How do I get neighbour evicted?

[MrsPinkFlower]

I live in Scotland and own my terraced house. My neighbour (neighbour A) rents his. The neighbour on the other side of him (neighbour B) owns theirs and I’m friends with them.

Last night there was a fire in his house, the smoke alarm went off for 20 minutes without him doing anything (probably too drugged up/drunk to notice), Someone called the fire brigade and he wouldn’t answer the door to them initially. Smoke pouring out his kitchen window, they eventually got in, put it out and he came outside and was sick in his garden.

He’s a terrible neighbour and an awful person. Doesn’t work, deals drugs, abuses his girifriends, has nothing to do with his multiple children. He’s going to court later this year for assaulting last year’s girlfriend but already has another living with him. He was playing music loudly at all times of the day but that has quietened since a complaint was made by another neighbour.

His garden is full of rubbish and overgrown weeds and it’s been reported. He doesn’t use his bins so the house must be full of rubbish. The landlord doesn’t carry out any house checks or make him maintain the garden although they live in the next town. They clearly don’t give a toss as long as he’s paying rent.

I try to live and let live but the fire is a step too far. He’s endangered me and my children and there’s no way he’ll have house insurance. How do we get him evicted?

In England we’d get local councillors on the case. Not actually sure of the set up in Scotland.

If there's been a big fire, he won't be going back in anytime soon. A proper clear up post fire/smoke damage can take many months. The landlord may be of the same opinion as you about fire safety as well.

It’s very difficult for the landlord to get him evicted, that’s the policy of the Scottish government.

The are not allowed to carry out regular hour checks. They can’t make them maintain the garden.

For all you know he has been trying for years.

That’s what the people of Scotland voted for. The bleeding heart, middle class liberals who have never had to live next to the neighbour from hell. And who want fewer rented properties because they imagine it will reduce house prices for their kids who want to snap up a bargain.

He’s still in there. I don’t think it’s been a big fire. Neighbour B is talking about us both writing letters of complaint to the landlord (we don’t know them but have their address from the landlord register) but I’m thinking about going to the landlord’s door and speaking to them in person.

Report and keep reporting.
If the landlord believes the tenancy has been breached and wants to take action then they can.

You need to get the landlord on side. I'd try a conciliatory approach to the landlord first. I know how I would address it. The property is declining in value, tenant is a danger. In my experience it's very difficult and I've dealt with loads of these.
From the landlord's perspective he will have to spend a lot on the property and doesn't want to.
Have you tried sitting down with the tenant in a non aggressive way and chatting?

Showing up on landlord's doorstep would be seen as quite inappropriate.

I deal with a lot of rental properties but I appreciate it might be different in Scotland.
Assuming you can get the Landlord to agree he wants to evict him (not certain) then its not easy and could take a long time unfortunately

Really?
So you want the presumably female op
to sit down with an abusive druggie and have a pleasant chat where he will see the error of his ways?
What fairyland do you live in?

He beats up his girlfriend’s. I’m not wasting my breath or putting myself in danger. I’m a sole parent with young children.

I don’t see how it’s inappropriate. I’m not even sure they’ll know about the fire or when his house was raided by the police earlier this year etc. we need to know their stance on this.

In these circumstances, I do not think it is unreasonable to show up at the door of the Landlord.

what I would do initially is write a letter and send it by recorded delivery giving him your details and requesting that he arrange a time to meet up with you in person or speak on the phone about the concerns you and your neighbours have about this tenant.

Do this several times if you do not receive a response.

in the meantime, you really need to know if this property is mortgaged because the only other entity that has a vested interest in the property is a mortgage lender or whoever he’s got building’s insurance with.

So, there’s a Landlord Register in Scotland.? I’d be making enquiries of them as to whether this property is suitable for habitation and certainly reporting a fire.

You’ve got a log by the fire brigade also which stands in your favour! I’d be calling them up and also putting it into writing as to whether they have informed the property owner about the fire and the reluctance of the tenant to let them in etc….!!!

https://www.ros.gov.uk/services/search-property-information

Get a copy of his title deeds from here.

If neighbour is beating his girlfriend, can you ring the police every time?

It’s very difficult now in Scotland to evict even for anti social behaviour. This is due to Scottish government policy. The landlord may have been trying to get him out- no one wants someone setting fire to his house. All you can do is complain to the landlord and council.

Have you phoned them or written to them? This would be your first step. Also you need to complain to the council

Writing them a letter or calling would be the first step. Bear in mind the landlord will be very limited in what they can do.

I had a tenant in Scotland involved in anti social behaviour including criminal conduct in the garden. The neighbours let me know (the police and council did not). I tried to evict them but they denied everything. It was over a year and I still hadn’t got rid of them when they decided to leave of their own volition. They stopped paying rent as soon as I asked them to leave due to the anti social behaviour.

if you voted for the housing policies of the current Scottish government, that’s the outcome

Please don’t do this op!

He doesn't need to tell you anything or even speak to you at all. Plus he might not spend all day at home, are you going to camp outside until he is in?
I think a letter would be your best option at this point
I don't blame you for being upset and it sounds like speaking directly to the druggie isn't an option but pissing the LL off won't help as it will be a potentially costly and difficult process for him to evict and you want him onside

The landlord will have buildings insurance so it might be worth contacting the landlord initially along the lines of I assume you know there has been a fire and what are his insurers doing to ensure the safety of the property as you are the next source terrace. Is there any chance that you could call me?

Remember all this is likely to take a long time. The landlord will not be able to just evict him even if they agree with you and want to, and the landlord is going to have to be willing to spend money on eviction, and potentially lose rent in the process. So don't assume doorstepping him will get a quicker result. As others, I recommend a recorded delivery letter landlord is step 1, also helps create a paper trail which door stepping him won't. Also see if you can find an estate agent or management company who helps the landlord. They may have more recent up to date contact details, especially of landlord is overseas or lives away.

I’m a landlord and if you turned up on my doorstep, the sympathy I would have had for your position would be greatly reduced. If you know where the landlord lives, write them a letter.

It is incredibly expensive and time consuming to evict a tenant thanks to the huge amount of protection they are given by the government and the minuscule amount of support given to landlords. If you can’t get rid of the tenant, blame the system, not the landlord.

Any chance of moving? - No one would want to live next to someone like that.

And the appropriate way to do that would be by letter.

You have the landlords details from the register. Send a recorded delivery letter asking to meet /have a phone call to discuss your concerns.

If there is a letting agent then obviously contact them as well in the same way. But I’m assuming there is not if you have the landlords home address ( this indicates they are probably a small landlord).

Send a copy of the letter to the private rented sector services at your Council.

Don’t waste your time trying to find out if they have a mortgage or contacting the fire brigade. Thats irrelevant.