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[Berlingogirl]

It was theft, plain and simple. If they needed the electricity they should have asked first. and having been given permission, arranged for a qualified electrician to install the correct socket. They weren't given permission but went ahead anyway. If a tenant was stealing off me, I'd evict them too....

[Berlingogirl]

And you might need to check there are fire boards between the flats....

[Berlingogirl]

This happened in my built in cupboard (I live in a Victorian house too). I lined the wall with insulating wallpaper inside the cupboard and that solved the problem. This might be an idea if you can move the wardrobe out and insulate behind it, and round the corner if it's in the alcove. You'll have...

[Berlingogirl]

Unfortunately this seems to happen quite a lot in my HMO. I provide two layers of mattress protectors, a waterproof one with a thicker one on top for comfort, and a bottom sheet. Sometimes they don't wash the bottom sheet at all and it has a body sized dirty layer of grime when they leave and the stench...

[Berlingogirl]

I put a coin operated tumble dryer in a HMO but it was hardly used - clothes on the rads dried for free!

[Berlingogirl]

I'd suggest you do this too. I'd then not respond to any more contacts from them or any other debt agency about it. Even if you ask them not to sell the debt on, they will. You can prove that the flat isn't yours and has nothing to do with you. You can go onto the Land Registry website to find the owner...

[Berlingogirl]

I'd still issue an AoE. It's £100....

[Berlingogirl]

Kitchen wall units can be put on plasterboard quite securely, but tenants think that hammering a nail into the wall won't be a problem, but if it's into plaster then it's on the way to hacking the plaster off.

[Berlingogirl]

I had one tenant put 154 nails in the walls in one room to hang photos on. Three of these nails were massive 4" ones. Putting so many holes in the plaster is likely to lead to the plaster actually coming off the walls. I had to take the wall paper off and repaper. Where the nails had been there...

[Berlingogirl]

Good question. I assumed the leak was still ongoing.

If the leak isn't ongoing then the landlord needs to fix the issues you're having and claim off the other party or the party's insurance if they have any....

[Berlingogirl]

I don't know what the answer is but I'm sure somebody can help you.

If it's not your flat that's causing the problem, the letting agent can't fix it. It's up to the owner of the leaking flat to fix it. You can find out who they are by going onto the Land Registry website. You have to sign...

[Berlingogirl]

The tenant needs help and quickly. I'd get social services and your local environmental dept at your council involved too. I think somebody living like this might possibly need to be detained under section 2 of the mental health act. This has obviously been going on for years.

Your property...

[Berlingogirl]

"Would anyone share maybe in private some examples of their setup ie how many properties you need to make it viable?"

I think this is impossible to answer. It depends in which part of the country you live in for starters. It seems that properties in larger cities are more expensive...

[Berlingogirl]

I am seriously considering this and lowering the rent to reflect it. Where I live people tend not to want to rent for a shortish time. Our local housing associations remove everything before letting to a new tenant so the idea can't be that bad....

[Berlingogirl]

That's great news, and what a relief all round. Change the locks! This is reasonably easy to do, but can sometimes be a bit fiddley. You can youtube it.

I think it's always best to have both on the agreement, but wouldn't readily change a tenancy agreement that's already in place due to...

[Berlingogirl]

I'd go with this suggestion and explain T would be responsible for friend's behaviour etc. as suggested in other comments.

If T was in this country she could still do the same thing without you even knowing.

If your flat is empty it might affect your insurance, and leave it...

[Berlingogirl]

Is the T bringing children? Do they have any welfare benefits coming in? Savings? Debts? Do they run a car?

T's income is cutting it a bit tight as half their income is going on rent. On the other hand, £900 should be more than enough for one person to live on pcm.

[Berlingogirl]

And there might be other things to add to your standard tenancy agreement such as 'Room is for single occupancy only', overnight guests will incur a charge of £35 a night whether agreed with the landlord or not', no smoking, no pets, no bikes to be kept in the property. Put a number inside each kitchen...

[Berlingogirl]

I'd get a cooker repair person to have a look at it.

When that tenant leaves don't supply any white goods - life is easier that way.

[Berlingogirl]

............and me....