A landlord in Warrington, Cheshire, is calling it a day on his business after a rogue tenant has left him more than a staggering £30,000 out of pocket, relates a story in Landlord Today on the 12th of November.
The landlord’s losses come from some £29,000 in unpaid rent and a further £2,000 cleaning bill to clear up the extensive mess, broken fixtures and fittings, and general chaos left by the tenant.
It was only when the landlord became aware of rental arrears on his four-bedroom rental property that he commenced legal proceedings for the tenant’s eviction. Having obtained the eviction order, he then discovered the extent to which the interior of the property had been trashed – filled with rubbish, carpets ruined beyond repair, and areas that had clearly not been cleaned in months.
Not only is the landlord now in a position where he is unlikely to be able to recover the massive rent arrears, but is also landed with the biggest cleaning bill his buy to let property has ever run up.
In retrospect, the landlord now clearly wishes that he had taken firm action much earlier – before the tenant had caused so much damage and fallen into such extensive rent arrears. But he is also adamant he will not be put into such a situation again – and has decided to sell his buy to let property rather than attempt to let it again.
As Landlord Today comments, the sobering tale of how costly a rogue tenant might prove for any landlord underlines the need for effective and readily-accessible means of regaining repossession before the losses become overwhelming.
