Knock knock who's there?

[mind the gap]

I purchased an auction property in a high rise block in London, I am now the legal owner however the only keys were with the previous tenant who's tenancy agreement expired several months ago, has stopped paying rent and does not reply to phone calles or letters. Am I intiltled to assume the property is empty and therefore employ a locksmith to change the locks and regain possession. And then if it transpires that there is evidence of occupation put a notice on the front of the door for the intruder to contact me to recover their possessions.

The most obvious thing to do is to visit the property and if no-one comes to the door, knock on all the neighbours' doors until someone tells you whether there is anyone still livng there or not.

In your shoes, I would be very concerned had my solicitor not made it clear whether the property was being bought tenanted or with vacant possession. Did you use a solicitor for the conveyancing or not? What does the sale contract say?

[Poppy]

So, why didn’t you reap the benefit of your solicitor’s knowledge before deciding to buy?

What do you ultimately want?

• To meet your tenant?
• To get a copy of the keys?
• To find out what your property looks like?
• To receive rent from the tenant?
• To learn your tenant's rights?
• To learn your rights as a landlord?
• To evict the tenant?
• To learn a new knock knock joke?
• A combination of the above?

[zarnticolz]

thank you paul but I didnt find that answer very helpful

[PaulF]

You should have sorted out this with your solicitor beforehand.

[zarnticolz]

I purchased an auction property in a high rise block in London, I am now the legal owner however the only keys were with the previous tenant who's tenancy agreement expired several months ago, has stopped paying rent and does not reply to phone calles or letters. Am I intiltled to assume the property is empty and therefore employ a locksmith to change the locks and regain possession. And then if it transpires that there is evidence of occupation put a notice on the front of the door for the intruder to contact me to recover their possessions.