‘Tenant evictions a lengthy battle’ claim Belvoir Sheffield
In light of recent news reports that one Darlington based landlord took six months to evict a nuisance tenant after his property was left vandalized almost beyond repair, Rick Flay of Belvoir Sheffield, the leading letting agents in Sheffield has hit out at information being given to tenants labeling it a ‘disgrace’.
The news recently reported the story of Glenn Schofield, who spent thousands of pounds renovating the four-bedroom house in Darlington, County Durham, before renting it out, but after the carpets had been pulled up, its windows had been smashed and the kitchen had been ripped out, it took him a lengthy court battle to get justice for his ordeal.
Rick Flay from Belvoir Sheffield, which specialises in providing flats to rent in Sheffield said: “The case of Glenn Schofield is not an isolated incident and I have heard of much worse in recent months.
“One landlord who came to Belvoir Sheffield told us that a non paying tenant sought advice from a leading ‘help’ organisation and was told that if they could not pay their rent to stay inside the property as it can take six months for a landlord or court to get an eviction. The tenant was told that by that time, they may go straight to the top of the housing list. It is a disgrace that tenants are being told this and in the meantime it is the landlord that incurs all the costs.
“It is shocking how tenant protection is taken much more seriously than that of the residential landlord, and landlords who are not adequately protected or those who do not use a reputable lettings agent could find themselves seriously out of pocket.”
Rick, whose lettings agency helps those wanting to rent property in Sheffield, continued: “It is absolubetly vital that all landlords thoroughly reference their tenants but even that will not protect them if a tenant loses their job for example. At Belvoir Sheffield we have been able to keep our rental arrears extremely low compared to the national average and part of this is down to our excellent tenant checks. In addition, we rarely need to go to court for evictions as we manage the process closely.”
It is also recommended that all of landlords then purchase Rent Protection Insurance as a back up. This covers the landlord against non-paying tenants if they were to lose their jobs unexpectedly or if they were to fall ill, causing them to default. This form of protection is designed to cover the landlord against any possible arrears until vacant possession is obtained, and it also covers any legal expenses as a result of a tenant breaching the tenancy agreement.
Belvoir Lettings Sheffield is the One Stop Specialists for Lettings including Property Management, Tenant Find, Investment and Wealth Management Advice, Fit-outs and Renovations, Furniture Packs, Investment Property Insurances and Mortgages
For more information, visit belvoirlettings.com/sheffield.