first, the person seemed reasonable, but sadly I came home from work one night and found she was smoking cannabis at the entrance to my property. I share this main entrance with two other properties in my block.

I spoke to her and said this was unacceptable and went against her lodgers obligations in the agreement we had. “Not to use the property for any illegal and immoral activity”. She apologised and said she will move away from the property.

Later that evening I saw that she had an amount of drugs in her possession. I didn’t challenge her and was going to seek legal advice and I was deeply concerned. She had been here two weeks and I already had a sinking feeling.

then proceeded to tell me about her links to the polish mafia and she knew some really serious violent people.

I found that she had been coughing up flem and spitting in my cups.

I challenged her about this and things just went from bad to worse.

After consulting with the metropolitan police I changed the locks and evicted her as her behaviour was unacceptable. She has since got a solicitor and is trying to take me to small claims court and sue me for 5000 quid.

So I’m left now having to write a defence as to why I don’t feel like I have done anything wrong.

Help, please?

James


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Comments

Parallel Law Ltd

9:55 AM, 28th March 2022, About 2 years ago

Sometimes people just feel like they have been treated unfairly. If you pay a couple of hundred pounds for mediation they get to air their views and talk things through to a resolution. Sometimes you discover it is not even about money it is just about wanting to be heard. It is often worth a try otherwise it can follow the path Smiffy has highlighted above which can be stressful, time consuming, and costly.

Rerktyne

9:58 AM, 28th March 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Smiffy at 28/03/2022 - 09:42
Dead right! They are trying it on! They've been watching too much American TV where lawyers' fees are just a hidden form of income tax!

Fiona

10:05 AM, 28th March 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Parallel Law Ltd at 28/03/2022 - 09:55
I've learned the hard way......
No matter my "sense of outrage" and not wanting to accept my disadvantaged position, enshrined in law, no matter how badly behaved a tenant has behaved, even threatening me, seriously, and with police presence. I could see how sad they were too. How much they could see, what my position was. But they said "there's nothing we can do"
I've taken both sides over the years. Each comes with a cost.
The legal side. Cost of money, time, effort, endless paperwork. No guaranteed positive outcome for me.
And I've also swallowed my sense of moral outrage, and negotiated too. Cash for keys. Totally played the game their way.
I too, would go for mediation.

Vulnerable Tenant

3:27 AM, 7th April 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Blodwyn at 25/03/2022 - 09:17
I can recommend Peter Humphris at Abels Solicitors in Southampton, option 4 on the phone. He’s working at home from the moment, so try other solicitors until you get one and explain that you need someone. He is extremely good. He’s been doing it for a very long time, so he’s no amateur.

Vulnerable Tenant

3:27 AM, 7th April 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Blodwyn at 25/03/2022 - 09:17
I can recommend Peter Humphris at Abels Solicitors in Southampton, option 4 on the phone. He’s working at home from the moment, so try other solicitors until you get one and explain that you need someone. He is extremely good. He’s been doing it for a very long time, so he’s no amateur.

Vulnerable Tenant

3:32 AM, 7th April 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Parallel Law Ltd at 26/03/2022 - 20:06
I can recommend Peter Humphris at Abels Solicitors in Southampton, option 4 on the phone. He’s working at home from the moment, so try other solicitors until you get one and explain that you need someone. He is extremely good. He’s been doing it for a very long time, so he’s no amateur.

Rerktyne

7:18 AM, 7th April 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Vulnerable Tenant at 07/04/2022 - 03:32
It's a pity one cannot recommend a good leg-breaker!

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