I’m losing a tenant every 6 months, please help!

I’m losing a tenant every 6 months, please help!

17:23 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago 58

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Hi all,

My fifth tenant has now decided to leave after having been subject to 6 months of abuse and hell from the neighbour adjoining the maisonette. All four previous tenants have left after six months and have all cited this neighbour from hell as the culprit for their misery and reason for leaving. This has put me at substantial financial loss, not to mention the stress. This is my first property and subsequently my first time as a landlord. I am losing a tenant every 6 months

I have exacerbated all my options. The troublesome neighbour likes to throw his weight around and seems to relish in bullying my tenants. He is also very devious, he has filed noise complaints against each one of my tenants with the council and complains to both letting agents about the noise. My current tenant mentions that the last straw was when the neighbour abused and threw stones at his Mum while she was visiting, thus instigating my tenant to angrily shout at the neighbour who recorded the interaction on his phone. When my tenant called the Police they did nothing as the neighbour had footage of my tenant shouting.

Emails from my previous four tenants include incidents where the troublesome neighbour, grabbed Tenant A round the throat and threatened him in my property. He jumped over the garden fence and threatened Tenant B. Threats to steal, shoot, beat up Tenant C and Tenant D apparently used to come home from work and watch TV wearing headphones so as not to disturb him, the list is a lot longer than this.

Police have been called on six separate occasions by two different tenants (the others were too scared to).

I have contacted the landlord of the property direct. Their letting agent is not prepared to do anything about it giving the excuse that it is one tenants word against another. I am have now lost my fifth tenant! Is this not evidence enough that the neighbour is the cause of the problem?

My letting agent has tried to influence the other letting agent but I feel both have dragged their feet hoping that the dust will settle. My letting agent now is refusing to re-let the property due to this neighbour.

I feel like I only have two options:

1) Reluctantly sell the property or

2) Try and re-let the property by switching my current agent to the same letting agent who oversees the troublesome neighbour. This eliminates the denial that there is a problem and who causes it due to one letting agent getting to hear about all the problems at both properties without any middlemen diluting the seriousness of the allegations. The problem with this option is whether the letting agent would evict the troublesome tenant or just be happy to allow my tenants to leave and enjoy the inctreased income from the renewals.

What other options do I have?

Please help.

Mark Lintern


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Comments

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

17:30 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

You could invest a lot of money with a solicitor in the hope they can come up with a solution but I'm not sure I would do that.

Have you considered offering the nightmare tenant and incentive to move out?
.

Industry Observer

17:47 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

I have just had an identical enquiry from a client whose Landlord has just lost their third tenant in under two years, this latest one leaving after only 2 weeks of a 6 month contract.

I will watch responses with interest and post myself tomorrow

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

17:53 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Industry Observer " at "29/10/2013 - 17:47":

It would be a huge coincidence but potentially extremely beneficial if these properties we located in the same block.

May I begin by asking the name of the town/city please?
.

DC

18:02 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Quite simply you need to speak to your local community police department. Find out where exactly you can make contact with them and if possible try to speak with the sergeant or inspector in charge of that department and produce all of the evidence that you have mentioned above.
There are laws and procedures that the authorities can use to deal with this type of issue, not least the threats and assaults that you have mentioned. Do not be fobbed off by the type of comment that your tenant has already mentioned when speaking to the police.
Persist with your complaint and don't listen to those doubters on these forums that say the police won't deal with it. They will if you have the right information and if you speak to the right person - it is their job and what they want to be made aware of - trust me!!

Mark Lintern

18:16 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mark Alexander" at "29/10/2013 - 17:53":

My property is in Stafford, West midlands.

Thank you Mark, but what sort of incentive could I offer the problem tenant? Am I being a little naive with that question?

Ian Ringrose

18:18 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Can you get someone on housing benefit with pets and the bound provided by the local council? E.g. a tenant that will not have the option of moving elsewhere. (Even better if your new tenant has just come out of jail.)

Mark Lintern

18:20 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "DC " at "29/10/2013 - 18:02":

Thanks DC, I will go ahead with your suggestion about the police, but I am not optimistic. I was forced to intervene with my second tenant and contacted the police with adequate evidence from both the first and second tenant, but they did fob me off and said they've been round to have a word and that's all they can do.

Mark Lintern

18:22 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Ian Ringrose" at "29/10/2013 - 18:18":

Hi Ian,

I like the idea of getting council tenants in, I take it the council would have to get involved if there are disputes with its tenants, and I'd have more weight behind me?

Industry Observer

18:27 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Why would it be beneficial Mark?

Ask Mr Lintern whether his property is South, Midlands or North of England? Also ask him what nationality his tenants are.

@DC

My client called the police and they decided the abusive tenants to be the victim. These tenants also are very clever and deceitful and themselves complain at the slightest noise in the block, and make up fictitious acuusations against others.

Mark Lintern

18:36 PM, 29th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Industry Observer " at "29/10/2013 - 18:27":

Hi Industry Observer,

My property is in the Midlands, Stafford.
My Tenants nationality was/is:
1st Tenant = Indian, male (very nice, kind chap, invited me to his wedding!)
2nd Tenant = English, female
3rd Tenant = English, Male
4th Tenant = English, Male
5th Tenant = English, Male

The neighbors are a Male and Female couple from Italy, and don't speak great English.

1 2 3 4 5 6

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