What can we do?
He owes rent, but not really enough to go through small claims - we've done that before and it just cost us money we couldn't afford to spend.
He's taken a load of stuff which we had provided for the flat, but nothing expensive like white goods, just nice crockery, decent tin opener, bottle opener, spatula etc. Oh, and the duvet!!
The place is a mess, really dirty. It's going to cost us a fair bit to get it inhabitable again.
He was a friend. We'd known him for over 10 years. He's lived there for 2 yrs. He knows we're nice enough, he knows we wouldn't have thrown him out no matter how far behind he fell with rent, we would have worked with him to sort it out. We now find he owes some substantial amounts elsewhere too, and he's being threatened with bailiffs, but he's got a good secure job.
He's still got the keys.
We don't thinks cops will be interested - "he nicked our kettle guv!", they'll tell us to jog on.
It was an informal agreement between us so no deposit and contract was loose.
We are reeling and shocked. He has such a major reputation in our small town for honesty and decency and all round good bloke.
So, we don't think using official channels will work, but are toying with the idea that a FB status might shame him, maybe he'd at least return the keys.
Could I put a status on FB, like "what do you do when your tenant does a moonlit flit owing rent and taking all your crocks and the duvet!"
If there is anything any of you know of, apart from small claims and/or police I'd be grateful to hear from you. Wd shaming him on FB be legal or would it put us in legal peril?
Sorry it's long.