Unwanted lodger I need advice

[EachandEveryone]

I wrote afew weeks ago about my lodger. I am a tenant in a 3 bedded flat I’ve lived here for 23 years in London with a rent that hardly increases. Originally three were on the contract now it’s just me. If someone moves in and wants to be here long term then they go on the contract. If not they just pay a third of the rent and leave with a months notice. I don’t make any money from this and it’s worked out well for 23 years (my own property is up north) my landlord knows and isn’t interested we don’t involve each other as I maintain the flat and she does the big jobs like new windows etc.

Someone moved in four months ago I never knew at the time she has PTSD and other MH issues she’s lived in London awhile but is from Russia. She was fine at first then she lost her job then she would scream if we shut any door no matter how quietly and she literally goes purple with rage. I asked her to leave but she put the rent in as normal so yesterday when it happened again at 2pm on a Sunday she was screaming in my flat mates face saying she’s not well and we are disrespectful I waited for it to die down and emphasised that she has to go in three weeks. And that she has no other rights.

Now she’s sent me a nicey nicey text asking me to answer these questions. I’ve enclosed it. What do you think she is up to? I don’t want to give her any details. I know she is under the new gp and is on meds but do I really need to give her this information when I’ve asked her to leave?

Sounds like you are mustering your strength a bit more now.

She has made a threat though so maybe the police could act on that?

Are you ready to change the locks when she goes out? If not get the stuff asap so you are prepared.

www.diy.com/ideas-advice/how-to-change-different-types-of-door-locks/CC_npcart_4100001.art

The time to call the police is when she kicks off because she can't get back in.

Ive spoke since then to my local police officers and they were really helpful. Ive followed it up with an email. Im not signing any letters for her. They said the fact that shes accused me of a hate crime could open a can of worms so it was good ive emailed. I obviously dont want my job brought into it. They are worried about her just been a lodger and whether this will mean they should tell the landlord. The truth is, i dont want her involved as she has many residences and many people looking for flats I dont want to be on her radar unless I have to.

I'm a bit confused how this is a good thing OP? Now the police think you are involved in "hate crime" and she's still living there? And the police want to involve the landlord?

It's nothing to do with your landlord as long as she has given permission for you to take lodgers. Only you can evict her, your landlord can't unless she ends your tenancy first.

For something to be a hate crime there has to have been a crime committed.

Just change the locks at the earliest opportunity.

I'd pack her things and change the locks.
You're going to have a hard time getting her out otherwise.

No the police know im not involved in hate crime! They know shes saying this about me and that to them is an accusation that i needed to put in writing just incase she takes it further so they have in on record. They are telling me to try and ride it out for the two weeks as its ample time for her to find somewhere but if there is violence or anymore accusations coming from her to ring 999. They also said they will ring me in a couple of days to see how i am getting on. I feel better for them knowing. I wish i has money to throw at this but the simple answer is that i dont all the rent money pays the bills down to the last penny and they all cone out on the 5th.

She can go today! You have the right to do so

Her threat to you is sufficient

“Get out. Now.”

It’s that simple - she’s a vile bully and she’s a liar too.

So are you now saying you need her to stay the 2 weeks as you can't afford to repay her the additional rent money?!

The police know she is aggressive, unstable and prone to temper outburst as well as making veiled threats but say it’s ok for her to stay with you a further two weeks?

Disgraceful, I read more and more about how ineffective the police are and I used to be a huge supporter of them.

So are you now saying you need her to stay the 2 weeks as you can't afford to repay her the additional rent money?!

This is how I'm reading it too.

How are you planning on financially managing without her paying rent if you have no surplus at all during a month that you hadn’t planned on her living with you and hadn’t arranged for somebody else to move in and take her place?

I presume op.will get another lodger who doesn't scream and threaten her?
She has been.doing this for years doubt she will have a problem.

She can't afford a two week rent gap though Willow, if I've understood correctly. That's extremely precarious. She already has a problem and this is the result - she's apparently stuck with this woman for two more weeks. How quickly will she have to find another lodger to cover her bills? How unfussy will she have to be? At least this one is only verbally aggressive.

OP - did the lodger pay a deposit? Can you afford to return it?

If you're stuck with her for two more weeks it would be best to help with the UC claim.

And OP, sort your finances out. You say you've lived in the same property for 23 years and the rent has hardly increased. You presumably work full time. You have a flatmate and a lodger paying towards the rent. Why are your finances so tight? Where's the money going?

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And then when she puts another month’s rent in your account and again refuses to leave, what will you do?

Is there any update on this or was it a load of tosh?

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I hope you’ve managed to get her out OP.

I know the op from another part of mumsnet so I doubt it’s made up.

Sorry I just realised I forgot to update.

So, about a week before her leaving date there was a knock on the door and before i even answered it i could hear the police radio.....

It was a hot evening and she was out the back smoking allsorts with some random blokes shed befriended. Now I know your advice wouldve been to direct the copper to the back way but that wouldve caused all kinds of troubld for the business’s down the back and I really dont want to make enemies of them.

Anyway, the policeman was looking for her. I was bloody shaking inside. He said shed made an appointment for him to come around😯 i never knew there was such a thing. Well i knocked on her door knowing she wasnt in and I spoke to him about her and explained what had been going on and he was fine. Two hours later i hear voices in the living room and hes back and hes chatting with her! He then asked us in to close the loop. She kept saying her human rights had been trampled on and how can this be a free country live and let live etc. She was bombed off her head rambling on. He was very good and basically said the UK law says that you have no rights to be in this flat please be gone by the 8th. That was it really.

She spent the next week on speaker phone in the shower , in her room, asking various blokes if she should wear a bra today? We never could work out what she was doing as it was quite muffled.

She went on that day. A posh older english bloke took her somewhere. Shes had loads of official mail, claim forms etc. Ill keep it for abit.

A lovely NI student teacher has moved in. Shes young but so, so sweet. Her girlfriend came around last night and bought me a bottle of wine for letting her stay over🤔 i must tell her she doesnt need my permission! Shes lovely and hopefully it will work out.

Apologies again i had alot going on and i hate it myself when people dont update.

Glad it all worked out and she’s finally left.

So glad this was sorted, OP - I didn't contribute originally, as I didn't have anything to help, but I am relieved to know she left without (much) more drama.

Yes, she was a lesson learnt really.