Tenants From HELL!!

[Mr Burns]

I might get hammered for this comment, but I live life under the number one rule of treat people how you want to be treated yourself. But with a sub rule, if someone treats you like a ****, then be a bigger **** back.

If what you say is true, and you have treated them well and they are taking the piss, in my opinon and experience, I would go around there calmy and reasonability explain the situation, if they are still rude and unreasonable, you sugguest it will be in eveyones interest for them to leave straight away, and have a couple of heavies with you, and use whatever means neccesary to convince them to leave.

It's not pleasant, but when you deal with scum like this, sometimes its the only way. The fact they are teachers and acting like this, would suggest they are bullies and their bark is worse than their bite, so play them at their own game (not for one second saying all teachers are bullies, but the teachers I know would not act like this). You just need to plan it correctly, so if anything does get reported, its your word against theirs, and if what you say is true, they will be shown up to be unreasonable, but from what you have said, they sound like yappy little dogs, in that if you growl back, they will run and hide.

That said, if you can legally have them out in March, for all the hassle, I would just sit tight and wait, and tell them to f*** off in those words, when they ask for their deposit back.

If people got treated the same way they treat other people, then this world would be a far better place.

Good luck whatever you do

 

[Colossal Squid]

He has just texted as i didnt answer the call... saying he doesnt want to argue and just being all nice... So hopefully we can solve this like adults amicably cheers all for the advice

If I were you I'd send a text back explaining that you were really taken aback at his abusing you with foul language when you'd come round to do them a favour. Let him know that sort of behaviour just isn't acceptable, especially not in a professional relationship between landlord and tenant.

No doubt he is feeling guilty about it himself, hence trying to make peace now. And everyone has bad days, perhaps you caught him amid some epic argument with his Mrs. However the fact is you should definitely let him know he has acted very thoughtlessly and entirely unnecessarily.

And don't be afraid of doing it via text, everyone does it these days. Banks text you, schools text you, landlords can text you. It's just easier, and perfectly understandable.

He may well back down a bit once he knows he's pushed you too far and perhaps you can have clear the air talks explaining your predicament to him and how the flat is costing you money every single month so their demanding for more work to be carried out puts an enormous strain on your finances.

Keep a cool head and just be honest and civil with them. Be the bigger man.

 

[SK1NT]

Yea defo have treated them well....

As it goes he has just called and i have answered...

He has said that he will take the precaustions with the damp and even sort it himself. He has apologised for swearing at me....

I think he just wants the extra few months in the flat whilst there move goes through...

I am wondering if the estate agents have called him and asked him to sweeten me up so they can stay a little longer...

Either way it makes it financially easier for them to stay those 2/3 months more.

I agree about the teachers being bullies and are prob use to bullying the kids. However im quite a built guy and this teacher is the typical geeky scrawny type which made the whole thing more shocking...

I shall let them have their 2/3 months and see what the state of the flat is when i move back in and evaluate the deposit then...

Great rule though: treat people how you want to be treated... if they are c**ts be bigger c**nt back thats how i generally am...

 

[SK1NT]

If I were you I'd send a text back explaining that you were really taken aback at his abusing you with foul language when you'd come round to do them a favour. Let him know that sort of behaviour just isn't acceptable, especially not in a professional relationship between landlord and tenant.

No doubt he is feeling guilty about it himself, hence trying to make peace now. And everyone has bad days, perhaps you caught him amid some epic argument with his Mrs. However the fact is you should definitely let him know he has acted very thoughtlessly and entirely unnecessarily.

And don't be afraid of doing it via text, everyone does it these days. Banks text you, schools text you, landlords can text you. It's just easier, and perfectly understandable.

He may well back down a bit once he knows he's pushed you too far and perhaps you can have clear the air talks explaining your predicament to him and how the flat is costing you money every single month so their demanding for more work to be carried out puts an enormous strain on your finances.

Keep a cool head and just be honest and civil with them. Be the bigger man.

done txted and he called and he apologised... still was uncalled for abuse but must have been a bad day... not my problem but lifes too short...

Feel a lot happier now... hate bad karma...

 

[Colossal Squid]

See. Turned out nice again.

Keeping a civil tongue in your head will, more often than not, get you a lot further than giving out the abuse.

Good work

 

[Triggaaar]

They shouldn't have spoken to you like that but to be honest they seem to ask for reasonable things.

Demanding double glazing is not reasonable.

sort the damp out for them

That depends if the damp is due t the building, or them drying their washing on clothes horses, using a steriliser etc.

What right do you have to keep their deposit?

If there's no damage, none, if there is damage, every.

I own a share in a lettings company and without any bias I'd never manage it myself

I rent out properties for a living and I'd never pay a lettings company to manage for me. It depends if you have the time to do it yourself, but their cut is my profit, and I care a lot more about the quality of tenant than they do, and I can get things fixed cheaper than they would. And if push came to shove, I think I'd get bad tenants out quicker too.

I agree with Mr Burns, if they're off soon and you get paid, all is well. However, make sure they can't stay on longer if their house purchase falls through.

It's a shame he's apologised for swearing over the phone instead of via text, that's the sort of thing I'd have liked written down.

 

[Nibble]

Apart from his language which is out of order I don't see what they have done wrong? I think keeping their deposit is bang out of order. Why should they pay for your flat to be put into mint condition? All they have done is live in it as you promised them they could. You rented the place out, you have to expect it to look like someone lived in it. That all depends how they leave it I suppose but if they don't clean up after themselves then fair play to you. Other than that, you had someone in there paying your mortgage for you at no doubt an overpriced rent.

 

[beorhthelm]

other than the point about abuse, which seems uncalled for, im struggling to see how they are the tenants from hell. a bit awkward and demanding. you should see what some tenants do, or try to, theres good reason why so many landlords pay quite a lot for managing everything.

 

[sydney]

it's the mould mostly chaps..!

 

[Nibble]

I've had a few landlords/letting agents try and screw us out of deposits in the past. I am annoyingly clean and tidy and no way did we owe them a penny, no damage in any of them in fact in one garden flat me and the mrs spent a fair whack and effort sorting the garden out. It is one thing that really gets me angry. I fought tooth and nail to get the deposits back off them. The worst being YoungLee agency and we got it back in the end. Most landlords/agency's will try their luck knowing half the people won't argue. Disgraceful really. Landlords and agency's have to wake up to the fact that as well as making money out of their property they are at times, going to have to SPEND it as well.

 

[Common as Mook]

I've had a few landlords/letting agents try and screw us out of deposits in the past. I am annoyingly clean and tidy and no way did we owe them a penny, no damage in any of them in fact in one garden flat me and the mrs spent a fair whack and effort sorting the garden out. It is one thing that really gets me angry. I fought tooth and nail to get the deposits back off them. The worst being YoungLee agency and we got it back in the end. Most landlords/agency's will try their luck knowing half the people won't argue. Disgraceful really. Landlords and agency's have to wake up to the fact that as well as making money out of their property they are at times, going to have to SPEND it as well.

By the same token, the disgraceful way some tenants live like ANIMALS in other people's property means that landlords/agents who have had their fingers burnt previouly are less likely to be taken for a ride.

It works both ways.

 

[Nibble]

By the same token, the disgraceful way some tenants live like ANIMALS in other people's property means that landlords/agents who have had their fingers burnt previouly are less likely to be taken for a ride.

It works both ways.

Well no, it works this way: The agency/landlord comes and inspects the property after the tenancy. If it's a shithole they keep the money, if it's been left in reasonable shape you get your money back. That's the point of a deposit and a month's rent in advance and fees, and guarantors and credit checks and references before you can even step into a place. No-one should be trying to con anyone full stop.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Even if you are moving back into the flat after the current tenants leave , still have it professionally cleaned and take into account the damage done to the washing machine and double bed plus wear and tear before giving them back what remains of the deposit.

 

[Triggaaar]

I've had a few landlords/letting agents try and screw us out of deposits in the past. I am annoyingly clean and tidy and no way did we owe them a penny.

Yep, their are plenty of examples of bad tenants and agents stealing deposits, but that doesn't mean that when tenants do cause damage a landlord doesn't have the right to get it fixed. When I've rented, and I know I've looked after the place, I've just not paid the last months rent and I've let them keep the deposit.

 

[perseus]

f***ing millwall fans.....they're fuckin everywhere.

Fair comment. Do not expect him to be rational. Tenants are like this, unless you vet them.

 

[Triggaaar]

still have it professionally cleaned and take into account the damage done to the washing machine and double bed plus wear and tear before giving them back what remains of the deposit.

You can't deduct for wear and tear, and you can only allow for the washing machine if they damaged it (not just faulty), and you can't professionally clean it unless the contract states they have to pay for that regardless. If they leave it as clean as when they arrived, that's fair enough.

 

[Don Quixote]

Van Hoogstraten knows what he's doing. I met him a few times as my Uncles were friends with him. Good chap and a sound business man. Just take a leaf from his book.

 

[glasfryn]

Does anyone know if i have a case here...

I rent a flat, which straight away will give you images of a wealthy person but this couldn't be further from the truth. Me and my partner bought are a young couple that got on the property ladder at the wrong time we bought this flat in summer 2007 at the peak of house prices and then couldn't afford to live there ourselves as my gf has gone back to uni.

We have previously rented this out successfully twice. However these current tenants really do not have any respect for the place.

They are both teachers and are a professional couple with a new born baby, so you would think ideal tenants... NOPE

1) They have put a new double bed frame and mattress in the garage which i asked them not to which is probably rotting.
2) They broke a brand new top of the range washing machine.
3) They moaned the flat wasn't clean enough when they moved in but was professionally cleaned.
4) They moaned that the previous tenant left a tv in the flat...
5) The boiler stopped working so i signed them up to 24/7 boiler cover
6) They have demanded i fit the flat with double glazing and with 2 weeks forked out 3.5 k and had it fitted. I have had electricians round in an instant I have been a slave to their needs.

A few weeks ago I had a arranged i would be at their flat at 7pm on a Friday night to put the blinds up that were taken down with the fitting of the double glazing. I turned up 20mins late due to the fri night traffic and they wouldn't let me in. The guy even said "Look mate your late now f*** off" he continued to shout abuse and i left totally gobsmacked i had been spoken to like that ( i was only doing them a favour and the blinds only needed putting up because i had double glazed the place for them)

It's got to the point that when i see a txt or missed call off them i feel sick in my stomach and depressed for the next few days.

So this morning i received a new message with photos of damp in the bathroom and bedroom. They are pretty bad and is was not there before as they would have surely complained about this. They are saying the damp was already there but to let the damp get to the stage it is currently at seems to me total negligence. Every time i have been to the flat it hot, humid and they have this dame baby bottle cleaning pumping out loads of steam. Am i left to foot the bill or can i take it out of their deposit?

I even feel bad keeping their deposit as i have never kept a penny off any deposit in the past but i see no other way. For a teacher this guy is aggressive and make me feel like i’m always in the wrong and they are hard done by but the flat has never been an issue for any previous tenants, it is in great condition and i have resolved any issue that have complained about...

Help please....

A hit man may do the job...

remembering I have only read your post, you souond a little like our landlady who is very accomodating in every way(we have only been here 3 months) so you should not beat yourselves up about this.
Teacher Eh we moved away from Wales and came here to Eastbourne because of the abuse we got from a Welsh teacher they are when bad the worst neighbours you could have, but they are not all bad
I have noticed as I can see it as I write you have said your flat is unmanaged,try it these letting agents are polite but can be if wanted bastards in suites and you have to do nothing other than answer some queries they might have.
my opinion for what its worth is ask around and find one that is young and thrusting but works for an established company, I wish you luck because this is something you have had to do rather than want to do.

 

[SK1NT]

Apart from his language which is out of order I don't see what they have done wrong? I think keeping their deposit is bang out of order. Why should they pay for your flat to be put into mint condition? All they have done is live in it as you promised them they could. You rented the place out, you have to expect it to look like someone lived in it. That all depends how they leave it I suppose but if they don't clean up after themselves then fair play to you. Other than that, you had someone in there paying your mortgage for you at no doubt an overpriced rent.

If you read the thread mate you'd realise the rent doesnt even cover the mortgage and it's interest only (a different issue) we were a young couple who simply tried to get on the property ladder at the wrong time and got shafted..simple...

However why shouldnt i keep the rent or even part of the rent reluctantly if the wallpaper is pealing off the walls due to damp?? This issue never arose with the previous two tenants so how can it not be due to them?

Take your rose tinted specs off and realise some tenants do not give a shit about the property they are renting

 

[OzMike]

I used to rent out a flat in Brighton.
I collected cash at the end of every month and personally collected it myself.
Which meant at the same time I could inspect the place.
If I saw something I didn't like I used to give them till the end of the next month to sort it out.
If I collected the rent and problem wasn't rectified I gave them a weeks notice with immediate effect.
The following week I would go round to see if they were ready to leave, I would take new barrels for the front door locks.
Most of them left with no trouble.
But I had to 'Black Bag' a couple of them and leave their belongings on the pavement.
They would run away to call the police and complain that they were being evicted and once they were out I changed the lock barrels.
On calling the police they were informed that by leaving the building to call the police they left of their own accord and if they had a problem it was now a civil matter.
The moral of the story is that as far as you are concerened all tenants are wankers.
Believe me I learn't that lesson the hard way.
Also by the way your damp problem is probably made worse by your new windows.
The old ones probably were a bit draughty so let air in and out.
Your new ones won't unless they are fitted with trickle vents and hence all the moisture is now trapped in the building.
If a window was left open a bit it would solve your problem.