AIBU to refuse a tenant's vulnerable guest staying in my HMO?

Poster555 · 2026-09-12T07:48:12+00:00

NC for this. I know landlords aren’t always popular here. I own and manage a few HMO’s in a nearby city. All legal requirements fulfilled, and normally have long term tenants. I woke this morning to a host of missed calls. One of the tenants, who has been fine for several years, invited his friend/ relative to stay for a temporary period as she was having issues with her landlord. He did not discuss this with me or the other tenants. Tenants are of course allowed visitors, including overnight for a day or two ( longer if they are visiting from abroad, etc. it’s pretty flexible). The Tenancy Agreement is very clear that visitors visit the person, and they should never be left unsupervised in the property or given a key. Around 6 weeks ago I was at the property for a routine treatment. The visitor was there alone. I had to ask her to leave as harmful chemicals were being used. I had a chat with the tenant later and he explained it was a one off emergency. It later transpired after complaints from other tenants and some unexplained damage that she was living in the property. That was a problem. She had no primary address elsewhere and her presence took the property into the next level of HMO, meaning it needed to be registered. The penalties for not registering when required are severe. I told the tenant he needed to tell her to leave. He did so and was met with a lot of resistance, but eventually she went, only to return in the early hours some days later. He felt he had to let her in. He asked for my help to get her to leave. She refused, saying the council had told her that I’d have to get a court order to evict her. Legal advice was that he invited her in and once he told her she was no longer welcome we could change locks when she was out. She actually went out without a key and whilst she was gone he put her belongings in a locked shed outside, offering to open it when she needed. That was about a week ago. I thought it was sorted. The calls in the early hours were from my tenant and the police asking if I would agree to her staying the night. I would have said no and fortunately as they couldn’t reach me she was not allowed in. This woman clearly has problems. I’d say she is vulnerable, but the same council that was advising her not to leave my property, whilst refusing any sort of practical assistance, would also be the ones taking action against me for running an unlicensed HMO. The tenant is being bullied by so called friends to let her stay. He is under a lot of pressure but I’ve had to tell him that if he lets her stay I will have to take steps to evict him. I have told him that I will speak to any official bodies that are trying to pressure him, and to the ‘friends’ I wasn’t expecting to speak to the police at 2-3 am though. Apparently they weren’t happy with me and thought the tenant should be able to take her in.

Genevieva · 19/09/2026 09:09

Police officers shouldn’t be opining on this or pressuring your tenant to take her in. They have protocols that they should stick to.

RocketLollyPolly · 19/09/2026 09:03

Poster555 · 19/09/2026 00:24

It’s just bizarre.

The neighbour is a lone parent so I have no idea what she was thinking of letting her stay.

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Could you speak to her directly rather than via nosey neighbour and tenant?

Kepler22B · 19/09/2026 07:58

She saw a young woman in distress and took pity on her, believing her to be low risk.

You know the young woman spins a yarn, so could easily sell a sob story, some of it will be true - she has no where to go.

Original poster

Poster555 · 19/09/2026 00:24

Merrybandofpirates · 19/09/2026 00:10

Sorry, a neighbour allowed a random stranger to spend the night after a sob story and then got angry with your tenant? That’s ridiculous. If she is going to go about believing any old story and allowing people to stay, she doesn’t get to then be angry with the other people this psycho has also tried to drag down.

It’s just bizarre.

The neighbour is a lone parent so I have no idea what she was thinking of letting her stay.

OP posts:

Merrybandofpirates · 19/09/2026 00:10

Sorry, a neighbour allowed a random stranger to spend the night after a sob story and then got angry with your tenant? That’s ridiculous. If she is going to go about believing any old story and allowing people to stay, she doesn’t get to then be angry with the other people this psycho has also tried to drag down.

andweallsingalong · 18/09/2026 21:36

Hopefully she's bailed until court and then it will be replaced with a permanent restraining order.

Original poster

Poster555 · 18/09/2026 20:14

GarlicSomething · 18/09/2026 19:20

Crikey, you've got a whole soap opera going on 😬 I'm sorry you're having to be the adult around all these upset people - what a strain.

I'm fervently hoping, on your behalf, the young woman's found another refuge and won't be bothering your tenants again! It's really sad when self-destruction goes this far, not least because efforts to help rarely succeed. The destruction simply expands into the helpers' lives.

I’m hoping this will be the end of the matter.

I feel a bit bad that the result of the neighbour’s ill fortune has actually been quite helpful to me.

I don’t know how long the order lasts, but hopefully it will be enough to break the cycle.

OP posts:

BruFord · 18/09/2026 20:06

Oh honestly, she really is a troublemaker. At least she's banned from your property and your neighbour's property now.

GarlicSomething · 18/09/2026 19:20

Crikey, you've got a whole soap opera going on 😬 I'm sorry you're having to be the adult around all these upset people - what a strain.

I'm fervently hoping, on your behalf, the young woman's found another refuge and won't be bothering your tenants again! It's really sad when self-destruction goes this far, not least because efforts to help rarely succeed. The destruction simply expands into the helpers' lives.

Original poster

Poster555 · 18/09/2026 19:00

GarlicSomething · 18/09/2026 16:01

@Poster555, have things settled down yet?

Thanks for asking.

I’d say that the situation is settled at present.

Unfortunately things escalated badly in the meantime.

The woman somehow managed to get one of the neighbours to let her stay overnight.

I don’t know how long she was there, but when the neighbour told her to leave, she refused.

There was some sort of physical altercation, and another neighbour ( the ‘nosey’ one) called the police.

She was arrested. I am not sure of the exact charge, but the neighbour says she is not allowed within 100 metres of her flat. My flat is clearly also within 100 metres, so she is legally banned from being there.

I have only been told al of this second hand, from the ‘nosey’ neighbour and via my tenant, who initially incurred the wrath of the accommodating neighbour. He managed to explain the true situation, and she is ok ( ish) with him, but still very angry.

OP posts:

GarlicSomething · 18/09/2026 16:01

@Poster555, have things settled down yet?

carchi · 15/09/2026 19:48

NigellaAwesome · 15/09/2026 15:59

And uninformed quote of the day goes to Greenseacat.
I have a HMO - the tenants are not low income, vulnerable or crowded in. They are 4 mid-twenties professionals sharing a luxury duplex, with new kitchen, 2 new bathrooms and new washing machine and tumble dryer provided.
Not all HMOs are slums, in fact knowing the licensing requirements involved, I would be very surprised that there are more than a small minority.
In my council area an HMO is defined as more than 2 households living together and every HMO needs to be fully licensed, regardless of size. So 3 friends sharing a house will need to have the property licensed, involving £1k plus licensing fee, professionally conducted fire risk assessment, 6 monthly professional check of smoke alarms, PAT testing of appliances, comply with all smoke alarm & EICR legislation, confirmation letters from accountant that you have sufficient funds to maintain the property, letter from solicitor in relation to ownership of property, letter from mortgage provider etc.

All right and proper as I want to make sure my tenants have a safe and comfortable home to live in, but it grinds my gears to hear the ‘HMO landlords are parasites’ trope from someone who clearly hasn’t a clue.

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Uninformed is being polite. I would say ignorant and pathetic name calling is more appropriate from someone who is completely clueless. Well done to you for running a successful business and providing much needed homes for people. Just ignore such stupid comments.

pinkyredrose · 15/09/2026 18:50

SuffolkMan · 14/09/2026 12:30

I am slightly concerned that (the tenant) might turn out to be the ‘weak’ link in keeping her out

She is probably giving him sexual favours.

Yup, trust a man to come up with that one!

NigellaAwesome · 15/09/2026 15:59

Greenseacat · 13/09/2026 19:19

Landlords who own HMOs, especially 'several HMOs', are parasites as far as I am concerned.

Piling people on into one property and profiteering from the fact that their tenants are on low income and/or vulnerable.

And uninformed quote of the day goes to Greenseacat.
I have a HMO - the tenants are not low income, vulnerable or crowded in. They are 4 mid-twenties professionals sharing a luxury duplex, with new kitchen, 2 new bathrooms and new washing machine and tumble dryer provided.
Not all HMOs are slums, in fact knowing the licensing requirements involved, I would be very surprised that there are more than a small minority.
In my council area an HMO is defined as more than 2 households living together and every HMO needs to be fully licensed, regardless of size. So 3 friends sharing a house will need to have the property licensed, involving £1k plus licensing fee, professionally conducted fire risk assessment, 6 monthly professional check of smoke alarms, PAT testing of appliances, comply with all smoke alarm & EICR legislation, confirmation letters from accountant that you have sufficient funds to maintain the property, letter from solicitor in relation to ownership of property, letter from mortgage provider etc.

All right and proper as I want to make sure my tenants have a safe and comfortable home to live in, but it grinds my gears to hear the ‘HMO landlords are parasites’ trope from someone who clearly hasn’t a clue.

ChampagneCharly · 15/09/2026 07:46

I don’t want for my DP it if it comes with control and conditions.

and yet there are conditions for whether you continue to remain in contact with her? Namely she hand over a chunk of her inheritance?

sounds like you’re the one issuing controlling conditions!

JapanesePotWeed · 14/09/2026 13:41

Pumpkindice · 14/09/2026 12:52

Perhaps where you live, but the ones I worked with were all private landlords or charities and the level of 'support' in some was extremely questionable. We haven't had council provision for many, many years. The provision from the private landlords 100% needed better regulation.

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100% I agree with you and it is why I am posting

Pumpkindice · 14/09/2026 12:52

JapanesePotWeed · 14/09/2026 12:27

NIMBY 😅
20years ago the majority of supported housing units were still ran by the Council. That has changed. And it is a change that is helping no one.
Every single HMO around me was converted from a family home for student use around 20 years ago.We are very close to a University. Within the last 5-7 years the landlords moved the students out and the addict population in. Most recently it's the asylum contracts gaining popularity. Poverty and neediness is a huge and very profitable business!
There are streets where over 40% of ALL houses are private Supported Accommodation. That number does not include other HMOs, like those under Asylum Contracts. I live on a street that is exactly like that - a large majority ( in excess of 70%) of 138 terraced properties are converted shared houses with transient tenants.
I am a victim of poverty exploitation system that drains whole areas of social capital and diverts all other resources towards those who service needs. The needy must remain needy or the business plan falls apart.

You might as well go on a Victorian slum and call a resident there a NIMBY for wanting to see an improvement in their surroundings.

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Perhaps where you live, but the ones I worked with were all private landlords or charities and the level of 'support' in some was extremely questionable. We haven't had council provision for many, many years. The provision from the private landlords 100% needed better regulation.

SuffolkMan · 14/09/2026 12:30

I am slightly concerned that (the tenant) might turn out to be the ‘weak’ link in keeping her out

She is probably giving him sexual favours.

JapanesePotWeed · 14/09/2026 12:27

Pumpkindice · 14/09/2026 10:54

Those types of homes - supported accommodation with an enhanced rate of housing benefit - have always existed, I worked in them twenty years ago.
The difference is that now, regular house shares usually have to be registered as HMOs with the council, to ensure there is adequate communal space and fire safety, and NIMBYs like you assume that every one of them is going to be used to house criminals/asylum seekers/people who should be in hospital. And they keep getting blocked, when many of them are just affordable places to live!

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NIMBY 😅
20years ago the majority of supported housing units were still ran by the Council. That has changed. And it is a change that is helping no one.
Every single HMO around me was converted from a family home for student use around 20 years ago.We are very close to a University. Within the last 5-7 years the landlords moved the students out and the addict population in. Most recently it's the asylum contracts gaining popularity. Poverty and neediness is a huge and very profitable business!
There are streets where over 40% of ALL houses are private Supported Accommodation. That number does not include other HMOs, like those under Asylum Contracts. I live on a street that is exactly like that - a large majority ( in excess of 70%) of 138 terraced properties are converted shared houses with transient tenants.
I am a victim of poverty exploitation system that drains whole areas of social capital and diverts all other resources towards those who service needs. The needy must remain needy or the business plan falls apart.

You might as well go on a Victorian slum and call a resident there a NIMBY for wanting to see an improvement in their surroundings.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 14/09/2026 11:21

I am slightly concerned that (the tenant) might turn out to be the ‘weak’ link in keeping her out

I'd have thought it pretty obvious he already is, @Poster555; after all it wasn't the other tenats who lied to you about her staying and kept letting her in even after you told him to stop

Pumpkindice · 14/09/2026 10:54

JapanesePotWeed · 13/09/2026 23:34

It is a very, very different landscape now from the olden days of house shares.
Most HMOs (apart from very few cases catering to a specific market in expensive neighborhoods) house tenants with complex problems -immigration status, addictions, repeat homelessness, mental health problems, criminal history. Why? The "poverty market" is making landlords rich. It pays better than any other option outside of wealthy areas ever could!
There are literally hundreds of HMOs in my immediate area. Less than 10% house students or professionals starting out. The rest are the complex cases. Those so called strict HMO regulations don't even touch the sides of what is going on. Crime, drugs, rubbish and properties in severe decay with awful living conditions.

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Those types of homes - supported accommodation with an enhanced rate of housing benefit - have always existed, I worked in them twenty years ago.
The difference is that now, regular house shares usually have to be registered as HMOs with the council, to ensure there is adequate communal space and fire safety, and NIMBYs like you assume that every one of them is going to be used to house criminals/asylum seekers/people who should be in hospital. And they keep getting blocked, when many of them are just affordable places to live!

tommyhoundmum · 14/09/2026 09:43

Pumpkindice · 13/09/2026 21:33

Given the cost of renting now, it's not just low earners who are living in house shares either. I moved to my town ten years ago and rented a 2bed house for £560 a month. Now I see house shares going for £600 a month, and it's rare to see a (tiny, 2 up 2 down terrace with a communal garden) go for less than £950. I know prices go up, but local wages certainly haven't gone up that much. It would be really difficult for a single person to have their own place, and many couples would struggle, not just those on minimum wage.

A small one bed flat in our house was rented for £2k a month until recently. Now it's for sale.

SuffolkMan · 14/09/2026 07:25

GarlicSomething · 13/09/2026 20:24

She's not abusing our hospitality! No recourse to public funds means she's explicitly denied our 'hospitality' - as PPs have explained, it's the case for the majority of arrivals to the UK.

She's abusing OP's tenant's personal hospitality, no-one else's.

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Of course she is abusing our hospitality. She is wasting a load of police time. She is an unemployed homeless alcoholic who is causing problems for the OP the tenant & the police. She is offering no benefit to British society & should be deported back to her home countrey.

jdb9803 · 14/09/2026 05:50

Catpuss66 · 13/09/2026 23:11

So not a random homeless person. A homeless teenager that your son already knew. Wonder what is parents think?

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Most people would call it a sleepover!

pollyglot · 14/09/2026 02:32

Got to page 3 to find something like 12 posts and an unnumbered quantity of quoted posts from one person who was not the original OP. Gotta admire her rhinoceros hide in parading her dogoodery.