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Original poster

Is my neighbour subletting, or has she done a genuine house swap?

131 replies

Lilyvioletrose · 22/05/2022 10:25

I live in a LA area, have done for some years. Most of the houses are bought, as the area is nice, peaceful, and the houses and gardens are a great size.
I’ve never seen any trouble on my quiet cul de sac, until new tenants moved in to one of the houses opposite us about six months ago.
Two men, a woman, two teenagers and a couple of kids live there now.

I’m the type to ‘live and let live’ but these tenants are often rowdy, there’s always someone making a racket (which I can put up with) with people coming and going and revving their cars up late at night. But when the adults are literally fighting with each other and arguing in the street at 3 am (as they were the other night) and not giving a shit that they’re waking the neighbours up, I just wish they’d leave.

Before the neighbours moved in there was a woman living there with her three kids. However, she moved out of the house about five years ago to live with her new partner, taking her youngest dd with her. Her eldest dc’s (her two dd’s aged about 18 and 21 at the time their mum moved out) continued to live on in the house. Both eventually had boyfriends moving in with them.

Fast forward to around six months ago, the young women suddenly moved out with their boyfriends, and within hours a new family were unloading a removal van and had moved into the house.
(As the house is still a council house, I was firstly surprised that the original tenant had been able to move out and allow her grown up daughters to live there, but presumed that she felt her relationship may not work out and would need to move back in with her youngest dc)

I was also surprised that when the eldest dd’s moved out more recently, new tenants were moved in immediately. I’d always assumed that the council would go in and clear a property before the next tenants were given a key to the house. But this house still has the original tenants curtains up at the windows, and I believe the tenants are either friends or family of the previous ones as I saw the dd’s talking with them on the day they left.

My point is, how would I know whether the previous tenant has sub letted the property or simply swapped houses with the new tenants?

If she has sub letted (which I believe is most likely) I would report it. Although I don’t want to cause problems for people who’ve done a genuine swap, even if they are a pain in the arse to live near!
For the record, the house is a three bedroom.

OP posts:
70kid · 22/05/2022 11:07

Report to Estate management on your council website
give as much detail as possible

if it was a genuine swop before the swop went ahead the council have to do a check on their property to make sure that their is nothing that needs doing that is their responsibility.

In my neighbours case the house needed a complete new roof staircase and front door and if held the move up for 10 months as he was a serious hoarder

if it was a swop genuine you could probably find it still listed on Homeswapper if you searched by postcode

most council tenancies start on a Monday
so it’s perfectly possible to sign the papers on the Friday and move over the weekend

Finalcountdowntoourtripaway · 22/05/2022 11:08

I did a swap same day years ago.

Once applied for a council house with 4 dc and was told no as would be overcrowded..

Berthatydfil · 22/05/2022 11:08

GirlCrushxxx · 22/05/2022 10:40

You are ALLOWED to sublet though?

No in many if not most LA and RSL areas subletting is not allowed. Particularly if the original tenant is charging mirevthan their rent which is usually lower than private landlords.
So in a nut shell the original tenant is housed so doesn’t need the house, they may (or may not) be profiting from this and this may (depending on demand) by preventing the house being allocated to someone in need of housing.
So op is right to be concerned and it should be reported.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 22/05/2022 11:08

Danikm151 · 22/05/2022 11:06

You can’t report you suspect subletting but you can report the antisocial behaviour. Council tenancies have rules surrounding this.

Of course you can

Original poster
Lilyvioletrose · 22/05/2022 11:09

whiteroseredrose · 22/05/2022 11:03

I'd say that by being inconsiderate neighbours they have made it your business, so 'beak in'.

Report. If it's a legitimate house swap, fine. If not, then the council can deal with it.

I think the 'beak out' culture is dreadful. Awful things can be happening and nobody is prepared to intervene or get involved, because it isn't their problem.

Precisely! They’ve made it my business to find out wtf is going on!
if they’d been respectful of others living nearby then they wouldn’t be drawing attention.
I agree re the beak out culture, these people would be the first to report if they had to put up with it, I’ve no doubt!

OP posts:
ancientgran · 22/05/2022 11:12

If they are being a nuisance report them. Doesn't matter if they are the legitimate tenants or not they still shouldn't be causing a nuisance so go with that. If they aren't supposed to be there it will come out but for your enjoyment of your own home it is surely the nuisance that matters.

Original poster
Lilyvioletrose · 22/05/2022 11:20

If it’s a genuine house swap, then I imagine the original tenant would’ve had to have made out that she still lives there (even though she moved out five years ago), as even if her two dd’s have been able to take the tenancy on, surely they’d now only be able to swap to a two bed property?

And the amount of people who live there now I imagine wouldn’t have come from a two bed property.

OP posts:
catandcoffee · 22/05/2022 11:21

I read LA as being in the USA. 🤔

You mention council so I assume it's not USA. So what's L A ?

Bumtum126 · 22/05/2022 11:22

Local authority IE the council

Original poster
Lilyvioletrose · 22/05/2022 11:22

The more I think of it, it seems as if the eldest dd’s have probably gone on to find new properties to live in with their partners, whilst the house is still in the original tenants name.

OP posts:
BrunoMadrigal · 22/05/2022 11:44

I really can’t stand people like you. What a horrible country we have become when people proudly report neighbours.

Have you actually spoken to them about the noise, or too busy curtain twitching?

myuterusistryingtokillme · 22/05/2022 11:55

Regardless of how the new people got there, I would be reporting the nuisance as that's the issue affecting you

Tillsforthrills · 22/05/2022 11:58

How do you know this much about your neighbours lives and comings and going’s?!

Mind your own business.

CellophaneFlower · 22/05/2022 11:59

BrunoMadrigal · 22/05/2022 11:44

I really can’t stand people like you. What a horrible country we have become when people proudly report neighbours.

Have you actually spoken to them about the noise, or too busy curtain twitching?

Perhaps OP feels uncomfortable about approaching people who fight in the street?

OP, I don't think you've been rude at all and 2 posters especially have been unnecessarily rude to you.

I'd 100% report. Perhaps I'd respond differently if they were considerate neighbours, but clearly they're not.

MayorDusty · 22/05/2022 11:59

Report if you think it's a sublet.
Or don't and let the jealousy keep you warm.
Starting a thread to get people frothing about council tenants isn't going to satisfy your curiosity or were you hoping for others to tell stories about the undeserving?

Original poster
Lilyvioletrose · 22/05/2022 12:01

BrunoMadrigal · 22/05/2022 11:44

I really can’t stand people like you. What a horrible country we have become when people proudly report neighbours.

Have you actually spoken to them about the noise, or too busy curtain twitching?

And I really can’t ‘stand’ people like you ….. what a horrible country we have become when people turn a blind eye to those causing disruptions and upset to people who are trying to live their lives peacefully!
it’s people like you who should be ashamed of themselves quite frankly. Do one.

OP posts:
Bumtum126 · 22/05/2022 12:02

Tillsforthrills · 22/05/2022 11:58

How do you know this much about your neighbours lives and comings and going’s?!

Mind your own business.

Agreed, people want to live their lives without being reported. If that means fighting in the street at 3am that's how they want to live.

Tillsforthrills · 22/05/2022 12:03

Lilyvioletrose · 22/05/2022 10:55

Because I do, no need to explain how I know.

Show quote history

You know your neighbours are receiving housing benefit? What next? I think you’re the one who should be reported for stalking and harassment.

SamphirethePogoingStickerist · 22/05/2022 12:04

GirlCrushxxx · 22/05/2022 10:49

I'd ensure they WERE screwing the system first..... wouldn't you?

And you do that by reporting the issue to the council.

If there is no problem then nothing will happen. Much like the boom in CCTV surveillance, if you are doing nothing wrong then it won't matter if your neighbours make a report about you.

So yes @Lilyvioletrose contact your council, outline your current issues about the nuisance and noise and ask if there could be a check as you don't think they are registered tenants.

The LA will look, eventually.

Tillsforthrills · 22/05/2022 12:05

Bumtum126 · 22/05/2022 12:02

Agreed, people want to live their lives without being reported. If that means fighting in the street at 3am that's how they want to live.

Show quote history

It happens everywhere!

Loud motorbikes, noisy teens, cars idling or revving, drunk people walking home - these things are life and happen in the best neighbourhoods (including mine).

BrunoMadrigal · 22/05/2022 12:05

Lilyvioletrose · 22/05/2022 12:01

And I really can’t ‘stand’ people like you ….. what a horrible country we have become when people turn a blind eye to those causing disruptions and upset to people who are trying to live their lives peacefully!
it’s people like you who should be ashamed of themselves quite frankly. Do one.

Show quote history

There’s a massive difference between dealing with noisy neighbours through proper means, and being a curtain twitcher looking to cause trouble…

I have nothing to be ashamed of, thank you very much. So I will proudly “do one”.

whowhatwerewhy · 22/05/2022 12:07

Can you look on the electoral roll ?

myuterusistryingtokillme · 22/05/2022 12:07

Well if people weren't inconsiderate arseholes making everyone else's life a misery with their antisocial behaviour, people wouldn't need to think about reporting them. A majority of people don't active 'curtain twitch' or look for issues, but it's unreasonable to expect people to just tolerate shitty behaviour from their neighbours. If they get reported then it's because they have brought it on themselves

Georgeskitchen · 22/05/2022 12:07

It sounds dodgy. You can certainly report the antisocial behaviour and your suspicions that they are subletting. If that's is the case the council will evict them and possibly take action against the tenant who has subletted

Crisscrossquiz · 22/05/2022 12:12

I don’t think you can know unless you can see the tenancy agreement. My new HA agreement says no subletting. It’s very clear. But I’m not sure if that applies across HAs or Council homes in general.

i would definitely report the antisocial behaviour because that’s what is affecting your quality of life. If your neighbour had sublet the property you might not have even twigged if whoever had moved in was quiet and respectful of their neighbours. As it is they sound a real nuisance and an investigation would hopefully show whether they were entitled to be in their or not.