white goods taken by tennent

[madameme]

My mother is buying a house and renting it out to a council tennent who happened to be an asylum seeker and family.They stayed a few months and when they left they took the fridge,cooker,washing machine,table and chairs and rugs etc.Whether they just thought the council had bought it all for them she doesn't know.But the council nor the police are a bit interested and say it is not their problem and the police say it is a civil matter not a criminal act.This has upset my mother as all she wants is it back and no one will help her.She is not interested in prosecuting them for theft.It seems so unfair.Surely it can't be right?Please does anyone know anything about this kind of thing happening.To top it all,she has had to go and sort things out as a little while after it was empty some vandals have got in and wrecked the place.I can't beleive such bad luck.It's so upsetting for her.

Did she not ask for a deposit? May not cover the whole amount of course...

Can't she claim on her insurance?

How can it not be a criminal act - it's theft... surely?!

Ok, whether intentional or not, it is theft. If she has reported it to the police, she should be able to get a "Crime Number" or whatever they call it these days, even if they can't be bothered to investigate it.

With that, she should be able to claim on her house insurance.

does she or the council know where the tenants went to?

crime number then insurance
maybe as simple as a misunderstanding, language barrier or perhaps even the council told the people it was theirs to take.
I take it the council are not interested in hepling trace the family?

Does she own the house yet ? If not then it depends whether these things were listed as included in the sale as to whether she should get a reduction or replacements before completion. If so, did she have an inventory done before they moved in ? Her contents insurance may cover it, but possibly not if they were legal occupants, or she can deduct the cost of replacements from their deposit.

The flipping council saw them leave and let them take everything.They say it's not their fault and yes they know their names and where they are.I'll have to speak to her again soon for an update on things,as far as I know at the moment she still has the contract with the council for 2 weeks more then they have said they do not wish to renew it so she may be able to claim for the damage to the property on their insurance.But as for the goods they took nothing will be done.I'm sure the police cannot be right about it not being an offence.I've told her to persue this with them and I'm waiting to find out any news from her on this.She said she has given up on the goods and has learnt her lesson but I've said do not give up just yet.I said can you tell the police if they help get it back for you you will not press any charges.I don't know yet if she has got anywhere with that.Thanks for your concern.

So she owns the house but let it to the Council, ie. they (rather than the family) are named on the Tenancy Agreement ? If so the Council (not the occupiers) are responsible for replacing or recompensing her for the missing items and the security of the property until it is handed back , although insurance should pay for the damage there but she'd need to report it to the police and get a Crime number.