Problem tenant- ensuring it doesn't happen to others

[peter]

Due to buying a new home last year & not selling the old one we have had tenants (in the new house) for the last 6 months on an AST. Full credit checks & financial references were taken at the time by our agent.
Unfortunately the rent has always been paid weeks late & had to be chased. Now it's time to leave the tenants have said it's inconvenient & they need to stay a further couple of weeks- slight problem as this will very shortly be our only home & we could potentially end up homeless as we are just about to complete on the old house. Needless to say I have filed a N5B reposession order at the local county court.
This 'mature' couple are very friendly & likeable but are completely amoral - we have since heard they have done something similar whilst renting grazing land.
My question is: Does anyone know ways of ensuring this doesn't happen to other people in the future? Hopefully a CCJ against them will help.
I'm only interested in Legal suggestions!
Thanks

[RichieP]

Once you've got the CCJ enforce it. You didn't say if they work or not, but get money deducted from their wages or their bank account frozen. Failing that sell the debt to debt collectors. Failing that, track them down and torture and maim them. Oh that's not legal is it? :D

[davidjohnbutton]

It is not a CCJ you want, but a possession order. When the matter goes to a hearing and the judge decides whether or not to give possession, if he /she does given a PO, say a 14 day one, then after 14 days you will have to pay a further fee £90 I believe, to obtain the services of the County Court Bailiff to evict the tenants. The costs are recoverable from the tenants by the usual enforcement methods (i.e. warrant of execution, garnishee/wages attachment etc.)

[peter]

Thanks Richie & David.
I should have made clearer, it's more a case of ensuring that other people are not ripped off like we have been by this couple. I think I've got our situation under control, I just don't want somebody else to go through our problems.
I've tried using my potentially homeless 4 year old to get their sympathy vote, but even that doesn't work (desperate I know).

In answer to your question, they do work (they're farmers) & are in the process (so I'm told) of buying a 6 bed farmhouse + hundreds of acre of land, so not your usual dodgy low life. I'm sure there's a moral in there.

[RichieP]

There will always be people like that unfortunately, wanting something for nothing and nor caring about who they hurt in the process. When I used to go to court for posession, I also asked for a money judgment with the 14 day possession. This meant we could apply for attachment of earning/garnishee once the bailiff had enforced the eviction.

Short of branding them on the forehead, there's not much you can do to stop them doing it again. It's up to futur landlords to be vigilant and check references and do credit checks.