Contacting a Tenant who wont share phone number

Hello All

Does anyone have any experience with a tenant who does not want to share their phone number?

Our tenant has been in for 5 years + and in the early days used to contact us by text/whatsapp and vice versa, we were always happy with that arrangement.

A year ago he messaged to say he was changing his number…. since then he has been uncontactable by phone/message/whatsapp on the old or new number.

We have emailed but that is hit and miss as requires both parties to regularly check and respond.

Now i using OpenRent to arrange certain services, which requires the tenants contact number so they can liaise directly.

I have written and emailed the tenant requesting his current contact number - he simply ignores. No reply to say he’d rather not and provide alternate preferred contact method.

Advice welcome. Many Thanks
Sara

I had a tenant like this, caused no end of unnecessary stress and complications. Simple things like arranging gas safe became a big issue. Thankfully they left just before I was planning to evict.

They sound unreasonable, basic communication with a tenant is essential.

Personally I would consider eviction before May ‘26.

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they are hiding from someone

@Sara_Colin

Maybe they were hacked or scammed and have become ultra cautious about giving out details - especially in response to emails asking for personal info. But am a bit confused as you say they have given you new number - maybe it’s fine and they just don’t use it as their main phone?

Why not arrange your next inspection visit and ask for tenant to be there saying you want to discuss your plans for next rent increase but would rather do that face to face. (Or whatever other reason to make sure they are there)

Then ask what the issue is in person, and explain why you need to confirm new number is correct (so OR suppliers can contact when they are visiting) and if tenant can’t be contacted you have to assume he provides consent for their entry and you will arrange keys for them to get in- but easier if he can be contacted by phone to make sure convenient etc)

You can also say you’ve been reviewing your LL responsibilities as part of the new legislation and will issue tenant with an updated notice saying what info you hold about tenant and how it will be used, to reassure them that you don’t share

(Once you register with ICO there’s a form /draft template for landlords on their site)

And after meeting, follow up with email to tenant confirming what you discussed and agreed

I wouldn’t evict just because someone chooses to use email not a phone - after all that’s what OR do too and we accept that. I would simply want them to always respond within an agreed timeframe (say 1-2 working days) and be willing to speak (teams or zoom meeting if they don’t want to give out tel number) if a more detailed discussion needed.

Good luck

Thanks, yes he gave us his new number a year ago when he changed it from the previous one. However it is disconnected.

We do communicate by email, but he is selective about what he replies to and within what timeframe.

This is really hard when trades want to contact the tenant directly (or when i need to arrange for legal stuff like gas safety certs etc and want to agree a mutual date/time which means going back and forth between him and trades…. i have just purchased an EPC Certification through OpenRent, and they wont proceed without a phone number for the tenant so they can liaise with him directly. Tenant is aware of this but ignores. He also doesnt want us to meet trades there and let them in, he wants to do it (which is better for us in any case).

I agree that we could meet with him, but this has to be arranged by letter and previously he’s taken a month to reply. We will drop a letter in by hand and see if he is available to talk.

Unfortunately i believe he is being difficult on purpose because he previously asked for the roof to be sprayed to stop moss growth and we decided not too (another issue but its a shared roof and gutter and neighbour didn’t want to do his, so would have been expensive and ineffective).

@Sara_Colin

So he wants to be there when trades do work but wont give you a number to give so they can arrange a time? Find out if he can call the trades after job booked [ie just dont use OR’s suppliers who arent necessarily the best anyway] and offer that, saying that if he doesnt get the job booked in within, say, a fortnight, you will have to book in for a time when you can attend and let them in yourself.

If needed get dates trades are booked in agreed with yourself, give the tenant 24h notice and let the trades in yourself with your key. It’s your property and under tenancy agreement he has to allow access if you give 24h notice [longer may be better]. If he complains that it has to be a time convenient for him then he has to be contactable so they can actually arrange that or he has to call them once you’ve booked a job. Although he has a right to quiet enjoyment, Shelter say he has to

“ let [LL] or their contractors in to do the repairs or safety checks. You can agree a time for this.”

[google “shelter When your landlord can come in”]

Definitely get the inspection visit booked in. Tell him the date you plan coming unless you hear otherwise you will take it as agreed. Send a copy of email round recorded delivery or put through letterbox and take photos of delivery as proof, just like you would for a tenant you were serving a notice on to evict

  1. Tell tenant he is in breach of tenancy agreement because he is not meeting his responsibilities to permit access, and if he refuses to communicate and work with you on this, you will have no choice but to evict him and find somebody else who will - because you have legal obligations on things like annual gas safety certificates so have to be able to arrange access for trades

3, In OR AST it’s clause 9.43 [copy below]

good luck




9.43. To permit the Landlord, and any superior landlord, or the Landlord’s employees/agents at all reasonable times after giving the Tenant at least 24 hours’ notice (except in an emergency):

-to enter the Premises to inspect the same and the Landlord’s furniture and effects therein (if any); to carry out any works of maintenance or repair to the Premises or elsewhere which the Landlord may consider necessary;

-to take gas, electricity or water readings;

-to carry out the Landlord’s obligations under this agreement;

-to inspect the Premises for the purpose of preparing an EPC and recommendation report for the Premises or the building of which it forms part and the Tenant shall cooperate with the Landlord so far as is reasonably necessary to enable an EPC and Recommendation Report to be obtained;

-for any purpose mentioned in this Agreement or connected with the Landlord’s interest in the Premises;

-to enter and view the Premises with any prospective future Tenants or purchasers during the last 60 days of the tenancy.

The Tenant shall be liable for all reasonable losses resulting as a consequence of the Tenant’s failure to allow access to the Premises.

S21… no question… esp with what’s just about to hit you with the RRA

Something has gone wrong in the flat

Mine didn’t let me in either. Mains water was leaking underground . We have to literally gut to bare brick .

Six years rent won’t cover it !

I served a s21 . I have no regrets. He’s up to his eyeballs in debt and owes me three months rent too.

We have bailiffs attending the house . I’ve redirected them to his new address.

Karma….

S21 before it’s too late

You can credit check while your tenant is in situ and see if he’s in serious debt. If he is it will be your debt that stops being paid next

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But its your property that you need possession of. It doesn’t matter if its empty when they arrive. You attend yourself with a locksmith in case he’s changed the locks and the bailiffs then formally return possession to you and that’s the action that legally ends the tenancy.

I have possession

The tenant had so many CCJ’s that bailffs are coming in response to those so I’ve redirected them to his new address

Yeah, you’ve misread that David. He wasn’t talking about possession, he was talking about all the debt collectors, etc that were chasing the guy.