Landlady wants the house back

[GuinnessBird]

Our landlady knocked on our door this morning, she's split up with her partner and wants her house back but we signed a contract in February this year for a twelve month lease.

We've never missed a rent payment and the house is immaculate so there’s no reason she can give other than that she wants the house back.

Where do we stand? Can she ask us to leave before February next year?

Quite! I feel a bit sorry for her now - NOT because she has let her house and can’t move in right away but because it seems that stress etc is making her rather unwell.

I’m so sorry you’re on the receiving end of this too OP. I hope you can unwind a bit tonight 💐

Can't work out if some of the responses like this on come from a place of stupidity or if they're purposefully trying to wind people up or a bit of both

If there is no break clause you don’t have to leave until February. If she tries to gain possession under section 8–and she would have to prove advance notice of her possibly needing the house had been given at the time you signed the agreement last February—let her seek possession through the courts. By the time she gets a possession order—if she can get one—it will be the end of the year and time for you to move on anyway. The courts are insanely slow.

If I were you I’d move.
and I have been you and moved.
I’m not generally on team landlord ever but if the ll has capital in your home, she can’t get support with housing, she can’t get support with social care.
our LL was b&b homeless. And it was hideous.
its the one place i feel for them.
they can’t access any support with their own housing because they’re deemed to have it but they don’t.

Any more of that behaviour and you can sue her for harassment.

Landlord sounds unhinged but maybe being arrested will impress upon her she can't behave this way.

The unknowing “accidental landlords” give us professional landlords a bad name

what a nasty experience OP - hope you are ok

bloody hell that escalated!!

thank god you changed the locks OP, she does not sound stable! Make sure you changed the back door lock too?!

I would hope that she'll have bail conditions not to approach your address. In the meantime you may be able to apply for a non molestation order against her. I'm not sure if you'd have enough to get one but it's worth looking into.

@Whattheflipflap not the problem of the tenants. If you opt to be a landlord you need to approach it professionally.

Good point.

Except that they could sell it?

Glad to hear the police are taking it seriously.

DS was illegally evicted in similarly fraught circumstances a couple of years ago. He called the police for help but they sided with the LL. The only help they would give him was to ensure he could safely remove his belongings. I submitted a complaint and got 2 police officers sent on a course.

OP document any damage she has caused trying to force entry. You don't want her deducting from your deposit for these damages when you leave at the end of the tenancy.

I'd suggest you start looking now, finding new property is really difficult as you know and if the right one comes up sooner you might be happier taking it sooner than your 8 months. Tell this to the landlady and she'll probably write you a glowing ref for your next property.

No point waiting to look and missing something suitable. It's rubbish 4u BTW but that's how rental works.

TBH if anyone thinks that a landlord who is trying to force entry is going to give a good reference then you really aren't thinking straight.
OP , I hope you contact your local authority for advice on this . Please PM me if you want any more advice. I used to work in this field.

Really not a good point.
the landlord's housing issues are NOT the responsibility of the tenant.

@loislovesstewie From recent personal experience I think @Ukrainebaby23 gives spot on advice. I was advised to do just what she says by a judge who adjudicates landlord/tenant disputes. This judge happens to be a personal friend and it was in that capacity that she gave me the advice.
Of course the landlady will write a glowing reference, it sounds as if they are very good tenants and she wants them out of her house pronto.

Op would need to be advised on how tough it is to find new, suitable rentals currently and certainly not start looking a few weeks before they need to leave.

Best time to move might well be during school holidays, end of school year for the children's sake especially if they'll need to move schools. It is what it is. Sadly.

Wow - that escalated.

I am sure all the drama has been upsetting, but your landlady has made a huge error in judgment and has left herself wide open.

The Protection from Eviction Act 1977 makes harassment and illegal eviction both criminal AND civil offences. It enables occupiers to seek damages and/or injunctions from the civil courts if they have been subjected to harassment or illegal eviction (most likely to be the speediest action), or criminal action may also be brought if evidence allows.

You might also be able to apply for a rent repayment order for up to 12 months rent on the basis that your landlady has sought to illegally evict you.

I would be speaking again to Shelter & a solicitor to see what your options are.

I can't remember if you said on the thread - are you renting directly from the landlady or via an agency?

I am a landlord and it really pisses me off to hear of people behaving like this - it gives LLs a bad name. It also pisses me off to see so much uninformed twaddle spouted by people on this thread. I am clearly easily pissed off.

I am a landlord and it really pisses me off to hear of people behaving like this - it gives LLs a bad name. It also pisses me off to see so much uninformed twaddle spouted by people on this thread. I am clearly easily pissed off.

Totally agree. I was a landlord for a period of time and it ended very badly with having to go through an eviction process, but as frustrating and upsetting as it was, abiding by the rules and following the clear legal pathway did eventually get it resolved.

I cannot believe people saying oh that's a shame she has nowhere else to go. That's just tough shit - if you rent out your house for a fixed contract then yes indeed you don't have that as an option of somewhere to go because you have signed a legal contract that has made it someone else's home for that time period and your personal problems are not their issue.

Why on earth would the LL even need social care?

The vast majority of people (including op and her dh) don't get support from the government for their own housing - they get a job and pay for it themselves. Op hasn't said anything that suggests this woman is vulnerable to the extent she would otherwise be entitled to support - in fact even if Op and her dh moved out she still wouldn't be entitled because the house would constitute an asset over the limit.

I can appreciate that the LL is in an awkward position but
A) it's one entirely of her own making - she can't blame anyone else for not including the relevant clause in the contract
B) theres no feeling sorry for someone who has behaved so badly. Perhaps if she had approached Op reasonably they could have worked something out but there's no excuse for screaming, swearing, demanding and then trying to break into their home!

All well and good to say that- Op probably WOULD if they could
I had to move from my childhood home area to buy - simply as couldn’t afford to buy there ( Richmond, Surrey) and was absolutely sick of renting at exorbitant rates.

Buying is best, it’s a no brainer, but if one lives in an expensive area, it’s not easy as a person on one’s own when spending large amounts on rent.

And again I would urge the OP to contact the appropriate officer at her local authority for advice re the landlords behaviour, to ensure that a record is kept of the incident and in case there are any further issues. Clearly I am not telling the tenant not to move, but the landlord needs to be aware that they may well be commiting criminal acts. Had the landlord been conciliatory then the tenant might start to search for another property, but they don't have to. They are protected by the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 as others have said. And the landlord needs to understand that. The penalty for carrying out an illegal eviction can include a fine or a term of imprisonment.

but your landlady has made a huge error in judgment and has left herself wide open
too right! One might say she has gone 'full Trump'😶

I never said it was 🙄