Evicting wife of tenant not on the agreement

Evicting wife of tenant not on the agreement

8:34 AM, 5th June 2018, About 6 years ago 25

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How do we go about evicting a “tenant” who was not on the Tenancy Agreement?

Our original tenancy agreement was made with the husband (he is married and lived with his wife there and has a son, now aged 13 also in the house), but his wife was not on the original tenancy agreement, only the husband was.

The husband moved in March 2009. The wife was never formally on the Tenancy Agreement as amongst other things, her English is very poor (his was not much better). The Tenancy was renewed with him in January 2015 and so has become a periodic tenancy now.

He gave us written notice informing us they were moving out on 20th May 2018. He then moved out, but it appears they have split up as she has stayed put and is now in arrears.

Can anyone advise on what procedure we are to follow? If she was never on the tenancy agreement at any point what exactly can we/should we be doing?

Many thanks

Ivan


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Comments

Michael Barnes

14:38 PM, 10th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by trevor white at 09/06/2018 - 12:17
Michael how do you read the facts as regards the husband moving out?

As originally posted, it appears to me that
- man, wife and child occupied under original and renewed tenancy agreements.
- Man was only named person as the tenant.
- man moved out after giving notice to end the tenancy; wife and child remained.
- there is no evidence that the notice to quit was or was not valid.

Also, I have no knowledge of how other statute and judgements might affect the status of the wife.

Monty Bodkin

17:06 PM, 10th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Michael Barnes at 10/06/2018 - 14:38"Also, I have no knowledge of how other statute and judgements might affect the status of the wife."
Me neither Michael, which is why I've steered clear of this thread, hoping someone would know the chapter and verse about it.
I think it comes under the Family Law Act and a spouse has a lot more rights than just any unauthorised occupier.
N.B In case any righteously indignant anti-landlord type is reading this-
Like the vast majority of landlords, I'm ignorant about family law because I have a very good relationship with my tenants and they would have prior informed me if they moved in their spouse.

Chris @ Possession Friend

17:40 PM, 10th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Luke gave the answer days ago, you take possession proceedings against the named tenant ( regardless of whether they are in occupation or not, as they haven’t delivered up vacant possession- so effectively, haven’t ended their tenancy.

bean

13:56 PM, 11th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Michael Barnes at 10/06/2018 - 14:38
Michael thanks for the response. Monty and Chris have raised valid issues that should be considered carefully.
I would add that the fact of vacant possession not being delivered up might not have that much impact if you consider that the husband served notice to quit (accept as valid or waived by Landlord as regards any defects). The tenancy you may view as joint would be at an end as stated by Michael.

The wife would then struggle to assert Family law etc as there would be no tenancy that she would be claiming a right to.
Once the tenancy is at an end the court cannot for example order a transfer (FLA 1996) of tenancy as there is no tenancy to transfer to the other spouse.

Qazi v London Borough of Harrow - The HL held that Article 8 ECHR was of no assistance to a person who longer had any legal or equitable right to remain in possession. Mr Qazi had been a joint tenant of the dwelling with his wife. She served a notice to quit on the landlord. Under domestic law that brought the tenancy to an end. He argued that the dwelling was his home and that Article 8 should assist him in resisting possession. Held, that he had no legal right to remain in occupation it did not protect him.

Connors v UK - This case concerned gypsies who had been in occupation under a licence for 16 years. The European Court held that this breached his rights under Article 8. There were special factors that applied to this case though.

It could be held that the tenancy was a sham arrangement but that would seem not to afford a defence to possession.

It would appear that there is little the Wife could do to remain in occupation should a Court rule that the tenancy has ended.

A Family Law Practitioner may obviously take a different view!

Michael Barnes

22:33 PM, 11th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Chris Daniel at 10/06/2018 - 17:40they haven’t delivered up vacant possession- so effectively, haven’t ended their tenancy.
That is not correct. Vacant possession does not have to be given for the tenancy to be at an end when the tenant gives valid notice.
That is what S18 Distress for Rent Act 1737 addresses.
It is also why rent should not be taken after the end of the tenant's notice period as that may create a new tenancy; I believe that money should be accepted as mesne profit.

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