Tenants damaging property?

A ‘good’ landlord is not necessarily one that allows tenants to decorate, move in when the property isn’t ready, keeps rents low, allows pet, is understanding when rent payments are missed or late.

A good landlord is one that provides a safe home for their tenants. An agreement that has security of tenure built in to it. A landlord that plans ahead so that tenants don’t need to (many landlords failed to plan for interest rates and inflation rising).

We should remember that agents don’t work for you. They don’t work for the tenant either. Agents work for themselves. Their aim is to suck as much money out of the landlord and tenant as the law allows.

Deposits are held by 3rd parties. It isn’t the agent that makes the decision to return the deposit or not.

Agents will often try to accommodate their least desirable tenant by offering the house of a laid-back or lazy landlord. Landlords need to have the final say and do their own due diligence.

I’ve never met an agent that I’d like to pay.

Yes you can issue a Section 21. Not sure there are grounds for a Section 8 but in any event a Section 21 is much easier.
You may want to consider using a quality specialist eviction firm such as Landlord Action or Landlord Group It will cost but you will be relieved of much of the stress from doing it yourself. And if you have to go to Court could you handle this yourself do you know the Court process ! Don’t let your agent do it whatever you do.
Not sure of your CGT position but you may want to consider selling up given your age. Do you really want all this hassle in your later years ?

It seems fairly clear that the ‘agent alias money-grubber’ and tenants have seen you as an ageing patsy for the taking? That is NOT meant as offensive but how the wicked world has developed? Teesider and Dylan Morris have offered solid common sense, I am 78 and would read it carefully. Good luck, you deserve better at ‘our’ time of life!

Noting the strong views of Teessider, the agent was acting for you and would have had a commercial and lgeal obligation. It sounds like they were very very poor and far from up to an acceptable standard.

As a landlord you presumably signed terms of business for the service ou required. Have you challenged the agent on what they have done?

Agents carry PI insurance to cover negligence/mistakes and must also be members of an ombudsman scheme. Have you looked at these routes to secure recompense?

I’m delighgted to say that I have never met Teessider, given his view on agents. After 30 odd years in the job we have had very few problems with tenants, hardly any arrears and long term landlords. We would never put a tenant into a landlord’s house that wouldn’t be suitable for one of our own.

Reply to the comment left by Graham Bowcock at 18/09/2023 – 11:18
Maybe I’m a bit of an old cynic but I believe all business exist to make profit. They need to.

Charities such as Shelter are no different.

I’m sure there are decent agents out there. Just as there are decent landlords.

What a sad situation Christine. You don’t say how long you been renting this property altho I’m guessing quite a time as you state you had a good rapport with agents who sold out. And that’s the point here….all good things come to an end. Time to consider if this arrangement run
its course. As you’ve found out the PRS not for the faint hearted and altho there are good agents, you have to keep a close eye on your ‘investment’. Good advice already given on previous threads but selling up would seem the best way forward as is happening with many landlords.

Take some sound advice

Tell the tenant you need them to leave. Be honest. It’s a long and stressful process for everyone – do they really want that uncertainty?

Offer them a grand in their hand and the return of their deposit and get them out of there ASAP

The alternative is you serve a S21. Then you find out your agent screwed up your moving in paperwork which means your S21 is invalid

If you can fix it, you start the process again

It currently takes about a year before you get to court for a s21 to court

During that time will your tenant pay rent? Probably not

Get them to give you notice. And on the day of moving give them their bung

You will save time, money and stress

Simple