Is it possible to recover debt over 10k from a UC tenant who’s disappeared?

Red 3D text spelling “DEBT” with the letter “E” replaced by a pound symbol (£)

by Readers Question

12:01 AM, 15th November 2024, 1 year ago 7

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Advice Landlord News Landlord News Landlords Questions Tenant Eviction

Hi, I’ve recently endured a 16-month process to evict a tenant who was receiving Universal Credit (UC). During that time, I only received 60% of the rent directly from UC, and the arrears kept piling up. By the time the court and bailiffs finally evicted the tenant, they owed me over £10,000 in unpaid rent. To make matters worse, they left the property in disrepair, which cost me an additional £6,000 to fix.

I have a judgment issued against them through Money Claim Online (MCOL), but I’ve hit a snag — I can’t request a warrant because the amount exceeds the small claims limit. It also appears there’s no mechanism to have deductions made from their UC benefits now that they’re no longer my tenant. I’m feeling stuck and unsure of how to proceed to recover this substantial debt.

I considered using a High Court Enforcement Officer, but it feels like this might just be a costly exercise yielding little results since I can’t track the tenant down. How can I locate the tenant’s new address? What are my options in this situation? Are there alternative enforcement methods I can pursue to reclaim the money owed to me?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Kharim

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Tags: enforcing money claim judgment, High Court Enforcement Officers debt recovery, recovering rent arrears legal process., recovering unpaid rent from tenants, small claims court landlord issues, tenant left property in disrepair, tracing tenants for debt collection, Universal Credit tenant eviction

Comments

K Anon

Member Since October 2021 - Comments: 62

10:55 AM, 15th November 2024, About 1 year ago

I feel for you. I really do but somehow I think you need to put this down to an expensive lesson learnt.
I’ve had tenants on benefits and it was a shockingly traumatic experience.
Try to close the book and move on , you’ll be chasing ghosts I’m afraid. I was left with damage, arrears and costs far exceeding yours but you’ll spend even more chasing a shadow. I had their address as well but then what, they don’t care and have no money so don’t give a ….
Solicitors will take your money, UC not interested. It ( sense of injustice and frustration) eases over time but make sure you learn. Tough lesson, avoid risk. I won’t touch benefits tenants with a bargepole now. Once bitten etc.

14 Report Comment Reply
Jim K

Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 181

6:52 PM, 15th November 2024, About 1 year ago

I believe that a debt, if unpaid, exceeding £5000 ‘can’ lead to bankruptcy.
Whilst not giving you a financial closure it ‘may’ be a route to investigate.

Report Comment Reply
Special K

Member Since November 2024 - Comments: 2

9:25 PM, 15th November 2024, About 1 year ago

Reply to the comment left by Jim K at 15/11/2024 – 18:52
My research indicates that making someone bankrupt is an expensive process. They basically have no asset’s to seize otherwise the route of HCEO could have been viable.

2 Report Comment Reply
Jonathan Willis

Member Since September 2023 - Comments: 157

4:44 PM, 16th November 2024, About 1 year ago

Reply to the comment left by Special K at 15/11/2024 – 21:25
£1833 to make someone bankrupt. You won’t get any more back, so it depends how you feel at making someone be forced to disclose “have you ever been bankrupt?” for the rest of their life.

2 Report Comment Reply
Jonathan Willis

Member Since September 2023 - Comments: 157

4:45 PM, 16th November 2024, About 1 year ago

Reply to the comment left by K Anon at 15/11/2024 – 10:55
And people wonder why “No DSS” is still written on adverts. Or why the landlord minimum affordability is set above the amount of benefits you can get.

5 Report Comment Reply
Robert Sled

Member Since November 2022 - Comments: 41

5:02 PM, 16th November 2024, About 1 year ago

Part of this business involves people causing destruction to your property illegally and the courts not caring or even trying to fix it. They system is literally rigged against you. Justice isn’t going to happen

That is all

8 Report Comment Reply
EL1111 Read Full Bio

Member Since January 2023 - Comments: 36

10:06 PM, 20th November 2024, About 1 year ago

I’m afraid you just have to suck it up, there is absolutely no redress to retrieve what is owed to you.
What I would do though, is bundle up all your documents and send them to Angela Raynor’s office at Westminster. They have to address any correspondence they receive. It may just make her change her biased view on the ‘lucrative’ rental market and rogue landlords, before the new rental bill is finalised.
I’m sorry for you, its an expensive lesson.

1 Report Comment Reply

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