stresshead
22-02-2010, 20:35 PM
We moved into our home a few months ago. It's a Victorian property, broken up as follows:
- Terraced house, converted into three flats: A, B & C
- Adjacent coach house
We live in the coach house and have an AST with our LL (LLA) via a third party agent. The top two floors of the terrace house make up Flat A, which is privately owned. Flat B is privately owned and rented out (by LLB). Although they are ex-husband and wife, LLA and LLB have no financial interest in each other's properties. I have no idea who owns or lives in Flat C.
The problem lies with the tenants in Flat B. LLB has an agreement with a local housing scheme "Positive Moves" which provides temporary accommodation to children/young adults coming out of care, hostels, detention centres, etc. The tenants stay anything from 2-6weeks before moving elsewhere. We and the owners of flat A have experienced varying degrees of anti-social behaviour from the tenants (or their associates) in Flat B, including:
- burglary
- stolen post
- excessive levels of noise
- harassment & intimidation
- attempted theft of delivered items
- furniture and rubbish dumped on our property
The front window to flat B was broken to gain access to the property so parties and gatherings could be held when the tenants were not in the property. This was boarded up, so extra sets of keys were cut and handed out. Other damage to the property has occurred, namely interior doors being re-housed to the garden and visible damage to other furnishings. LLB (who owns the freehold) has expressed his disinterest in the tenants' activities. He is not bothered that the property is being trashed by unsavoury tenants, or that his tenants are causing nuisance to their neighbours. The "Positive Moves" scheme appears to be part-funded or governed by the council and they pay the rent on the nose every month whether the place is occupied or not - or as LLB says: "I'm a businessman".
The police have been called on several occasions to break up fights, investigate the burglary and on one occasion to respond to a firearm incident, but in general no action can be taken against the tenants via environmental health, etc. as they move out before the case gets anywhere. Is there anything we can do? Can LLB be held accountable at all? It is such a shame as the house is otherwise a perfect place for us to live.
Many Thanks for reading, I know it's a lengthy post, so congratulations if you got this far!
- Terraced house, converted into three flats: A, B & C
- Adjacent coach house
We live in the coach house and have an AST with our LL (LLA) via a third party agent. The top two floors of the terrace house make up Flat A, which is privately owned. Flat B is privately owned and rented out (by LLB). Although they are ex-husband and wife, LLA and LLB have no financial interest in each other's properties. I have no idea who owns or lives in Flat C.
The problem lies with the tenants in Flat B. LLB has an agreement with a local housing scheme "Positive Moves" which provides temporary accommodation to children/young adults coming out of care, hostels, detention centres, etc. The tenants stay anything from 2-6weeks before moving elsewhere. We and the owners of flat A have experienced varying degrees of anti-social behaviour from the tenants (or their associates) in Flat B, including:
- burglary
- stolen post
- excessive levels of noise
- harassment & intimidation
- attempted theft of delivered items
- furniture and rubbish dumped on our property
The front window to flat B was broken to gain access to the property so parties and gatherings could be held when the tenants were not in the property. This was boarded up, so extra sets of keys were cut and handed out. Other damage to the property has occurred, namely interior doors being re-housed to the garden and visible damage to other furnishings. LLB (who owns the freehold) has expressed his disinterest in the tenants' activities. He is not bothered that the property is being trashed by unsavoury tenants, or that his tenants are causing nuisance to their neighbours. The "Positive Moves" scheme appears to be part-funded or governed by the council and they pay the rent on the nose every month whether the place is occupied or not - or as LLB says: "I'm a businessman".
The police have been called on several occasions to break up fights, investigate the burglary and on one occasion to respond to a firearm incident, but in general no action can be taken against the tenants via environmental health, etc. as they move out before the case gets anywhere. Is there anything we can do? Can LLB be held accountable at all? It is such a shame as the house is otherwise a perfect place for us to live.
Many Thanks for reading, I know it's a lengthy post, so congratulations if you got this far!