Eviction Excluded-Lodger - Threatened with extended Covid Time and legal action

Hi there, I will get straight to it:
-Bring in lodger over a year ago
-Not made a tenant in writing as letting agencies closed due to covid and they said they’d be gone in 3 months
-Been here over a year and told them last summer that I want them to find somewhere else to live (politely) and that I no longer wish to rent and I have a parent moving in (the truth).
-I am told they can’t because of work training, busy, it doesn’t suit their schedule etc.
-They said they “dont mind” living with my parent.
-This wont work as their pet will not get on with my parent’s pet, and they are messy which I take a blind eye to as I am afraid of conflict and they threatend once to “make a big deal” out of a cleaning dispute I brought up.
-They ask me to reduce their rent by a very sizable amount and I do so, to “help them save”
-Read up on advice and speak to citizens advice who say they have no legal grounds to stand on
-Right formal eviction notice
-They “reject” it and advise me not to write them one or they will take legal action
-said they could “stay 6 months if they wanted to be a bleep about it”.
-Said it will damage their credit score if they are formally evicted and they “won’t accept that.”

Legalities:

  • I am a livein landlord
    -They have no contract/never had a contract
    -they pay monthly
    -They are what is known as an excluded lodger (so my research says)
    -I do not need a court order to evict them after the notice period and can change the locks

What I am unclear on:
-They said I need four months notice due to covid (I can’t find evidence)
-They say they can legally stay longer and drag out a legal dispute
-They say I should just keep quiet and maybe they will move out in the period I want to give them, but they hold “no promises”.

What are my legal standings here on this matter, and has anyone had similar?

I really want this person out, from when they first moved in I was told I was “privileged” they lived there, and they could of chosen anywhere else, and had pop psychology used on me several times as they studied it once and feel they are obliged to dish out unwarranted advice. I have had my living room and furniture moved several times, pet excrement not picked up and they use more cupboards than myself and started using my fridge/freezer despite having their own of the same size.
Everytime I have tried to bring things up, they get extremely defensive, argumentative and manipulative and I cannot deal with it. I am really being made a mockery of here, and I need them out to resume a normal life, I do not feel comfortable in my own home with such an over-bearing and in-your-face person. During covid alone they brought home friends, different partners and family members, which were apparently in my bubble because they were in their bubble too? Yet threatened me with not paying rent if I brought over within the legal amount of people, during the reduced restrictions, if they caught covid.

get advice from an eviction agency immediately

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You sound completely out of your depth and the lodgers clearly know this. Give them written notice today equal to how often the pay rent, eg weekly or monthly. When that expires change the locks while they are out. Hand them their stuff through a window. There is no covid rule for lodgers.

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and get some of your biggest mates around at the same time

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Oh I am, I did have a tenant on the books last year at the same time for 6 months (mature student), as the lodger originally said they’d be gone in 3 months. This “mature” student ended up doing smack in my house and bringing back a homeless man at the height of covid lockdown, and I couldn’t evict them, despite breaching contract, due to covid rules.

This lodger however, has never been on a contract, and all laws seem to point in the direction of eviction, however, as you said they seem to know to take advantage of me and “bully” , yet tell me I’m being aggressive. I try and talk in the most plain, neutral and even slightly pandering way possible, and they get their back up like a cat in a corner. “I don’t mind living with your parent”, when I told people this they laughed, like it isn’t their house or their word to decide whether they mind it/allow it or not, much like the “You’re privileged I live here, I am not privileged, I could of chosen anywhere else” - yet doesn’t want to move out…

Sounds like you are being bullied, manipulated and taken advantage of.
Time to get tough, easy for me to say as I was too soft.
But situation will only get worse if you don’t and before much longer the lunatics will have taken over the asylum.
Do as someone said and change the locks. Do you have any family or friends that could be around a bit more for these lodgers to see you are not alone?

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bullies can be taken by surprise when you retaliate Aged about 14 I was bullied by a lad in my street , one day I gave him an almighty smack back. He never bothered me again.

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I have a friend who I could possibly have stay, but an older family member would be better really.

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You defo need back up and if he calls the police, have all your documents of ownership to hand

I went through, and they were displaced and walked off, I haven’t heard from them since but it is what it is. Thank you for the aid, I will probably post an update later.

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I suggest you do some training.

I suggest you do not let out again!!! (except to someone you can lift up and safely deposit outside)

Haha what kind? In response to Colin, I will do, but I will have them thoroughly checked and it will be short term tenants only. So far, my predictions of peoples behaviour based of age and profession has been off.

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Are the lodgers still there ?

Nope, she’s moving out, but alas all my mugs have gone missing. Ask for them back?