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AIBU?

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Original poster

Complaint from neighbour re my tenant

120 replies

Belinda5 · 27/12/2023 21:45

I own an apartment that I let out through an agency. I've just had a message from someone in the block complaining that they've had the police knocking on the door today trying to get in touch with my current tenant and asking questions about his movements. This neighbour is saying he's been a nuisance for a while, is on drugs and they've made several complaints to the management company and I need to be more careful about who I let my property to as I'm putting other tenants at risk. Apart from one communication from the management company saying he was causing disturbance at night time, and smoking in communal areas I knew nothing about this. It's really upset me and has ruined a lovely evening with my extended family.
AIBU to think this neighbour shouldn't have texted me like that out of the blue. I will follow up tomorrow but am really shaken at being accused of putting other people at risk. I have handed the letting out of my apartment to an agency and have no say or decision over who it is let out to.

OP posts:
Sensibleandboring · 27/12/2023 22:22

I would say blame is on the agency as you outsourced the process to them. Did they not get referencing done?

purplehotdogs · 27/12/2023 22:23

OP, I've been this neighbour. Saved hard to buy my own house in a quiet peaceful road, but found out the landlord in my street let out the house opposite me to a dreadful tenant and it made me feel unsafe 24/7. Her first partner beat her and possibly her child too, the police would frequently come round knocking on doors to ask if anyone had seen anything or heard anything about various incidents between her and her partner, the guy living next to her suffered from havingt to listen to their screaming rows every day and her being hit, one time a police van and dogs came out to chase down a different man she was hiding in her house (still don't know what he'd done but when they caught him he went to prison), then she moved an Albanian drug dealer in which meant he was in the street loudly talking all night every night with cars pulling up constantly then leaving again, her drunk friends would come round at stupid hours and once crashed into another neighbour's parked car so nobody felt their vehicles were safe after that, and then there was a final incident which culminated in a group of men with an actual axe going into her house and doing something to a man in there that made him scream so loudly the whole street could hear.

It was terrifying and I felt unsafe in my own house 24/7. I imagine the neighbours of your tenant feel the same.

I called the landlord and let her know how unsafe we all felt and what was going on, and asked her to evict that tenant. To her credit, she did, and has since rented the house out to some wonderful people who are nice, normal neighbours.

How would you feel if it was you living with a nightmare neighbour and feeling unsafe in your own home? Please don't take this personally, just do the right thing and get rid of the problem tenant (or hand it over to the people you pay to deal with this stuff for you).

saraclara · 27/12/2023 22:23

My daughter had to do this. She lives in a row of terraced cottages, and the tenants two doors down made everyone's lives miserable. She had to phone the police twice because it actually sounded as though someone could be being murdered. And the police were called by others (or came for whatever reason) on many occasions.

She and other neighbours contacted the agent many many times to no avail. One of the neighbours managed to find the landlord's number from someone who had previously rented the place, and they contacted him. Unfortunately he couldn't have given a damn either.

The person who contacted you wasn't to know that you were in the middle of a nice extended family evening. She's probably been brought to her knees by their behaviour over Christmas. She did nothing wrong, and you need to take your responsibilities seriously.

tara66 · 27/12/2023 22:26

You need to ask for references from previous landlords and good character refs from their employers or some professional person before you rent to anyone.

Caravaggiouch · 27/12/2023 22:26

The neighbour has done you a favour letting you know what’s going on! Even if you haven’t knowingly put people at risk, the behaviour of your tenant has put people at risk. This is your responsibility.

Bellyblueboy · 27/12/2023 22:27

this must be a joke- no one could have this little compassion and self awareness.

Onabench · 27/12/2023 22:28

I am sure it is far more upsetting for your neighbours. How long is the tenancy? Don’t renew it and get them out

flowerchild2000 · 27/12/2023 22:29

From the neighbor's perspective they were in distress and didn't know the details of your arrangement. They were probably desperate. If I'm with company I put my phone away and don't look at it until the next day. I'm not criticizing you but I think it's unreasonable to blame the neighbor when it is your tenant and it's your phone. Both within your control whether you admit it or not. I hope you got it sorted and this won't be happening again! Sounds like the agency needs to do better so you're not put in this situation again. They're not doing their job!

ActuallyChristmas · 27/12/2023 22:29

I think it’s right that you got the text. You need to know the management firm are not doing a proper job. I had this with a house near me that was let to drunken young fools (not students). One was sick in the shared passageway. He apologised when challenged the next morning but said he was late for work so could not clear it up. Fortunately, I knew the owners were relatives of neighbours. The owners live abroad. As soon as they knew it was sorted.

I appreciate it’s upsetting but you don’t want unsuitable tenants or bad management.

Tagyoureit · 27/12/2023 22:34

Your flat, your tenant, your problem, it really is that simple. Just because you've gone through an agency doesn't abdicate you of responsibility.

You seem more upset that your 1 evening has been disturbed rather than the neighbours being continually disturbed

mummabubs · 27/12/2023 22:35

CharlieCoCo · 27/12/2023 21:47

if they have made several complaints to management and now had police around, its good they have messaged you to know, as your managment agency clearly arent being helpful, to your neighbours or you. Now you need to call your managment company and find out whats been going on and what the plan is now.

This. You say there have been several incidents of formal complaints to the management agency and pokice are now involved... But this is the first you've heard about any of this? The issue is with your management company, they're not doing the job you pay them to do or giving you the communication you need to have. Your poor neighbour is probably at the end of their tether, having tried to go down the usual route first and is just trying to regain a peaceful life without your tenant being antisocial.

Diggerdriverless · 27/12/2023 22:40

You are upset at being accused of putting other people at risk. Imagine how upset your neighbours must be, feeling they are at risk. You have had a lovely evening ruined, imagine never enjoying spending time in your own home, feeling unsafe and unsettled because of the behaviour of a neighbour.

Arkestra · 27/12/2023 22:47

OP - let me give you some motivation to do something about the underlying situation, rather than wasting your time worrying whether the neighbours have been sufficiently polite to you.

The last time I came across this kind of situation (drug-dealing tenants, letting company allowing things to slide and not forwarding complaints to the landlord), the aftermath was not pretty. The tenants eventually ran off owing several month's rent. The interior of the flat was effectively destroyed - internal doors smashed, dog shit all over every carpet and most of the walls.

If the tenants are behaving sufficiently badly for your neighbours to hassle you in your home at Christmas, then there is a decent chance your properly is being taken apart at the seams RIGHT NOW. If I were you I would treat this as a wake-up call and take urgent action.

Ask the letting agency what complaints they have received. Ask the neighbours what complaints they have made to the letting agency. Based on the answers you get, you can take appropriate action. Maybe the neighbours dislike the tenants and are making a fuss over nothing. But you have the equivalent of a bright red signal flare being shot into the night sky here and I would really advice you to act upon it as soon as you possibly can.

Or alternatively you can sit on your hands and run the risk of your property getting trashed. If things take that turn, your neighbours are unlikely to be very sympathetic, and I wouldn't blame them.

LdnReno · 27/12/2023 22:53

Me me me
Yes you're the victim in all of this..

YireosDodeAver · 27/12/2023 22:56

Sheesh. Your reaction to finding out that your failure to act as a decent lamdlord is putting innocent people at risk, and your reaction is to blame the person who told you for unreasonable behaviour because what? The damage to your ego because you are such a nice person? The damage to your frail nerves from hearing such criticism?

An agent is someone who acts (or doesn't) on your behalf under your instructions. Whatever they do or fail to do is still your responsibility. If they aren't acting ethically that is on you, and it's your job to sack the agency and appoint a different one if they are failing this badly. You have previously been told there were problems and you didn't act. Now it has got worse. Quelle surprise.

Jackiebrambles · 27/12/2023 22:58

RatatouillePie · 27/12/2023 21:50

You're the LL. You have an antisocial tenant.
I'd be issuing an S21 to expire at the end of his fixed period and find yourself a better tenant that doesn't annoy the neighbours.

This. I’m a LL too and i know it’s stressful but you have quite a responsibility.

Nocturna · 27/12/2023 23:32

I suspect this thread is a joke, or a reverse

On the off chance it is serious, then how dare you. This really highlights the view that landlords are parasites

LadyGrinningSoul85 · 28/12/2023 00:16

missmollygreen · 27/12/2023 21:59

Im so sorry you are going through this, it must be so difficult for you.
Im saying that to the neighbour, not you, OP

You did not know about it, now you do. You chose to be a landlord. You take the money, now take the responsibilty.

👏👏👏
So. Much. This.

Poppyseason · 28/12/2023 02:06

@Belinda5 you are sounding immensely privileged accusing this person of ruining your evening. Please remember this tenant is likely ruining a whole lot more than one evening for them and made them feel unsafe at home.

Not your fault per se. But please see it from their perspective and be less in your head about yourself.

Send a nice text back, speak to the management company make it clear you do not want to create difficult living environment for the neighbours and expect good tenants going forward or you will find another company. Be kind.

2jacqi · 28/12/2023 02:34

@Belinda5 this is one of the reasons I dont use a lettings agency!! I want to vet my tenants myself to see if they are suitable. an agency only wants to get a tenant into the flat to make some money.

Dustyblue · 28/12/2023 03:18

I'm also confused as to how the neighbour who isn't your tenant got your number? Did your tenant give it to them?

Also agree they've done you a favour by letting you know the full extent of the problem when your agents haven't. Now you can deal with it properly, hopefully by getting rid of him.

Gillypie23 · 28/12/2023 03:42

The ma are obviously not doing anything. Of course its for you to deal with you own it.

Ladyj84 · 28/12/2023 04:05

I would be grateful to that neighbour and it tends to suggest the letting agency are not dealing with the matter but happily taking everyone's money. Would you rather they burn the flat down.

Dustyblue · 28/12/2023 04:13

OP in my younger days I lived alone in a block of 8 flats where one tenant caused havoc for the rest of us. Police showing up at all hours became normal, and it was horrible.

In that case it all came down to the LL refusing to deal with the situation and the agents throwing their hands in the air.

I know you're not refusing to deal with it like this LL was, but truly- if I could stop people having to live like this, I would in a heartbeat.

Good luck getting it sorted.

Mummyoflittledragon · 28/12/2023 04:13

Nocturna · 27/12/2023 23:32

I suspect this thread is a joke, or a reverse

On the off chance it is serious, then how dare you. This really highlights the view that landlords are parasites

Yes, it does. Unfairly for the most part thank goodness. Another landlord here. Of course you need to deal with it, ensure the accusations are true and if so, serve notice. This may fall under antisocial behaviour, in which case, a section 8 may be appropriate. If it applies, you are able to serve both a section 8 alongside a section 21. When is the fixed term up or are they on periodic?

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