A landlord is furious after his tenant racked up £10,000 ($A19,100) in unpaid rent over 14 months while essentially living as a ‘squatter’.
The fed-up property owner sent a blunt text message to his tenant Jason, saying he couldn’t put up with him living rent-free any longer.
The conversation turned ugly when the renter refused to move out, forcing the landlord into a potentially months-long court battle before eviction.
‘Jason, I’m done. You owe over ten grand in rent. I can’t keep carrying this,’ the landlord said.
The renter said he was ‘still looking for somewhere’ to move but was struggling because the market wasn’t ‘easy out there right now’.
However, the landlord fired back saying it’s the same excuse he’s been hearing for months.
‘I’ve been here five years. This place is home,’ Jason replied.
The property owner pointed out he had paid rent for three years before he stopped making further payments over the next 14 months.
A landlord is shaking with fury after a tenant racked up £10,000 ($A19,100) in unpaid rent over 14 months while living as a squatter
‘The last fourteen months. Nothing,’ he said furiously.
The renter claimed he stopped paying because he didn’t agree with the rent increase, which was £50 ($A100).
The tenant said he stopped paying out of ‘principle’.
‘It wasn’t about the amount,’ Jason said.
Refusing to back down, the landlord responded: ‘The principal doesn’t pay my mortgage.’
Jason replied: ‘You’re the landlord. That’s part of the job.’
The owner clapped back, saying ‘No. Paying rent is your part of the deal.’
However, the renter said he was refusing to move out until he found somewhere that suits him.
The landlord – who had appeared lenient with the tenant for the past 14 months- said he had tried to find a solution, but Jason was being inconsiderate, ignoring every payment plan he offered.
‘Because none of them worked for me,’ Jason claimed.
The owner said he had been financially strained, covering the mortgage, insurance and bills from his own salary, while Jason lived rent-free.
The tenant claimed it wasn’t his fault because the ‘system is broken’.
‘The system didn’t stop you paying rent,’ the landlord fired back.
‘If you want me out, take it to court,’ Jason suggested.
‘See you in court’
The owner said he had already applied to the court to evict the renter for breaching the tenancy agreement.
Jason pointed out that court hearings would take months.
‘So your plan is to stay here rent free until a judge forces you out?’ the landlord asked.
‘I’m staying until I’m ready to move,’ the squatter declared.
The heated exchange ended with the landlord saying: ‘Fine. Then I’ll see you in court.’
The renter said he was refusing to move out until he found somewhere that suits him – leaving the landlord with no choice but to take him to court
Jason said he was refusing to leave until he was ‘ready,’ leaving the landlord facing a potentially months-long court battle before eviction
Join the discussion
Should landlords bear the costs when tenants refuse to pay or does the system need urgent change?
In the UK, if a tenant misses rent payments or is late paying rent, they’re in rent arrears, which can lead to potential eviction. Landlords need to prove to the court that their tenant has fallen behind in rent.
The court can decide not to approve the eviction, but set conditions you have to meet to stay in your home. For example: paying your landlord the rent you owe by a certain date not falling into rent arrears again.
Meanwhile, for NSW tenants who fall more than 14 days behind with the rent, the landlord or agent can serve them with a non-payment termination notice, giving them 14 days to leave the property.
The texts were re-shared by UK property strategist Jake Rooke who was in disbelief when he read out the conversation between the landlord and renter.
Tenants from hell
The dilemma struck a chord with thousands of landlords, with many saying they are still picking up the pieces after dealing with tenants from hell.
‘Feel for you, just been through a similar experience, luckily, my tenant left on the day of the eviction notice expiration but left so much filth and neglect it will take me months to rectify. It’s left me reconsidering whether I should actually sell the property,’ one landlord revealed.
‘Stuff like this happens too often. It’s why my entire retirement plan of renting out my home has changed. Too many renters think it’s the landlords RESPONSIBILITY to allow tenants to stay for FREE. It’s mental,’ another shared.
‘Too many tenants like that unfortunately,’ one said.
‘These freeloaders are scum and don’t realise how much strain they put on the personal lives of landlords. The judicial system to deal with these people is an absolute joke,’ another added.
