Not AIBU, but I need help with harassment from Landlord

[Spades23]

I know it's not related to AIBU, but I really do need help and I'm desperate.

So my section 21 expires today. I've not secured any other property. Private are just not choosing me, not through any fault of mine, its just one of those things that I can't control. The council, although I am a priority, is understandably not happening either. I do have 8 weeks rent in advance, but nothings happening for me. I have a child with disabilities (teenager) at home and a 10 year old, for background. I have been told to not leave the property and wait for court proceedings, otherwise I am intentionally making myself homeless and will not be entitled to any support. I am aware I will have to cover court costs.

For abit more background, been a Tenant for 14 years. Never any issues. Until 6 months ago, when my landlord asked me to have sex with him in exchange for rent or he can be my sugar daddy. I told him to leave the property an never come here unsupervised again. I am 30, with 2 young girls at home. I do not trust this man near me or my Daughters. Few months later he hands me a section 21. I did speak to the Police, but they said he'd actually not done anything illegal. He has also done this to a previous Tenant, also a young woman. I know this because I do decorating in my spare time and this lady asked me to help her. This was before he made the comments towards me.

Issue I'm facing now, he keeps turning up, unannounced at the property. I do not answer the door to him. Hes banging on the door for 10-15 mins each time and peering through the windows. He sits outside in his car for 15 minutes and watches the house, then leaves. He knows I'm here because my car is here. He doesn't know where I work thankfully. But I'm worried about this. Each time he turns up it makes me feel sick. What can I do about this? I do not want him near me. I don't feel safe, it's putting me on edge. I have all my doors locked and have put a lock on the garden gate so he can't come that way. I'm consider using the rent advance money for a cheap hotel, as I just can't cope with this on top the stress I already have.

Any help is appreciated!

Call Shelter? They should have someone who can advise. Hope this gets resolved soon.

Phone the police every time he arrives at your home and acts in this way.

Call Shelter and ask them for advice.

Contact your local councillor and ask their advice.

Contact your Housing Department and let them know he is harassing you.

Remember, until evicted, you continue to have the right to peaceful enjoyment of your home.

Thank you. I will give them a call now.

I have emailed the Council Officer I have to let them know about this. Hoping they can contact him to leave me alone.

I never thought of the local Councillor! Thanks, I will find out who this is and get in contact.

Thank you!

Also remember, the serving (or ending) of a S21 does not end the tenancy - only you or the court issued eviction order can do that. It could take months for the process to go through court and you have the right to remain in the property - peacefully - until such an order is carried out by the court ordered bailiffs.

I don't understand how they can say you're making yourself homeless when he's asked to to leave.
You should be entitled to temporary emergency accommodation from the council.

The housing officer told me that if I voluntarily leave with no place to go, I've intentionally made myself homeless. If I am told to leave by the courts, it's not my fault. It's just extremely stressful, I never thought I'd ever be in this situation.

It's because the system is broken.

A section 21 is exactly what you've said, OP has been asked to leave. As far as the law and the council are concerned, she can say 'no' and stay in the home - so isn't homeless.

The next step for the landlord is an eviction, that's the point OP can't stay any longer, and that's the point the council will house her as that's when they consider her homeless.

Do you have / can you get a ring doorbell or a camera you can put in the window to record his behaviour op? I'd make that a priority so you have proper evidence.

The indoors ones are cheap on amazon if you can position it inside a window looking out.

Yeah you can't leave until the court forces you to, otherwise the council won't help.

Does your landlord know you're refusing to leave? The fact you (understandably) won't answer the door to him might mean that he is confused as to why you're not going and wondering what the hell is going on. If I were a landlord (I'm not that terrible a person) I'd probably go round and knock on the door if my tenant was not leaving at the end of their tenancy agreement to find out what the deal was.

This is the natural response - there's not much point the landlord starting legal action if he finds out the occupant is all boxed up but there's been a problem with the removal van not turning up.

I think you need to explain to the landlord what's going on. Stringing him out isn't beneficial to you - if you need a court order for the council to help you, the sooner the better so you have some certainty.

The police is your only option now - he is harassing you and he certainly isn’t supposed to be banging on your door.

OP if you happen to be in N Yorks I know an amazing landlord who doesn’t use agents but finds her own people she has a few properties at the moment available

Yes I emailed him on Wednesday to state I hadn't yet secured anything. My housing officer has been in contact trying to get me some more time. He has been updated throughout the whole process. There is no reason to come to the property.

One minute he said I could have 6 months, then he withdrew that and said he wants to renovate the property so he wants me to leave. He has just been a nightmare in the whole process.

Also I recently had to help my Aunty who was being harassed by her landlord and the local housing department wrote him a letter essentially telling him to behave himself and spelling out how he has broken his side of the agreement

I live on a terraced street, I don't think I'm able to have a ring door bell? I have had a chain fitted to the door so it can't be opened if unlocked.

I do have a viewing on a private tomorrow, I'm hoping it goes well and I can leave.

“ ‘Sex for rent’ is an arrangement where landlords exchange accommodation for free or at a discount in return for sexual relations with their tenants. This is already illegal under the Sexual Offences Act, and landlords can already be prosecuted for attempting to engage in sex for rent.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-considers-new-sex-for-rent-law

Contact your MP (perhaps in person at their constituency surgery?) begging for help: explain that your landlord attempted to coerce you into sex, issued an eviction notice when you refused, and is now harassing you but the police are refusing to take any action despite clear statements from the Government on the above website saying that landlords demanding ‘sex for rent’ is a criminal offence under the Sexual Offences Act. Tell your MP about the previous tenant’s experience. Tell them that two children are at your address.

Ask your MP why the police will not protect you and your children from
this sexual predator or prevent the serial sexual harassment of women at this address.

Complain to the police again and again, and each time you do so, email the landlord to say that his behaviour is a criminal offence and has been reported to the police. Tell the police you have contacted your MP about their refusal to protect you and your children from sexuak harassment, and ask for details of their complaints procedure.

I have just reported this online from the advice of Shelter.

I am going to change the locks and put them back once I leave. I just don't trust him, I really don't. I have a 14 year old, and it scares me if she is here alone till I get home from work.

Just emailing the Councillor now, I will add in what you've said.

Thanks all, I feel like I am in somewhat control a little. I'm just so stressed at the moment, I can't think very straight.

Just still on hold to the lady at shelter whilst she speak to her manager on advice to give me.

I think you have been given some great advice. I hope everything gets resolved for you quickly.

I’ve just bought my self a TapoC100 from Argos £25, and a second one from Asda £20.

It’s really easy to plug in and use. You have to either pay a small subscription to have the record facility or use an SD card. I’ve bought an SD card but haven’t worked how to use it. They give you a free trial subscription. You can position it to look out of the window.

Or you could try record him on your phone.

Ive bought mine because I’m concerned that my stbxh still has the keys to where I’m living.

That is so stressful I'm so sorry. I hope you find something soon.

It's a long shot but I've see people asking if there are any landlords with property available in local buying and selling groups on fb marketplace.

Tbh, and this is not legal advice, I'd completely ignore the whole 'videoing a public area' thing. I'd get a camera, and if he continues harassing you that's much worse than filming people in the street where they've no expectation of privacy anyway. Just stick up a yellow window sticker saying there's cctv, they usually come in the box with the camera. I think that's all you have to do to make it fine. Regularly review all the footage and delete anything that doesn't have him harassing you on it, then you're not storing anyone else's data but his, in the unlikely event that a random person sends you a subject access request you can truthfully tell them you've got nothing.

This is exactly what you need to do. Police need to be notified every single time

Sorry for the late response! I had a busy afternoon and was exhausted by the time I was home.

I was sent over to a place called Life Centre yesterday by Shelter. They've helped me put in a Landlord Harassment complaint through the Council. They are trying to get me more points due to us feeling unsafe at home. I already have 500, which makes me high on the list, but an extra few would go a long way to help. So I'd be grateful if I had those! We have a points system here, so if someone has 501 points, they will be offered a property before me. I have a private viewing soon though, so will continue to view private. The police called me yesterday and are coming around today. I requested this as my girls are at a party and they won't see them here and worry.

I live near a little shop that has CCTV and said he would see if he has caught anything on camera as it does point near my house. I'm glad I have really good neighbours who I have built relationships with, so I know I can run to them and my girls can if ever needed to.

My Housing Officer has called him and had a few words, he has offered to give me another 6 months (again). On the agreement that he cannot increase the rent or force me to leave during those 6 months. She is getting the agreement together, but I don't hold out hope for it as he has promised this before. This didn't stop him coming round again at 7pm. I have reported to police.

It's just a nightmare really and I can't wait to get the hell away from him. I'm living in this house with no smoke alarms, leaking boiler, mold on the walls and a mice infestation I have had to pay to keep getting rid of (we have a field with a veg patch behind our garden). He used to be a good landlord but just stopped doing any work over a year ago, so I pay to sort this out whilst I was looking for somewhere to move before the section 21.

Oh and I have ordered a ring door bell. I asked the Police could I install one and they said yes I can. So black Friday sales came in handy yesterday and it should be here today.

Sorry, I’m confused about how he’s done nothing illegal when he tried to coerce you into sex?

As a female LL, you have two problems, one finding an available property in a difficult market.
Two, a nasty LL (not for issuing a section 21 as he has the right to do this,) but for harrassing you, for that call the police each and every time and record it all.
I would send him a recorded letter stating he has sexually harrased you with dates and also that he is now harrassing you by threatening behaviour on the doorstep. Tell him it is all being logged.
From you update he has not adhered to his legal obligations so you hold all the rights here.