Last year the tenant in my granny flat turned from being an OK tenant to a complete nightmare. We managed to agree that she would move out and I gave her 3 months' notice in writing. She didn't move, told me she'd give me the rent owed but never did, and I filled in the court forms to get an order for eviction. Eventually she left thanks to the court bailiff.
I then sent back the part of the form to claim the outstanding rent from her, and a while later chased the court to find out what should happen. Apparently she'd filed a defence but neither she or the court had sent me a copy. The defence is a pile of fiction, but what do I do now? Do I have to get back to the court and have a hearing, or can it be done by post?
I know the council are interested as somehow they paid housing benefit in advance for some months after she wasn't there - someone said recently I might be able to claim some money off them? I tried getting a solicitor last summer but of the list the CAB gave me, 9 out of 10 refused to represent a landlord and the other wanted £800 up front to even look at the problem, and I really don't want to throw more good money after bad (the outstanding amount is about £2300, but I doubt I'll ever see much of it).
Any advice?