Trashed! Landlord battles to evict nightmare tenants for six months… and finds four-bedroom house in ruins

• Tenants lived in ’squalor’ with blocked, overflowing toilet
• Carpets ripped up, windows smashed and kitchen pulled out
• Police say damage is so serious they will treat it as criminal damage

A landlord who battled for months to evict his nightmare tenants discovered his house had been completely trashed when he finally kicked them out of the property.

Glenn Schofield spent thousands of pounds renovating the four-bedroom house in Darlington, County Durham, before renting it out.

However, he discovered it had been vandalised almost beyond repair with carpets pulled up, windows smashed, the kitchen ripped out, bannisters left hanging, paint splashed across walls and the toilet blocked with excrement and used sanitary towels.

 Destroyed: Landlord Glenn Schofield in the kitchen of his four-bedroom property in Darlington, County Durham

Mr Schofield had spent months going through the courts to repossess his four-bedroom house after his tenants stopped paying rent.

However, by the time he was granted an eviction order thousands of pounds worth of damage had already been done.

The filthy tenants had been living in squalor, leaving the toilet bowl overflowing with waste, and the ceilings had given way after lead flashing was removed from the roof and rainwater poured through the holes.

Mr Schofield said: ‘It’s almost indescribable. I’ve done everything by the book but I don’t understand why it has taken so long.

‘I don’t know how much it’s going to cost to repair and I don’t even know yet whether the insurance company will pay out for it.

‘If they don’t pay out, then I’m really in the mire.’

 Squalor: The damage is so severe that police are now treating it as a case of criminal damage

Mr Schofield let the property through an agency. However, he now believes the references they provided were false.

He claims problems started shortly after the tenants moved in last June and he started eviction proceedings when the rent abruptly stopped being paid in February.

Mr Schofield added: ‘It’s taken me until now to get them out.

‘I don’t understand why it took so long. If you provide false references for a job, you can be out straight away. Why can’t it work with a house?’

Community beat officer PC John Forster said: ‘Normally when there’s a problem with landlords and tenants, it tends to be resolved as a civil case.

‘However, here the level of destruction is so high that it’s criminal damage without a doubt.

‘It’s just reckless destruction. The upsetting thing is the level of pride Mr Schofield took in the house and then someone comes in and trashes it throughout.’

Landlords argue that the current court procedures for evicting problem tenants aren’t working.

The process normally takes between six and eight months and, with scores of county courts earmarked for closure as part of the Government’s cuts, it could soon take even longer.

Angry landlords claim the ponderous procedure leaves them powerless to prevent tenants exacting their revenge by trashing expensive properties.

Last year, the Residential Landlords Association delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for a ‘fast track’ eviction process.

Housing minister Grant Shapps has announced new powers that will make it easier to evict troublesome tenants – but they will only be available to social housing landlords.

Stephen Ludlow, an equity director for one of the UK’s leading residential letting agencies, said: ‘Most landlords put some money aside to deal with rental gaps, however having to fund six months plus is tough.

‘It cannot be fair that private landlords should suffer such loop holes that mean they cannot evict tenants or suffer lengthy delays.’

Landlords…
· Do you have troublesome tenants?
· Are you caught up in council red tape?
· Do you want to raise finance for a property purchase/ refinance
your portfolio?
· Are you baffled by renting regulations?
Then speak to us !
We can help with key topics which affect you as a landlord. From changing LHA rules, to housing standards, rent arrears, illegal eviction, accredited landlord schemes and how to raise finance for your next property investment. Related housing companies will also be on hand to share advice and guidance, so if you‟re looking for buy to let insurance, legal advice or tips from tradesmen.

North Staffordshire has seen a rise in burglaries, where long term void or empty properties have been
targeted due to the increase in copper and scrap metal thefts. Staffordshire Police have issued crime
prevention advice if you own a property which is currently without a tenant. (more…)

A landlord who left a 90-year-old tenant without any heating has been ordered to carry out a raft of improvements to their property, after a landmark ruling.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has won a tribunal to make a landlord install heating and insulation to a property within the City. The decision is the first time the authority has used powers under the Housing Act 2004 to defend an appeal, after a landlord failed to comply with an improvement notice to carry out works on their property. (more…)

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne has announced plans to ensure all landlords meet minimum energy efficiency standards under the Green Deal.
At the second reading of the Energy Bill, Mr Huhne set out the scope of new regulations that would increase the reach of the Green Deal and aim to better protect tenants.
Under the proposals, from April 2016 landlords will not be able to refuse reasonable requests from tenants, or local authorities acting on behalf of tenants, to improve their property.
In addition, from April 2018 the government will make it unlawful to rent out a house or business premise which has less than an “E” energy efficiency rating, ensuring at least 682,000 properties will have to be improved to be in line with the Green Deal.
Families would also be able to apply for up to £10,000 each to pay for energy-efficiency improvements on their properties as part of the Government‟s Energy Bill, which will support both homeowners and landlords to help improve energy efficiency with money to pay for new boilers, insulation and central-heating systems.
People will be able to access finance in order to pay for the upfront cost of work which will be paid back through savings on lower fuel bills. The move to influence the energy efficiency of the rental sector is designed to help the most vulnerable, as more than a quarter of a million of the worst insulated rented homes are classed as fuel poor.
Chris Huhne added: “Our proposals provide a voice for tenants living in poorly insulated, draughty homes. The Green Deal is a win-win opportunity for landlords by removing the upfront cost of work to upgrade the property making it cheaper to run, more environmentally friendly and ultimately more attractive to rent. For those landlords who don‟t take up the Green Deal then we will get tough so that by 2018 the poorest performing rented housing stock is brought up to a decent standard.”
For further information visit the Department of Energy & Climate Change website at
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/consumers/green_deal/green_deal.aspx
Landlords are reminded that at present, the WARM ZONE scheme is still offering free loft and cavity wall insulation for properties in Newcastle & Stoke. Telephone 01782 479099 or visit the web site at www.nswz.co.uk and complete the Landlord‟s Assessment Form

Landlords should be aware of impending changes to the rules on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). The changes will affect all landlords who do not have a current EPC on a rental property and which is being marketed on or after 1 July 2011. The first set of changes are due to be implemented on 1 July, with one further change implemented on 1 October 2011.
From 1 July an EPC must have been ordered before the property is marketed. The onus will be on landlords or their agents to produce an EPC if requested by trading standards officers.
The timescale for producing an EPC will be cut back to seven days: in other words you must have ordered the EPC by the time the property goes on the market, be able to prove it and have the actual EPC available in seven days. The Communities and Local Government is saying that if the EPC is not available within seven days, a further 21 days is allowed. However, ‘reasonable’ efforts must be made to meet the seven-day deadline.
A big change for landlords who use agents is that if you have given responsibility for the EPC to the agent, the agent is indeed held responsible. Currently, even where the agent is made responsible by the landlord for the EPC, legally the buck stops with the landlord.
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From 1 October landlords and/or agents will need to ensure that all property particulars have a full EPC report and not just the graphs attached.
Landlords should also bear in mind that the new EPC regulations will also relate to any properties that they sell.
For further information please visit the Communities & Local Government website at www.communities.gov.uk

As of 6 June 2011 Erica Deaville started her new role as Landlord Accreditation Co-ordinator at Stoke-on-Trent City Council replacing Will Knight. Erica has worked within the Housing Standards Team for the past 6 years. Throughout this time she has worked as an Access to Services Officer and an Empty Homes Officer.
Whilst in the role of an Access to Services Officer Erica provided help to residents living in clearance areas, giving advice of housing options to these residents. As an Empty Homes Officer, Erica provided tailored advice and support to owners to help return the properties back into use.
Throughout her time in the Housing Standards Team she has worked with a wide range of people within the private housing sector and is looking forward to working with private landlords as the new Landlord Accreditation Co-ordinator.

Rightmove’s latest Consumer Confidence Survey finds that nearly half (49%) of current tenants are of the opinion that average rents will be higher 12 months from now, providing more evidence of the continued strength of the rental sector.
Whilst excellent news for landlords, the outlook for concerned tenants is darkened further by new analysis from Rightmove that confirms the continued supply and demand imbalance, with rental search activity up by two-thirds in the last two years
whilst available stock is down by nearly a quarter over the same period.

Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove, comments: “Further rent rises appear to be looming for many, putting additional upwards pressure on the cost of living for tenants in these inflationary times. With such fierce competition for a dwindling stock of properties, those tenants that can play the trump cards of offering the highest rent and quality references will be best-placed to win the hand and secure the keys to the home they want.”

Gladehurst Properties Ltd v Hashemi 19th May 2011 The Court of Appeal has held that, where a landlord has failed to deal with a deposit in accordance with an authorised tenancy deposit scheme, a tenant cannot apply for an award of three times the amount of the deposit under s.214(4), Housing Act 2004, if his assured shorthold tenancy has already come to an end.