So, our tenant(s) have vandalised our property, stolen furniture/kitchen stuff, are in arrears with rent, and left no forwarding address

[QuintessentialShadows]

I am thinking of reporting them to the police for vandalism and theft, and also reporting them for benefit fraud because:
a) claimed to be single mum while in fact were living with husband (and 2 brothers)
b) claimed housing benefit due to being single mum and unemployed
c) ran an illegal minicab service from our property

Now that they have left, not only do they owe us money as they are in arrears with rent, but the house is in such a condition that it needs redecorating throughout. New carpets in every room, and all rooms must be repainted, as they are covered in lipstick, nailwarnish, markers, and gazillions of scribbles as they let their two very young children draw everywhere.

Needless to say, they did not clean before going. Aside from cleaning us out that is.

What can I do?

Report them but you may well not get much joy if they have really vanished. Do you have landlord insurance - it may cover some of the damage and the deposit. Sorry, but iirc you had doubts from the outset.

Quint, that sucks

Re: carpets - phone a professional cleaning company first. When I first moved in here, my friend visited the house, which had just been carpeted. Her DS found my handbag, took a lipstick and drew all over my brand new cream carpet. I tried frantically to clean it and ended up with a truly awful brown stain that I thought would never shift. The carpet cleaning man used some special spray and it came away perfectly - you'd never know it had happened.

Oh that's crap. I was a lanlord for a short time (when my flat wouldn't sell) and my tenants did exactly the same. It cost me a small fortune to put it right but at least the property then sold.

Dob them in but be prepared that they may ask you why you haven't volunteered the informstion before re benefit fraud.

And... deffo go to the police about the missing property. If she is on benefits then they will be on the computer system somewhere for the benefits to continue.

report them - feckers - but be careful about what you say re: c) - this may have implications for your insurance as it may be a condition of the insurance that no business is to be run out of the property and if you knew this was happening it could invalidate it.

I did not know it was happening until after they had left.

They left on monday, and I came to check on the property on Wednesday, and spoke to my neighbours at the same time. This is when I learned that she had been living with her husband, and that they were running a cab service. There were 4 cabs working out from the property during the tenancy. The neighborus were furious, and kept complaining (but not to me) because the total of 5 cars were taking up all the parking space out front!

ok i too have been in this situation - do tell the local council that paid her rent because she is breaking her agreement with them if she did not pay the rent to you and is in arrears - she will still be on benefits so they will be able to find her

and yes to the police too so you can claim on your insurance

do you have much deposit?

Only 6 weeks deposit, so not a lot.

The same happened to us when we let our house out to family! I would never rent out a hose again. You have my sympathies.

I remember that! How was the situation resolved? I guess you did get it sold in the end?

It eventually sold. Even after the first tenant did a flit our family memeber remained in the house until it sold at our cost. She basically wrecked our house again, refused viewings and we did not realise. The house took over a year to sell and drained us of all our savings.

One of the darkest years of our like.

life not like.

house not hose, although I doubt I would even rent out a hose now.

You had a lot on your plate at the time. But worse when family can do that to you.

At least, our culprit was a total stranger! Yet I still cant understand what brings some people to literally desecrate somebody elses property like this.

lol at renting out your hose!