I have a flat where the tenants had got behind with the rent by about three to four months just before lock down. They were making some payments and the arrears had built up over a couple of years, and as it was being managed by an agency, I had let it slip a bit. Also to be frank they had a young kid so I wasn't keen on playing Mr Tough.
But it had clearly got to the point where I had to evict. The agency served a s21 just before lock down and obviously they subsequently haven't paid a penny or communicated. I knocked on their door with a view to offering them a few quid to leave but they didn't take the bait. They said to me that they couldn't get any Universal Credit as the husband was doing irregular work. Even if they were, I guess that it would be more or less impossible to get the rent component paid to me without their consent, and as they are EU citizens.
So like many other landlords I am awaiting August - assuming that there is not the next inevitable extension (bless the BBC and Guardian and their endless stream of stories about how poor tenants suffer from unfair evictions by cruel rogue landlords).
Anyway, they have now got a broken window and a non locking front door to the internal corridor. They have told the agency that we need to repair - apparently through their social worker as presumably they are too embarrassed to speak to the agency.
I know that I have a legal obligation to keep the property in good repair - but obviously I don't want to make them too comfortable and spend money on repairing a flat which they will possibly wreck when they eventually get evicted. And as I am using an agent the quotes are silly money for the repairs.
I have read that s8's can be refused or money deducted on the basis of disrepairs. But I am using a s21 route. Also I know that there is legislation about revenge evictions for tenants requesting repairs - but clearly we have a good paper trail establishing that this is not the case.
Does anybody know what the practical repercussions would be if I don't authorise these repairs?
But it had clearly got to the point where I had to evict. The agency served a s21 just before lock down and obviously they subsequently haven't paid a penny or communicated. I knocked on their door with a view to offering them a few quid to leave but they didn't take the bait. They said to me that they couldn't get any Universal Credit as the husband was doing irregular work. Even if they were, I guess that it would be more or less impossible to get the rent component paid to me without their consent, and as they are EU citizens.
So like many other landlords I am awaiting August - assuming that there is not the next inevitable extension (bless the BBC and Guardian and their endless stream of stories about how poor tenants suffer from unfair evictions by cruel rogue landlords).
Anyway, they have now got a broken window and a non locking front door to the internal corridor. They have told the agency that we need to repair - apparently through their social worker as presumably they are too embarrassed to speak to the agency.
I know that I have a legal obligation to keep the property in good repair - but obviously I don't want to make them too comfortable and spend money on repairing a flat which they will possibly wreck when they eventually get evicted. And as I am using an agent the quotes are silly money for the repairs.
I have read that s8's can be refused or money deducted on the basis of disrepairs. But I am using a s21 route. Also I know that there is legislation about revenge evictions for tenants requesting repairs - but clearly we have a good paper trail establishing that this is not the case.
Does anybody know what the practical repercussions would be if I don't authorise these repairs?
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