old tenants harrassing new tenants...

[slyrubies]

they did a runner without paying their rent, and now since we have relet to some very decent new tenants, they are coming back and harrassing them on the pretext of collecting their mail.

"we were waiting for you to be here" they then proceeded to call the landlord names etc to which the girl who was alone at the time in the property replied "surely you can't be speaking of the landlord we are dealing with".

The end result was that the girl (existing tenant) was upset and a little scared. The chap that did the harrassment is a very large/tall eastern european with a real macho attitude.

Do they have a right to be there at all, even to collect mail? The girls are upset as he said he would be back regularly to collect it. Presumable each of these occasions will be a source of worry and unpleasantness for the existing tenants.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Sly

[RichieP]

Tell them to speak to the police. The ex-tenants may be up to something a bit dodgy if they are going to keep collecting mail from there. Tell the current tenants to write "no longer at this address" on everything and stick it back in the post.

[MrShed]

Other than that though, there is no law against knocking on someones door, and from what you have described this is not harrasment in the legal sense. Short of getting a court order, you cannot prevent him coming to the property. However, if he is not "calling you names" but actually stating untruths, you could get him for slander.

[Paul_f]

I would say it is intimidation and therefore threatening behaviour. It's not harrassment concerning the Housing Act as far as the landlord is concerned but it is as far as the tenant is affected!

[justaboutsane]

Tell the new tenant to ask the old for a forwarding address, taht way they can forward all mail to the new tenant, and you have an address to chase the arrears! If the Old tenant refuses then then the new tenant should tell them to either get a redirect on all mail, or that any mail will be returned to sender.

The new tenant can also go to the police regarding harassement it is a criminal offence and the "offender" has to prove their innocence. The new tenant can also advise the old of this rule, any of this may get him off her back.

One other thought! They could arrange a time for him to collect his mail and you could be there too! I bet they wont come back again!