Tenant not communicating, risk in rent arrears?

Tenant not communicating, risk in rent arrears?

11:33 AM, 11th April 2023, About A year ago 12

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Hello, I have a new tenant, whose last two months rent had to be chased and chased every month. I told her the AST set out she must set up a standing order, which she did but then it must have been cancelled as the rent never came at the time.

Her previous communication normally took a week or two, now she has completely ignored all communication. Now I understand why it took the agent so long to confirm her AST start date and sign the AST, and why it took so long for her previous landlord to give a landlord reference.

She isn’t in rent arrears yet, but I fear it may further escalate when she stops paying rent and poor communicating from the following months.

How best can I deal with tenants like this?

What can I do now to best protect myself, from rent arrears in future, an eviction process and costs, just in case?

Thank you,

Mike


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Comments

GlanACC

9:09 AM, 12th April 2023, About A year ago

Hew de Bowen, Couldn't agree more (as a landlord of 25+ years experience, previously had 18 houses). As soon as you give tenants the benefit of the doubt you are on a slippery slope. I have done this is the past and paid the price. I will let the tenant pick the day in the month that they will pay so as to suit their pay day schedules. You can read the tenant the riot act but it rarely makes any difference. Although it hasn't happened to me yet (to a landlord friend of mine), the latest tenant cop out for not paying rent is the 'mental health' excuse, and believe me tenants will get FAR more advice in this area (Shelter etc ..) so treat property letting as a business and nip the problem in the bud .. you are not a social worker or a carer.

RoseD

10:05 AM, 12th April 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Derek STOBBS at 12/04/2023 - 09:09
I don't necessarily disagree with your thinking Derek and respect that as experienced LL's we all have our methods for dealing with issues. You've more than made your point on how you'd deal with this (and indeed others have endorsed your thinking). This platform is here for a reason. The PRS is a complex business.

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