Tenant Has Caused Damage To Property – What Are My Rights?

Bugger me! Are you sure it was not the check in inventory? Only joking.. and to think that i was unhappy that the flush mechanism from one of my loo's dissapeared recently in a 'mysterious manner'1 I mean how the hell does a screw in, push button flush mechanism get lost? As it was a poncy ROCA suite it cost me best part of £40 for a new button because of course they dont do the button on its own and you then need the new dual flush mechanism to connect it to!

Had a tenant put his elbow through the plasterboard as well. He WAS being evicted by two burly gentlemen at the time and he WAS halfway down the stairs still wrapped up in his duvet when he woke up so maybe he was 'a bit confused'. I hasten to add I knew nothing about this until days after as it was being managed by a letting company who decided to act. Dead funny though! Apparently they dumped him on the pavement outside and then went back in to bring out his belongings. Funnily enough though all the other tenants in the house have paid up in a timely fashion since.

I did catch someone smoking in the kitchen recently despite there being no somking signs everywhere and I had a right hissy fit. I provide the broadband free of charge so I flounced about scooped up all the gear and stropped off moden dragging behind and dropping bits of stuff everywhere. Thinking back it was proabably a bit like John Inman as opposed to Mike Tyson but it made me feel good at the time. Gave it back to them two days later after two of them went to the the letting agents to apologise and they stood there heads bowed and bottom jaws quivering as they had the riot act read at them by me and the agent both trying very hard not to laugh!!

I love this landlord stuff!!

Jools

I was all set to laugh at this...but that's just shit! Trashing a landlord's property because they are a fucker is fair enough...doing it because that's how you live is pretty sad...possibly junkies...

I was thinking maybe he deserved a bit of a mess but that is just.. woah.

That place looked so badly decorated with a crappy cooker .... the trashing almost improved it imo.

The worse damage Iv had to my property was a tenant living filthy and taking bricks out of walls and the walls getting wet with weather and eventually he caused structural damage , he stalked me at my house so I wasn't allowed to go and view my property as police said to stay away , it took two years getting him out , he did all this damage , would phone health and tell them things that weren't true , all to get social housing and rent of 4000 eventually the law changed and I got him out , every wall and every ceiling was damaged

Strange though it may seem, our property was fully managed by a letting agency and the tenant and her a**hole of a son still managed to completely trash the place is broken doors, paint thrown everywhere, blood and "stuff"(say no more !) on the lounge carpet, cooker hood ripped off the wall, toilet blocked, just to name a few of the problems.
By the way, having called out a drain clearing company (at my expense) we discovered that the blocked sewer was due to a woman's vest being flushed down the toilet !
She gave the agency her notice, and then basically did a runner, leaving all of her belongings behind.
On approaching said agency re the damage and compensation to cover the costs etc I was politely informed that they'd contacted the guarantor (her mother who lives in France), who in no uncertain terms said " it's f*** all to do with me, I'm not paying a penny!
Therefore I suggested taking the woman or mother to court to see what they had to say and was told No we don't do that because it'll cost money !
Another point I made was why weren't the quarterly checks carried out, and the response was "well we were busy and forgot" !
Luckily, the agency agreed to pay for carpets, but we, as owners were left to pay for repairs and redecorating.
Not happy at all, and to top it off we're still getting her post, mainly bills I assume and dept collector letters!

Hello
After renting for 6 years perfectly good properties, with working light bulbs, good white equipment and new/ clean carpets and all sanitary ware working I can't believe the incredibly low standards that the ' tenants' have in a few weeks, rarely cleaning anything, or thinking about how the property looks. It's not theirs, they didn't pay for it and somehow they think their rent allows them to be disrespectful of the Owner who has worked hard to provide that home and with the Government now taxing us more I wouldn't be surprised if the private landlord disappears all together and the only one to blame will be the Tenants.

I have been renting out for a number of years, just the one property. I have always had bad tenants even paying an agency to find them and on occasions paying them to look after the property.
The last tenants were the worst I have ever had, what one may call 'professional tenants'.
Even though I went through an agency, obviously, not a thorough check was carried out again.

It has been an extremely stressful time and once again have to clean two years worth of dirt and grime. Clearance of many black bags of stinking rubbish, odd sofa etc No matter how many times you tell them 'NO SMOKING' it falls on deaf years, walls yellow with nicotine.

Is it worth all the tears? NO! Tenants have too much protection these days and there are not enough rules and regulations to help Landlords to get the parasites out.

I agree Diana, I wouldn't be surprised either if the private landlord disappears all together.
I will be one of them.

Just in the process of trying to get possession again through the courts. Had an agency to manage it as I live away and work. They didn't do checks at all despite the management contract, the tenant stopped paying so I was chasing them plus the management company who STILL took 10% of any meagre amount that did come in as rent. Tried getting gas cert. done and jobs but the tenant refused entry or refused to answer the door when I'd arranged to go up and do the jobs. Knocking at the door and 2 of his mates came up and threatened me...rang Police who said they'd look out for the two, didn't really want to know (no wonder the country is as it is, seems to be socially acceptable to act like that these days, threatening people) Now he's saying lots of jobs need doing etc as a defence from being evicted. I've just heard that he seems to be trashing the place...who'd be a landlord? And for all those people who say landlords are scum - I say, try being one first, I've been a tenant and a landlord and I know which one is most stressful, believe me!

My partner is currently going through hell with his tennant.

Everything was fine when last year when the took over the property last April. New year's Eve that changed. A phone call that the front door had been kicked in by some yob that the Tennant's sister had been involved with whilst having a party at the house whilst they were out started the alarm bells ringing

By February the text message came that the couple were splitting. She was leaving and leaving him ..he's now Unemployed ..in the house. Not paying the rent for him to stay and demanding her bond back.

A probation officer then calls ???? Unaware of any criminal convictions. She begs for the Tennant's character...he's a good person..vunerable..has no friends or family..father died ..he's only 26 and will be homeless. Same from the local councils housing officer .trying desperately to refuse as not wanting any involvement of him at the house due to the last Tennant

.. same situation ..took a year to legally evict him, smashed the house to smitherines and paid no rent and walked away laughing.

Of which this tennant is aware. So he was forcibly persuaded to keep him on. They would help sort it all. Apply for benefits etc

Three months down the line. No bond, no rent, threats to damage and cause thousands of pounds to landlord. Following day the house smashed, white goods sold, and death threats.

The police not seemingly interested have took statement , the council empathize, the support worker handling the Tennant's case is empathetic, and the probation officer not even bothering to answer or return any calls.

Now we are frightened for our lives we have two children and the Tennant's heavies know where we live and want to kill us. Which isn't an empty threat.

No one is helping. The law is siding with the tennant. He has rights to be there. He knows the system and plays everyone as a vunerable person when he quite clearly is a lying scumbag bastard. He isn't even living at the property.

Wtf is happening in this world.

We will probably all be dead soon so the nightmare will be over .

My agents did not allow me access to my property for inspection as they Say I was not registered even though I own the property
The tenant has destroyed the property under the agents noses who are a well known company in Mold Flintshire

I have a property which I asked a well known agency in Wrexham to manage, as I thought they would be experienced and on the ball...well, no checks were done, it was let out newly painted, clean etc. On leaving, the agents asked for me to sanction deposit return and I said that's what I expect them to do, check the property and advise, as I'm a distance away (what are we paying agents for?!)
They sent me pics, all seemed fine,deposit returned, then i was informed by a worker I'd sent to do a job that the place was awful!! I dashed over and couldn't believe my eyes, I didn't know where to start! It needed everything plus new carpets, couldn't be rented out till jobs were done etc. I was livid, but the agency, a well known one, didn't want to know, for goodness sake, they'd not checked and had authorised deposit to be returned, so no money at all available towards any of it! They even thought I'd let it out AGAIN with them, no way!! They take money and dont do the job, theft in my eyes, or obtaining money by deception, whatever. I didn't have the time or money to take it further, I do wonder if they knew the tenants...cost me loads. Now I manage it myself, I have trusted workmen I use and check the house myself. Nasty experience to be honest, disgusted more by the agency than the tenant, absolute rogues in my opinion.

@Patrick
None. You have no rights at all. Despite whatever the police and solicitor s and social media nsay. None at all. Experienced this twice . No one did anything. Solicitor took £600 for advice. Police were not interested. Despite damage and death threats .

Kelly, totally agree, we're on our own with this, it seems! I am a registered landlord and it makes not a jot of difference, to be honest. I'm a responsible landlord, have work done immediately I'm informed of any problem but all that means nothing either!

Tenant moved in July buy September they complain shower door fell down and crack the bath and they ask to replace the bath.Estate agent told me I should pay but I left bath in prestige condition.
Who is responsible to pay?
Thank you
Tanya

I sat and cried when I saw photos of the state of my home. It is literally filthy from top to bottom Damaged everywhere. Every square inch needs decorating. Loads of woodwork chipped. Outside is not been tended so the garden is a tip. Old sofa and chairs rotting in the garden. Can’t see through shower doors as they are so limed up. It was spotless when rented. A huge leak in the kitchen. I’ve done everything by the book! I politely asked my tenants to inform me of any damage so I could sort it. Trailer trash! I never want to be a landlord again! The stress has made me ill. Lied to. Deceived. Taken the piss out of! I’m one very unhappy landlord!

Judi, I feel you! Been through the same horrific experience with an awful tenant. Her husband was living in my flat illegally. Only found out when they were gone. The letting agent sided with the awful tenant. Had to have the entire hard-wood floor redone even though it was in very good condition when the tenant moved in. In two years, they managed to trash the place and would wash hard-wood floor with bucket of water and leave puddle of water to dry out, break every wardrobe sliding door and fix mirrors they broke with brown tape, the list goes on. The subsequent water damage was considered wear and tear by the incompetent letting agent. Same conclusion as Judi! The tenant wanted to have a grand £450 deducted of her deposit to pay for the thousands of pounds of damage, she, her teenage son and her illegal occupier of a husband. And they left the property an absolute pigsty (the only difference from when they lived in it was that their clutter was gone). The pictures I took of the damage (floor, broken French doors...) are horrific. I had to put up with this tenant "legally destroying" my flat from January to end September 2023, verbally abused me, lied to me and harassed me with fixing her damage. The letting agent only cared about money. Wished I could name and shame! Some people need to take responsibility! Never renting out my flat again or trusting a letting agent again!

I have just evicted a monster of a tenant. She was born in New York, lived in Malibu, and came to Ireland in September 2021.
From the moment she moved in she was a “keyboard warrior”.
First email sent to the agent accusing me as a landlord and my partner of:- entering the house every day, going through her underwear, stealing money, clothes, books etc,
raping her two horses, punching and kicking her dog..... the list was endless.
And these vile disgusting emails continued non stop.
I reported to the police and whist attending the police station together with my partner,an email came through from said tenant that my partner had been looking in through her window at her all morning and was still there terrorising her!!!
Then she published on social media that her landlord was a terrorist belonging to a paramilitary organisation and had threatened to slit her throat.
I evicted her finally, due to non payment of rent.
She had her two horses destroyed, and published on social media that they were suffering dreadfully due to being extremely abused by my partner, the horses had never been abused at all. The same day she set up three “gofundme” sites to raise money in order to return to the States. These sites are still live to date.
She owes a lot of rent.
The stables, new 6 months ago, have large holes kicked in the panels.
The stables were left with pooh and used bedding.
There is an enormous pooh pile in the garden, it is the size of a two storey house, according to the tenancy agreement, it was her responsibility to remove the pooh pile on a regular basis.
And she is still publishing, every day, on social media vile, disgusting lies.
The rental was for a rural cottage, a paddock and two stables together with haystore and tack room.
She is a professional scammer and extortion expert, when I checked her record I discovered that her history of police arrests started in 2008, in Malibu, California.
The tenant, even though evicted, is still a problem with police, the local council, environmental health and social media.

Just had the TDS return their verdict on my tenant’s deposit. Despite coffee, bleach, fake tan stains all over the carpets and the same on the walls (plus ‘extra’ where they painted over some parts in a completely different colour) the TDS in its wisdom, cough cough, saw fit to give most of the tenants back their deposit. They took all the original keys and security fobs with them returning not a single original so I’ve had to get the locks replaced. The TDS refused to refund that.

No wonder the rental market is struggling, who’s sticking up for landlords against crappy tenants. I certainly won’t be renting my property out again.