UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi
I am a first time landlord having bought the flat above mine earlier this year (the property is a victorian house converted in to two flats, I have lived in the bottom for 10 years).

My tenant moved in 3 months ago and up to now things have been fairly ok. She is very quiet despite having a young baby, pretty much pays her rent on time, is a professional woman so out during the day and so on. However during the course of the last 3 months she has told me various stories regarding her ex-boyfriend who (in her words) is an alcoholic crack addict who has fleeced money off her and run of leaving her to hold the baby (literally). She also told me that he sold all the white goods and any furniture that belonged to their old landlord to pay for his drug habit. 

Last month the dodgy ex turned up out of the blue and caused a few issues (turning up at all hours of the day and night, waking up both me and my son, standing the street calling me a bitch - no idea at all where that came from, at the time I didn't even know his name!) On the last occasion the tenant actually called the police out as he causing a disturbance. That all happened a couple of weeks ago, but this weekend it appears that he has moved in! She has gone off to work today and left him alone in the flat and, quite frankly, I am nervous. Not only because of his history of theft but also he is extremely volatile and I just don't trust him.

I strongly suspect that there is nothing that I can do until something actually goes wrong. However is there anything at all that I can do to get him out of the flat. I fully appreciate that she has the right to have whoever she likes to stay over but do I have any rights at all as a landlord?

Thanks for any help.
MaryMoo

Hey Mary,

Sorry to hear about your sitaution. I'm not sure I would feel comfortable having someone like that staying in one of my properties.

Unfortunately, I don't believe there is anything you can do about it, as she can just say he is a "guest". Even if hes a guest 7 nights a week, his legal position in the situation is that he's a "guest"

Have you tried talking to her, and asking her what the situation is? Also, kindly show her your concern, she may understand and clear things up.

How long is the AST for? 6 months, 12 months?

hi - thanks for the reply.

Re: his 'staying as a guest' status I did wonder if this would be the case. Despite the fact that she has given him a key so that he can come and go as he pleases, she will always be able to claim that he is 'just staying for a short while'. I was hoping to talk to her face to face about the situation, but she seems to be avoiding me. Coupled with the issues I stated in my first post, there is the additional fact that he keeps waking me up in the middle of the night. He doesn't work, has a reverse sleep pattern and is therefore often up in the night and asleep during the day. Because of the way that the acoustics work in the between the flats, footsteps wake me at night where as the baby crying doesn't.

Gripe gripe, moan moan.

Mary

Hi Mary,

This sounds like a pretty horrible situation, I'm not sure about this but if he really is a guest legally shouldn't he also have some proof of another dwelling? Either way if it were me I'd have a quiet friendly chat with the tenant and find out what her situation is and maybe consider not renewing lease if he is there to stay...

Have you got an inventory and insurance for all the furnishings etc in the flat?

Tim