Mortitia

Had similar experience with them back in July. Will be looking elsewhere next year.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Maintenance or repairs? What qualifications and experience have you got?

You can do this risk assessment yourself. I do similar annually on a block of 4 . Keeping the log is key. I bet some fire safety company comes on here now saying different but I have yet to see any legislation on it.

IF this guy was truly a lodger then why did live in landlord not spot the damage and boot him out earliest? Lodgers rarely have £1000 in deposit paid. Are you sure this is not an AST?

Go there and attempt entry. If she is there then you are stuffed for time being. If she has left then you need to get a Deed of Surrender. Inform the council (who should be aware she is at another address). If council are aware then start looking for new Tenant. With 6 months notice now needed in Wales what will be your strategy?

Yes agree the market is bouyant. My Airbnb is 50% taken with people on viewings from London. Seems some can't wait to get out of the place! I expect homeworking has encouraged this - why live in the city when you can do the job from the coast and live a better lifestyle?

This ruling does not set a legal precedent - no new law has been created. I'm just about to start interviewing for a new tenant so we have decided to do block viewings and short list best suited then look at their income. Obviously I won't choose someone on DSS unless there are exceptional circumstances - can't think what they may be? Interestingly one of my tenants after an accident at work has been on DSS for some 3 years now. They are still the perfect tenant. I find that persons and their offspring on long term DSS payments and have never worked successfully are the 'entitled'. They cause more problems with non payment, maintenance and ASB than regular working people. That is a fact I have observed over 25+ year of letting.

If you own a leasehold property the Freeholder (in this case Lewisham Council) will have terms covering any works to the building. Is this a flat in a block? What does it say in your lease about works and re-wiring? The key to all works on your leasehold property lie there. You need to read and understand your lease as it is there to keep order and a safe building. Is it fair you are penalised ? Possibly but try appealing it via the council for a reduction in the fee.

I'll guess there are plenty wanting to move out of towns but they have to sell first then get loans arranged. I'm finding these 2 items are sticking points.

The worse thing about Section 8 possession is that the tenant can claim 'disrepair' even if he has done damage himself and then the judge adjourns for reports and that takes months. Also tenant can suddenly pay up rent owed and you have no case. Get in touch with the council if you think persons are on benefit and remind them in writing that YOU are not responsible for council tax there. -- I bet he is not paying that either and council may try to saddle you with the bill when you get rid of them. If you think he is drug dealing ask a friendly neighbour to watch who visits the property and when. Dealing is pretty obvious once you get the hang of watching. Then report to police and keep reporting if they are slow to re-act. Also look at the tenant on social media - often gives a clue on what they are up to or just google their name. I've learn how to track lots of scammers this way. Don't bury your head fight back in small ways - you will feel better for it.

3 or more unrelated persons residing together forms an HMO (house of multiple occupation) and this may need a licence (depends on the local authority.) Why do you need 4 bedrooms for 2 couples would be my first question to you - I smell a rat called subletting.

Look at it this way - you have a possession order - that is a big success so as soon as the courts look like they may be back at work get onto the court bailiff, pay the £105 fee and let them get him out. Be on standby on the day with a locksmith just to make sure they don't get back in or let mates in. What you write shows that he is expecting to get re-homed by the council. - Yet another load of useless people let into this country to take our hard earned money by devious means. Golden rule in letting with a decent property - only let to working persons - ideally dual income and no kids. Twice the chance of getting rent, less damage as the tenants are out at work and don't fall for these sob stories. Check prospective tenants out thoroughly - even if using an agent - ask to see the references. Learn the job is best bet. Agree with Mel on Landlord Action.

Sorry to hear about your eye trouble Mel. The cataracts are easy to deal with - hubby has had both done whilst on leave - one done in alternate weeks on the NHS - amazing and all arranged from Sgpore. Not sure about the macular degeneration. - research still going on. Us self employeds are left to fend for ourselves and live off savings if we have to until some sort of viability is achieved for the economy but I'm sure in time things will turn around but our world may never be the same again whilst one country wants world domination on so many fronts. Could well be that losing some of their own people was worth it to stuff New York and leave us all reeling. I'm just looking at a planning application under Permitted Development for a 5G mast near to one of my lets by Vodaphone/O2. I've no real objection but is this another way in by a foreign power? Everywhere I've been in the world in the past couple of years has the same complaints about the Chinese stripping out natural resources and forcing trade deals - Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Laos. The have a good foothold in parts of Africa, Australia and NZ.

Whereas I feel the same gut re-action of Richlist and Melboy the court will look more sympathetically on the Landlord if he has offered the tenant some form of small compensation be it reduced rent or whatever. Seems you have done the best you can in writing to the freeholder. So would he be bringing a private prosecution as small claims do not deal with this type of thing? Seems like a sledgehammer to crack a nut IMO and may not be looked upon favourably by the courts by way of time wasting. I would firstly check that this joker is a solicitor and not just a para legal. I've lost count the amount of times tenants have said their father, mother is a solicitor as a threat and turns out they are in some other job not related to legal services.

There is plenty of driving work about in the larger towns but they've got to put themselves out there to apply. Maybe offer some guidance when the situation arrives? I've just told my first rent attempted refusenik to get on to Tesco/Sainsbury/Asda etc for work - a big step down from her normal day job and she should be getting furlough payments. I refused a 'rent holiday' saying it would only have to be paid later. I have asked to see evidence from employer if furlough will NOT be paid.