Tenant removing my bathroom to sell?

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 14/02/2025 - 11:52
only problem is if you have direct payments the DWP will stop the rent payments going forward dead and possibly look to reclaim what has already been paid to you back to of you inform them T has moved.

Reply to the comment left by Fraser Hopewell at 14/02/2025 - 12:29
I'd play dumb at the min and just say you need to do a standard LL check. Given them 24 hrs notice (or as per contract.
On arrival state do a full LL check and photo everything. State that it looked like an attempt at unauthorised entry had been made at the property when got there so you had no choice than to secure the property. Change the locks. Ask them to contact you for a new key and await a response.

If they reply to say they are no longer living there, say you agree to their implied surrender (if they haven't asked for the new key), then given them 14 days tort notice about removal of their stuff.
If they say they don't want to surrender and want the new key then state you will be looking to evict asap (with all costs to them) and also drop in that as it is clear they have moved out already you will also be informing the DWP immediately .

If notice comes from the LL about a change of circumstance (and not the claimant themselves) you can tell them UC will automatically put a stop on their whole claim until such time as they get back in touch with UC themselves to declare a change of circumstance. If there has been any sniff of a fraudulent claim by T then that will be with them and DWP to sort out directly.

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 14/02/2025 - 13:56
I don’t believe they are claiming benefits and the rent was paid directly from them.

I suspect they will just do what they want and I’ll need to link in with the police afterwards.

One simple solution to most of our problem. Start reporting rents to credit bureau. When they stop paying the default is shown on their accounts. They can't find house anywhere with rent arrears with you. Ccj would make it more serious but it will take more time and money

If they have vacated and you have proof of that and there's no belongings in the property just go and change the locks. You would be daft not too.

There’s a book titled ‘What would Audrey do?’ It’s based on notional lifestyle advice of how Audrey Hepburn would handle situations. If there was a book titled ‘What would Tony do?’ as in Tony Soprano, I would be endorsing each and every one of the no doubt very creative resolutions.

From the photo evidence, there should be no need to give any notice to enter the property, that level of destruction by an obvious moron needs immediate evaluation to establish risk to anyone who could potentially be inhabiting the property and the need for the property to comply with regulations in respect of plumbing and sanitation and also to prevent potential damage from escape of water.

That a landlord would be reluctant to do that for fear of being held liable for breaching a tenants right to notice and their quiet enjoyment of the property illustrates how absolutely broken the whole landlord tenant relationship is.

Reply to the comment left by alan thomas at 14/02/2025 - 13:01
That is interesting, I have never heard this before...

Perhaps get a friend to enquire about the bathroom for sale. Maybe they are selling bathroom furniture and just used yours as a picture because it is particularly nice?

If I found, and had actual evidence, that one of my tenants was genuinely trying to sell my bathroom we would be so far beyond worrying about details of ASTs etc and I would respond in the way that I would to anybody else that was trying to mug me.

Sometimes it is best to do what you know to be morally right and deal with the consequences later, if there are any, rather than waiting for bureaucracy to decide that yes you shouldn't have been robbed but "there is nothing we can really do".

Reply to the comment left by alan thomas at 14/02/2025 - 13:01
ASTs are flexible. If the tenant has moved out, and it's no longer their primary residence. It's no longer an AST, instead it's a common law tenancy.

The landlord still needs a possession order, either by serving s8 notice, or a notice to quit, first, before going to court.

If a landlord just takes possession, they risk committing the offence of an illegal eviction.

The law is stupid about this, but it exists due to some dubious landlords that has now given tenants extensive protections.

May I suggest an approach, raise a welfare concern regarding the tennant, this will see the authorities attend to make sure they are ok, if they do not answer the door then they will force entrry. This will however lead to a damaged lock which would need to be replaced and said tennant would have to get keys for this new lock from yourself.

It's not an ideal approach, but it is perhaps a way to mitigate damage.

Alternatively see if anyone near who can keep an eye out and let you know as soon as your property leaves the address.

But perhaps the best approach would be a sting, you mention he is advertising your bathroom for sale, then get a friend to act as a buyer with a price they can't refuse and he will pay cash and come pick it up, have police ready to act. Now it's not entrapment, so you are covered.

Hope all works out, and created an account just so could pass on these suggestions having had google news share this story.

Best of luck.