Hi I’m a relatively new landlord my tennants have paid the rent perfect for 3 year’s. Unfortunately they have split up and one has now moved out and its been brought to my attention that the gas and electricity have either not been paid for some time or not paid enough. Over £3.000 is unpaid and they have received a letter from a company instructing them a pay as you go meter is going to be installed . I haven’t been able to get the remaining tenant to sign a new contract yet and I’m now thinking how long before they don’t pay the rent .any advice on the way forward for my situation. What if any are my options.
Simon
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I had this happen to me. Remaining tenant paid no gas bills and pre payment meter installed. Council tax not paid either. Plus being chased for other non payment of loans.
Tenant was completely non responsive once his partner walked out. Really stressed me out. Thankfully paid rent until he met someone else and he moved out on his own accord.
I wouldn’t get them signing a new contract, I would be thinking about giving them their marching orders.
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Why are you trying to retain a tenancy non compliant tenant, advise the utility companies and Council of the situation and go for vacant possession.
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Are they still in a fixed term tenancy or periodic?
Hi it was a shorthold tenancy for the first 6 months then rolling monthly
Simon
May i offer you a suggestion. Whilst his personal info may give some context… think as a landlord and boil it down to the essentials. he is not paying bills, statistically you will not be paid in full. Get rid of this non paying tenant as soon as you can. Keep on good terms as in reality gaining possession can be a long time and a lot of income lost.
Work on two levels, be empathetic and pleasant in your dealings yes but never let that get in the way of the business agreement you have.
Once you have been bitten a few times like many LL’s on here have you remain objective and firm
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I agree with trying to keep on good terms. I believe tenants to be bloody minded once they lose respect for the landlord. Even though I hated the sound of my tenants name, I remained professional and “friendly”.
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Ask the one whos moved out to serve you a Notice to Quit and check it. If its valid the tenancy will end for both tenants on expiry and the remaining tenant can be excluded from the property if they dont leave.
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Get rid of this tenant as soon as possible, they will not be paying you rent much longer if they are not paying their utility bills. Good advice from Priory-Lodge take notice.
Best of Luck
Do the couple have any children? I can understand that many LL think that you should get rid of the remaining tenant however I do think it would be fair to speak to the remaining tenant before acting hastily. Ask him/her how they expect to pay the rent. The utilities are not you direct responsibility. They may have been in the moved out tenants name and the remaining tenant may not wish to pay what they consider the other tenants debt. So a smart meter is in this case a good way to crystallise the debt. Talk to them!
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You won’t be help responsible for the unpaid utilities - you are not the registered person for bills.
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