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Original poster

To think my landlord is a spiteful dickhead

258 replies

3kiddosandme · 08/08/2025 09:21

At this point im thinking my landlord is just a spiteful dickhead, I'll go into as much detail as possible here.
Earlier this year I was sent a section 21 notice out of nowhere, I questioned this and the landlord said because of significant damages to the property I have to leave. Now I have evidence that these significant damages are not my fault, I had the environmental health in because I was fed up of living in a shit hole basically, the whole house needs ripping out and fixing including floorboards and external doors according to the local council who did the inspection, the landlord also has to take up an asbestos survey due to damaged ceiling in the hallway.
I have 3 kids I the house, one is additional needs. I was offered a house by a housing association and I accepted, im yet to get the keys but the house was on major repair, I said this to the current landlord who said they were happy to let me wait it out, no repairs have done either by the current landlord as per the council report. They took me to court to evict me even though theyd said I could stay until my house was ready, ive never been behind on rent always paid in full and on time, a week ago the landlord turned up completely unannounced banging on the door I opened the door and I was told I should've moved out by now as the court stated the 25th july, I told them to get a warrant for eviction and come back with bailiffs, as of yet I haven't heard anything from the bailiffs. I emailed expressing that they didnt give any notice and they turned up with keys to let themselves in and since I haven't returned keys or made them aware that ive moved it was completely unacceptable. They stated that they sent a letter, they never did as ive still not recieved this magic letter they apparently sent. Anyway every single day they are emailing me asking for keys to be returned and I keep telling them I will return the keys once I have moved. At this point I just think they are being absolute dickheads. I hopefully should get the keys to the new property today.
Wibu to move and then throw they keys into their office in an envelope and leave without saying a word.

OP posts:
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goldenquestion · 08/08/2025 12:04

Moana987 · 08/08/2025 12:03

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Edited
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Unfortunately it is the landlords problem until he gets a possession order and sends bailiffs to execute it...as per the law

Moana987 · 08/08/2025 12:03

ThejoyofNC · 08/08/2025 11:33

That's not the landlords problem. She can't stay there.

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.

DiscoBob · 08/08/2025 12:03

Swiftie1878 · 08/08/2025 11:08

You’ve trashed his house and won’t move out (despite a court order to do so), but HE’S the spiteful dickhead? I don’t think so.

What?! Her house was completely falling apart because the landlord refused to do anything. To the point environmental health needed to be involved. And they still haven't commenced work to make it liveable. Slumlord. Scum.

How can you defend this?

Hedgehogbrown · 08/08/2025 12:03

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 08/08/2025 10:51

this is the reason so many landlords are selling up. Staying for bailiffs is absolutely unreasonable,

Edited

Good. Making money off people's needs for housing is a grotty business full of grubs, and needs to stop.

Katemax82 · 08/08/2025 12:02

Spies · 08/08/2025 10:55

If the court gave you a date why would you not move out? You can't just stay there indefinitely until the other house is ready.

Surely this is the only way to get emergency accommodation

AuntyDepressant · 08/08/2025 12:00

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 08/08/2025 10:51

this is the reason so many landlords are selling up. Staying for bailiffs is absolutely unreasonable,

Edited

You’re not legally evicted until the bailiffs remove you. Unless you stay for bailiffs, you’re making yourself intentionally homeless and the council won’t house you.

goldenquestion · 08/08/2025 11:56

DysgraphiaQueen · 08/08/2025 11:51

She might be getting off on a technicality and abusing the system, but that does not dismiss that she has to take personal responsibility for her own actions and her family. She had a date provided, so bloody well get a grip get some self respect and self ownership and sort out some where else to live.

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It's not getting off on a technicality. It's the law.

You're either incredibly far removed from a situation like this, a nasty person or just dim.

There isn't a waiting abundance of rental accommodation to swan off to when your landlord decides to boot you out. I've been made homeless from rental accommodation twice in two years, both times I had to evidence to the council that I was trying to find private rental accommodation, which I did via a spreadsheet including the application and response (or lack thereof) from agents and landlords. During the last S21, I amassed a total of 74 applications in the 2 months notice. Was accepted for the final 1. Which was 15 miles from where we lived, 26 miles from my work and 30 miles from the children's school (they were already 15 miles from their school as we'd had to accept a house in a new area 2 years prior). At NO point during any of this would I have had anywhere else to go if I'd had to leave the day the S21 ended. The most the council would offer was a B&B 50 miles from home, if I was evicted by bailiffs.

I work full time, have a decent household income (certainly more than enough to pay my rent) and yet, I was stuck at the mercy of a terrible renting market and the councils lack of housing.

smooththecat · 08/08/2025 11:55

Replies on this thread are evidence of why the laws protecting tenants need to change. Realistically, how many people here who have kids and responsibilities could leave their home at any moment with nowhere to go? If landlords want to provide homes for people, they have to stop expecting the taxpayer to step in and foot the bill for temporary accommodation for people they evict.

Velmy · 08/08/2025 11:55

DysgraphiaQueen · 08/08/2025 11:51

She might be getting off on a technicality and abusing the system, but that does not dismiss that she has to take personal responsibility for her own actions and her family. She had a date provided, so bloody well get a grip get some self respect and self ownership and sort out some where else to live.

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Not everyone has the means to just sort out somewhere else to live.

Two things can be true here: It's unreasonable of her to stay beyond the date she was given to leave. It's also unreasonable to expect her to make her and her kids homeless (and by doing so intentionally, eligible for less help to find new housing).

Housechallenge · 08/08/2025 11:54

3kiddosandme · 08/08/2025 11:40

id had no issues with the landlord or inspections previously everything was fine, last year they installed a new heating system, I asked for the wall where the old boiler was to be fixed as they left it bare brick, was told this would be done, a year later its still the same, from the new heating system being installed they started doing i.spections every month and every month it was this needs doing that needs doing, I spent hundreds redecorating but all the wallpaper started coming off due to the walla being wet and the paint wasnt looking great either so I tried to fix it then a month later it was im happy with what you've done then a.month after that it was another inspection and then it was this needs repainting that needs doing, after a whole year of monthly inspections I got fed up and told them that it was too much, thats when I got the environmental health in to inspect, then while they were putting reports together it took 2 months for them.to do this I got a section 21, so the report wasnt finalised before the section 21 was issued which was issued the day after I paid my rent but the council had it on system that an inspection by them had been done before the section 21

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It almost sounds like he was trying to use you to fix the house.

It sounds like you get your keys very soon. You will be in secure housing and wont ever have to go through that sort of crap again. So look forward to that. a home that's yours well kind of may not be your house but it's your home for the long term. And you cam do all sorts decorating etc and make it yours.

QuarkQuarkPoshDuck · 08/08/2025 11:53

Spies · 08/08/2025 10:55

If the court gave you a date why would you not move out? You can't just stay there indefinitely until the other house is ready.

Because the OP had no where to go and the council won't offer emergency accommodation unless the bailiffs are at the door enforcing the court eviction.

The OP did the correct thing staying put and continuing to pay their rent.

If the OP had moved out pn the court date then the council could have stated they'd made themselves intentionally homeless and the OP would have then had to find temporary accommodation themselves which would be a nightmare.

BubblyBath178 · 08/08/2025 11:52

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DysgraphiaQueen · 08/08/2025 11:52

Livpool · 08/08/2025 11:47

Legally she can stay until the bailiffs move in. It isn’t OP’s fault that the repairs haven’t been done and properly not maintained correctly by the landlord…

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But she chose to stay there, its called self responsibility if its not right move.

DysgraphiaQueen · 08/08/2025 11:51

goldenquestion · 08/08/2025 11:46

That isn't how evictions work unfortunately. A section 21 is a request to vacate the property, no more or less.

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She might be getting off on a technicality and abusing the system, but that does not dismiss that she has to take personal responsibility for her own actions and her family. She had a date provided, so bloody well get a grip get some self respect and self ownership and sort out some where else to live.

Livpool · 08/08/2025 11:47

DysgraphiaQueen · 08/08/2025 11:34

So why is that the landlords responsibility, she knew the date and had ample time to arrange new accommodation or an alternative place to stay.

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Legally she can stay until the bailiffs move in. It isn’t OP’s fault that the repairs haven’t been done and properly not maintained correctly by the landlord…

goldenquestion · 08/08/2025 11:46

DysgraphiaQueen · 08/08/2025 11:34

So why is that the landlords responsibility, she knew the date and had ample time to arrange new accommodation or an alternative place to stay.

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That isn't how evictions work unfortunately. A section 21 is a request to vacate the property, no more or less.

Livpool · 08/08/2025 11:46

ThejoyofNC · 08/08/2025 11:33

That's not the landlords problem. She can't stay there.

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I believe legally that she can until the bailiffs come

Housechallenge · 08/08/2025 11:44

JustBiscoff · 08/08/2025 11:24

I’m astounded at some of the replies. Are people truly suggesting that OP should make themselves and their three children homeless, to convenience a landlord who has seemingly neglected the property?

The AIBU forum can be truly heartless, but this honestly takes the piss. How many of those responses are from people on ridiculous £200k + salaries, living comfortably in their 5+ bed detached houses, I wonder?

OP is rightly putting her family’s safety first. If they have no other accommodation to move in before the new house is ready, I’m not sure what alternative they gave.

Edited

Some posters dont understand the eviction route or why it often has to happen . Or the law surrounding it. Or the social housing side of it. And dismissing or blaming op for dis repair suits their agenda so they can just post for the sake of a dig at op.

35965a · 08/08/2025 11:44

Some of these replies are nuts. It’s completely normal to stay until the bailiffs take possession. OP would be a fool to leave before then if her new accommodation isn’t ready.

goldenquestion · 08/08/2025 11:41

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 08/08/2025 10:51

this is the reason so many landlords are selling up. Staying for bailiffs is absolutely unreasonable,

Edited

It might be unreasonable, but in this climate people often have no choice. Councils won't help house you if you leave before bailiffs arrive.

Original poster
3kiddosandme · 08/08/2025 11:40

Housechallenge · 08/08/2025 11:30

Agree it would come under revenge eviction.
But in op case if she has beren offered housing association which gives her much more security. So there was probably no point in op fighting it.

Show quote history

id had no issues with the landlord or inspections previously everything was fine, last year they installed a new heating system, I asked for the wall where the old boiler was to be fixed as they left it bare brick, was told this would be done, a year later its still the same, from the new heating system being installed they started doing i.spections every month and every month it was this needs doing that needs doing, I spent hundreds redecorating but all the wallpaper started coming off due to the walla being wet and the paint wasnt looking great either so I tried to fix it then a month later it was im happy with what you've done then a.month after that it was another inspection and then it was this needs repainting that needs doing, after a whole year of monthly inspections I got fed up and told them that it was too much, thats when I got the environmental health in to inspect, then while they were putting reports together it took 2 months for them.to do this I got a section 21, so the report wasnt finalised before the section 21 was issued which was issued the day after I paid my rent but the council had it on system that an inspection by them had been done before the section 21

OP posts:
Boomboomboomboom · 08/08/2025 11:39

Staying for the bailiffs is not unreasonable and a landlord cannot evict before then- your tenancy even technically continues until the day the bailiffs take possession or you give up possession.

Landlords should always factor in not getting possession until a bailiff executes a warrant because that is the law.

Sounds like you had good reason to stay.

I wouldn't chuck keys at them but I'd think about doing it too!

ThisMintGoose · 08/08/2025 11:39

A lot of landlords in here. Ignore them.

MemorableTrenchcoat · 08/08/2025 11:35

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 08/08/2025 10:51

this is the reason so many landlords are selling up. Staying for bailiffs is absolutely unreasonable,

Edited

No, it's not, don't talk rubbish. For example, if you don't do this you won't qualify for social housing.

jen337 · 08/08/2025 11:35

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 08/08/2025 10:51

this is the reason so many landlords are selling up. Staying for bailiffs is absolutely unreasonable,

Edited

Good, we need less of the parasites