Tenant caused extensive damage and now refuses to pay rent!

Tenant caused extensive damage and now refuses to pay rent!

11:11 AM, 26th April 2016, About 8 years ago 12

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I have a tenant who has caused extensive damage to my property on numerous occasions in the last few months. He’s been charged with criminal damage twice; convicted once, and pled not guilty to the latest charge claiming the police broke down the door to the property, therefore they are liable. breaking door down

The reason the police broke down the door is because the tenant phoned them saying he was going to kill himself and then barricaded himself into the flat. The only way the police could get into the property (acting upon his call) was to break down the door.

At the end of this latest episode I boarded up the doorway to the property, continuing to allow the tenant access to the property (he now requires a screwdriver instead of a key). He has now stopped paying rent saying I have to install a proper front door allowing him to get into the property.

Although the tenant repeatedly causes extensive damage to the property, am I liable to keep replacing the front door? Has he got grounds to withhold rent because he currently has no proper front door, yet does have access?

He has also been served a Section 21 which expires in 3 weeks. Will the Section 21 stay valid all the while I do not install a proper front door to the property?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Marinus


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Comments

Sharon Betton

14:15 PM, 27th April 2016, About 8 years ago

I would be very surprised if serving a section 8 notice, with 14 days notice, means possession would be recovered within 2 or 3 weeks. In my area, getting a court date, following expiry of the notice, can take a couple of months, at least.

I am sorry to seem to be in disagreement with someone else, but surely there can be little comparison between leaving a window boarded up (which, though depriving the tenant of natural light does afford security) and a door unrepaired, which though it provides access for the tenant, surely does the same for anyone else?

AnthonyJames

15:00 PM, 27th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Sharon Betton" at "27/04/2016 - 14:15":

I agree: if the tenant can get in with a screwdriver, surely burglars can too? What happens if the tenant burns the house down, and says someone else used a screwdriver to break in and commit an act of arson? Is your buildings insurance company going to pay up when you don't even have a secure front door on the property?

Bite the bullet and get the door repaired. Then go through the procedures suggested to get rid of him. I'm afraid you are highly unlikely to get any of your money back: just be glad when you get the property.

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