Problem tenant!!!

[JoH]

Good evening folks,

I have a bit of a tricky one for you!!!

I have a 'House of Multiple Occupancy'.

One of the new tenants moved in three months ago, signing up for a 6 month tenancy. He's paid one months rent, but has not paid since.

He assured my letting agent that he would pay for the two months rent today, which would then bring him up to date with his outstanding payments.

This, he has not done!!!

He is an 18 year old guy, in full time employment.
It seems his partying and entertaining is more important than paying his rent.

My other issues are...
- The room is single occupancy only - however, he seems to have his 'brother' sleeping over 'occasionally' even though he denies it!
- The rent includes all bills - however, he seems to be having friends over and letting them use all the facilities too.
- The phone-line in the house is for broadband only, with a call barring for outgoing calls - someone in the house seems to have unbarred it and has started making calls from the phone (the bt point is right outside his bedroom)
- The house has central heating, and no other gas or electric heating is allowed - however, he has a fan heater which he drapes his clothes over to dry them rather than using his radiators!!! This is such a fire risk, it's untrue!
- He is also not keeping the room is the state which is laid out in his tenancy agreement. He has received at least two warning letters on this topic.
- Lastly, he keeps leaving his downstairs bedroom window open when he leaves the property. Obviously, this allowing possible access by a burglar to the house & its contents.

Basically, does anyone know if there is a way to either get payment from him, or get him out of the house before his tenancy is up?

Any sensible (and legal) suggestions very welcome.

Many thanks,

Jo

[Snorkerz]

Well, you can issue a section 8 notice under grounds 8, 10, 11 & 12. Grounds 10-12 would be at the judges discretion, but ground 8 is a mandatory one. For this to succeed, the tenant must have 2 months rent unpaid at the time of issue and at the time of hearing. A section 8 notice for these grounds would only require 14 days notice before you can commence court proceedings. Court proceedings will take a couple of months - but that is similar to the time it would take at the end of the tenancy anyway, so you'll save a couple of months.

[theartfullodger]

Bribery to get him to leave may be your cheapest option, albeit unpalatable...

[Matt63]

Does he have a lock on his door? Do you operate your HMO as a "friendly house"? You might find that the other tenants can exert pressure on him. Failing that, you need to talk to him directly and explain the situation that either i) he pays up, ii) he leaves, or iii) you get a CCJ against him which will mean that his employers will know.

[Snorkerz]

either i) he pays up, ii) he leaves,Only if due legal process is followed - pay up or leave sounds like a threat of illegal eviction.
iii) you get a CCJ against him which will mean that his employers will know.How would his employers discover a CCJ? In certain industries it may be discovered at the application stage, but CCJs are only usually an issue for financial transactions (loan, rent, phone contract etc)