Friend's being evicted without warning now (London), help!

IceFjoem

Friend's being evicted without warning now (London), help!
Very quickly, a friend just moved over to London and got a place with a friend of a friend. (didn't have to pay deposit as a favour).

He works as a videographer and has only been in the property 10 days, he paid £300 for the first month's rent.

Today some officials from the civil service and police arrived to the door with a notice allowing them access to seize personal property to recoup two years of unpaid council tax. My friend allowed them entry and now the landlord is blaming him. It's known however that the bailiffs would have returned with a battering ram on Friday regardless.

The landlord wants him out of the house tonight and won't refund the remaining rent. This leaves my him essentially homeless and pennyless.

It's also come to light that the apartment is under a council housing scheme and that it shouldn't have been rented out in the first place.

I'm concerned that if my friend leaves the property now that he'll have no recourse to the remaining rent and will lose the money.

There was no written tenancy agreement although there was a verbal agreement. Any advice on how to proceed? Thanks.

KERSPLAT!

I'm not sure what help you'll get but it's probably better here in Accommodation and Property.

Please read the local charter before posting.

The_Conductor

OP- I genuinely feel sorry for your friend- however- their only recourse to retrieving their rent would appear to be to take a personal case.

Unlike in Ireland- the Small Claims system in the UK handles financial disputes between landlords and tenants- up to a max of 10k. Unfortunately- also unlike in the UK- you can be forced to pay court costs up front- recovering them via judgement against the other party. There is a limit set on the costs- which typically is £500.

I'd encourage you read up on the process- and if you get a chance to call into a Citizens Advice Bureau.

A brief description of the scheme- what it entails, its limitations etc- can be found here.

TheHillOfDoom

Is there any way he can just refuse to leave? Although that brings its problems too if landlord changes locks. I feel very sorry for your friend. London is a ****er of a place at times.

TheHillOfDoom

The one thing I will say, is tell your friend to do anything and everything possible not to become homeless. If it means begging everyone at home for the loan of a few bob each to get together a deposit, he's going to have to do it. London is merciless. There's also a facebook page (two of them with same name actually) IRISH IN LONDON and irish in london. People are regularly looking for accommodation on there. I wish him all the best and if I could help out I would.
Yes, you can make lots of money here, but getting yourself established and housed are the hardest parts.

The_Conductor

Its a council property- the rules are vastly different in London than they are here (in Ireland). The OP's friend is viewed as squatting by the council- and they have rights to forcibly evict him that don't exist here. The issue here is with the 'landlord' who had no right whatsoever to let the property.

OP- get your friend down to Citizen's Advice asap.

TheHillOfDoom

The_Conductor wrote: »

Its a council property- the rules are vastly different in London than they are here (in Ireland). The OP's friend is viewed as squatting by the council- and they have rights to forcibly evict him that don't exist here. The issue here is with the 'landlord' who had no right whatsoever to let the property.

OP- get your friend down to Citizen's Advice asap.

1. Citizen's advice here is not like in Ireland. You queue for a few hours and if you don't make it, you don't make it.
2. Since the lad has only just moved here, a council won't look at him EVEN IF HOMELESS unless he has been resident in a particular borough for 6-12 months (depends on the borough).
3. Shelter is the best source of advice on legal tenancy issues.
4. The lad doesn't stand a chance. He needs to get another accomodation asap, otherwise he ends up sleeping rough.
5. I would advise your friend to reach out on the IRISH IN LONDON facebook page. Many of us have been screwed over by landlords here. I would personally help out except I reported a crime (landlord owns pub in which crime occurred) and since cops arrived yesterday, we've been told to leave. It's a balls over here at times. I genuinely would help your friend out if I could.

Lemming

Whilst I'm not in London, maybe trying the London Irish centre? They've got advise & welfare services and the like. Might be best placed for help; relying on facebook seems a bit like pissing into the wind and more a case of blind luck than anything else.