Update with Some success

Update with Some success

11:13 AM, 15th August 2018, About 6 years ago 43

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Some may remember my problem with a tenant owing approx. £4k in rent arrears.

I served the s8 notice and then just as I, via a solicitor as unsure, submitted the court papers I got 4 days notice from her that she was leaving and for me to be there or she would shut the door and throw away the keys.

Well she vacated, leaving trashed carpets, filthy cooker, broken window and unwanted rubbish etc.

Last Wednesday she emailed me to say she had got £3k from a loan shark and would pay me this as long as I would take this as an end of her rental arrears.

I decided that this would at least give some of the arrears, leaving £566 outstanding, but none of the legal/court/interest owing. She didn’t show for the first appointment citing she had something important come up but, surprisingly, did for the 2nd…. with the money in cash. I gave her a receipt which stated that this was for the rental arrears and verbally stated that too.

I then received an email from her saying she was glad this was finalized and that I should remember this for references. I replied that whilst this money cleared her rental arrears this did not clear the court fees/legal costs etc amounting to approx. £1,400.

I got an email back saying I was shameless expecting her to repay these monies, that as she expected me “to wake up” she recorded the meeting and I could see her in court as she wasn’t going to give me another penny and she was going to change her email.

Luckily I have managed to trace her guarantor so have an avenue, also the s8 court hearing on the 2nd September.

She is being chased by at least 4 companies for monies owing, but she is off to Kingston University in October to do a mental health nursing degree with student finance paying her £12k pa in a mix of loan and non-repayable grants, plus fees loan which she has no intention of ever repaying as she says she will be off back to Zimbabwe.

Wonderful isn’t it.

Judith


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Comments

Jay James

18:58 PM, 18th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Jay James at 18/08/2018 - 18:18
"Point to remember: a number of... are treated as such in the UK. "
This is the case by UK law and not by my personal opinion.

Judith Wordsworth

17:51 PM, 19th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Golly where do I start.
She is a Zimbabwean with a Right of Residency.
I instructed a letting agent I had used before and they showed several people the property and after conducting references recommended her and did her check-in. I was at the time going through a divorce and living 120 miles away.
She had 1 son aged 10, but not married to the father with whom she'd lived with (according to the Electoral Roll).
5 years ago she was required to do work under Job Seekers. But before she had completed 6 months unknown to me she was pregnant.
From day 1 she was in arrears as was not on full housing benefit as, unknown to myself or the letting agent, her son was not living with her and the father claiming the child benefit. Once that was sorted and on full housing benefit she was ok. Kept the property spick and span. But once the 2nd son was born she was a changed person. Also council is clawing back just under £1000 from me as she was not entitled to full housing benefit when on maternity leave. I have always been paid the housing benefit for the rent direct from the council. When she started part-time employment in February of this year her housing benefit was reassessed and they found she was not entitled to 100%. But she told me then that she "had better things to do with her money than pay the shortfall, and that "They" had got their figures wrong and she wasn't going to repay the overpayment clawback either". She was able to pay for a child minder at £100pw, complained that she only earned £600 (which is a lie according to her July & August bank statements).

She has also said that she has no intentions of remaining in this country once the youngest son is 16 as England has "nothing for her" and she will go back to Zimbabwe.
She has been the bane of my life tenant for 8 years, and even the council said I should evict her (yet also telling her to stay until the bailiffs arrive) and they had never come across a more awkward person.

She has refused to sign my GDPR form so if given the go-ahead by the 118 powers that be I am happy to name her for the benefit of others as believe she is renting (as there is a recent housing benefit payment since she vacated my property) within the London Borough of Croydon. Not sure yet if the EU Directive over-rules s35 Data Protection Act whereby one can request, cannot see why one cannot demand, a persons address from authorities/employers/DVLA/ Tax Man/ Dept of Work & Pensions/places of education etc when there are legal proceedings in place.

She has made me quite ill with all the worry, which wasn't helped by the letting agent not having put her deposit on protection within the 30 days, but I really don't see why she should get away with these debts. Again she has emailed me to say most people in this country have debts and it isn't a crime. There are recent CCJ's, apart from mine, brought to court by BT, EE, 02 and at least another two.
I used an excellent tracing agent to find her guarantor when the High Sheriffs Office couldn't trace him, they only charged £35 when they had an address for him.
What I also think is a crime is that she is getting student finance for her fees of £9,200pa, and a maintenance loan plus a non-repayable maintenance grant totaling just over £12k. Knowing she wont ever be in a position to repay this even working as a mental health nurse, if she qualifies, she doesn't intend staying here..... Having CCJ's is surely a warning to Student Finance that this student is not a reliable person when it comes to paying obligations.

I have spoken to Student Finance but don't think they really care and I will be writing to the Dean of Kingston Uni with my doubts about her suitability and copying him various emails including the one which said I had to be careful what I said to her as "what can come out of her mouth can be toxic".

I would once again like to thank everyone who has been kind enough to support me with their comments, their advice and help throughout this nightmare. And nightmare it has been to the extent of waking up in the middle of the night wondering if she had just flitted from the property leaving the taps running and the plugs in place; flitting and leaving the front door wide open etc etc.

Sorry for the essay!

KEN WALTERS

19:38 PM, 19th August 2018, About 6 years ago

I own a property in a former mining village in the North East devastated by Thatcher in the 80s.
I only accept working tenants without pets, children and who are non smokers .
It may take a week or two longer to acquire the right tenant but it’s worth it,
Unless you have a model for UC tenants or the like,I suggest you do the same.
If it works where I am it will work in 99 % of places,
It’s. 3 bed semi getting £575 a month.
For the geeks:
Yield 6%
ROI 13.4%

Paul Shears

19:47 PM, 19th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by KEN WALTERS at 19/08/2018 - 19:38
No tenant at all is better than a bad tenant. Build some slack into the business model. I could not agree more.

user_17131

16:10 PM, 20th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Obfuscated Data

user_17009

18:35 PM, 20th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Obfuscated Data

Jay James

18:50 PM, 20th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 19/08/2018 - 17:51never mind the essay, I also have a habit of that.
Judith, whatever I have said previously onhere, I really do feel for you. Alas there are many tenants like this one, especially in respect of their attitude to debt and rent debt. I can easily point out a number on my regular bus route, they talk so openly about it!
I really wish I had a solution for you. It seems the best thing is to heed the advice from contributors on here and also use a professional eviction firm. Eg Paul Shamplina

DALE ROBERTS

18:54 PM, 20th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 19/08/2018 - 17:51
Judith, it is completely legal to upload this tenant onto the Landlord Referencing site. The site is used by savvy landlords and savvy property agents to source information on bad or serial rogue tenants. Landlords should protect each other by ensuring these tenants are exposed - whether we have managed to get that elusive CCJ or not. And we all know a CCJ is no hurdle to renting, nor is is a guarantee to recouping what has been deliberately stolen from you via the withholding of rent and/or trashed property and furniture. In essence, what the UK government has ensured is that, it is quite acceptable for a landlord to go bankrupt but a tenant cannot go unhoused. And that scenario is going to worsen with the plethora of discriminatory landlord legislation presently being mooted.

user_17009

18:59 PM, 20th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Obfuscated Data

Jay James

19:16 PM, 20th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 19/08/2018 - 17:51
when typing my comment just above, I did wonder if I was overstating how common tenants of this nature are. Then I went to the next forum and read this: https://www.property118.com/hmo-tenant-barricaded-room-started-80000-fire/

Judith, you are not alone, please don't let it take over your life.

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