Tenant died and adult son stayed but didn’t pay rent

Tenant died and adult son stayed but didn’t pay rent

10:06 AM, 28th January 2020, About 4 years ago 11

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A tenant of mine recently died leaving behind her 18 year old son. Naturally I was very understanding and tried to help him and the family out as much as possible; offered him an AST in his own name, plenty of support, regular contact.

He said he wanted to stay in the property and sign the tenancy and said he could take on more hours to make ends meet, but kept making excuses as to why he didn’t want to sign the contract yet and when we would arrange to meet to sign he wouldn’t turn up. He also made several promises to pay rent and arrears, even at one point saying he was on his way to the bank to pay, but it never came. It became abundantly clear he had no intention of staying when I received a call from a letting agency asking for a reference for him to rent another property.

This was all over the Christmas period so obviously a sensitive period anyway. 3 months in I served a section 21 notice, another month on he moved out so a total of almost £4,000 rent arrears and he trashed the place before he left.

We are now on the Small Claims track and him and his family are obviously trying to slow everything down. Just asking for advice anybody might have. I’m concerned I may have given him and his family enough rope to hang me with…

Thanks in advance!!

JC


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NW Landlord

9:46 AM, 1st February 2020, About 4 years ago

I had a very similar incident just gotta take it on the chin unfortunately

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