Cautionary tale for those who don't screen tenants properly!

[Ericthelobster]

From today's Times:

Crossbow killer shot landlord in head

A MAN murdered his landlord with a crossbow two minutes before the deadline for eviction from his flat, Exeter Crown Court was told yesterday. Ashley Thorpe, 29, had been given until 11pm to move out of a flat in Chard, Somerset. At 10.58pm he shot a crossbow bolt into Alan Eva’s right temple, followed by three more, then finished him off using a knife, two hammers and an air rifle.

See full story at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...050008,00.html

Ouch!

[Jennifer_M]

I think a change of clothes isn't sufficient anymore when you're evicting a tenant...

Scary.

[justaboutsane]

And bailiffs hang around for 30 seconds!! .. last time we evicted a tenant the bailiff stayed 30 seconds and was gone, I called our property manager who was at the property and stayed on the phone while he evicted the tenant... OK an hour mobile to mobile is expensive.. but if anything went wrong I had the landline ready to dial 999.

I have heard tales from a property manager in Liverpool who wears a stab proof vest when evicting!...

Scary is not the word

[Devilish]

Hi

Scary stuff, is it agents job to actually evict the tenant or is it down to the landlord?

[P.Pilcher]

Eviction is the job of the court bailiff, assisted if necessary by the police. Once the occupants have left, the bailiff invites the landlord/agent to enter and secure the property so that the evicted tenant cannot re-enter.

P.P.

[Devilish]

Thanks for that I was starting to think letting property was not for me! don't fancy getting shot with a cross bow!!

[Worldlife]

Was this "eviction" merely the landlord determining whether or not the tenant was complying with a Section 21 notice?

Am I correct in thinking that legally an "eviction" is takes place with the aid of bailiffs when the tenant fails to comply with a Possession Order?

Thinking of starting an agency offering 15 stone ex wrestlers or boxers for hire to cover those potentially difficult times of your life

[PaulF]

I've posted this before but it can be aired again. You don't necessarily have to have a bailiff to effect a possession order as they have no more legal powers than does the landlord. If the landlord is armed with the Warrant of Possession and insists a policeman accompanies him then the landlord can insist the tenant is arrested if he fails to comply (i.e. vacate) on the grounds of "Contempt of Court". You then enter and possess when plod hauls them off to the local nick!

As a landlord you can also enter the property if it is unoccupied (gone to work!! or shopping etc.) using your own key, secure it and put a notice on the door to the effect that you have done so and if the tenant should re-enter they will be committing a criminal offence.

The only advantage of a bailiff is if he has to break in to distrain on goods, i.e. the tenant owes money and you need to seize goods. This is not available to the landlord as he should only enter using a key, and they also can't seize the tenant possessions.

All this information is contained within an article in the Lettings Update Journal sometime in 2004 I believe.

[justaboutsane]

I have just visited BBC news online .. the guy who killed his landlord has been found guilty.

Details here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/4746916.stm