Fraudulent tenant highlights definite flaw in eviction process

Published: 23/10/2014

Landlords need to be vigilant during the vetting process of tenants after a recent case saw a tenant supply falsified references and pay slips.

The tenant in question, Sharon Watts from Land’s End, deliberately provided false documents to a letting agent on two occasions last year before subsequently failing to pay any rent.

Rob Denman, Head of GW LET, comments:

“Vetting potential tenants is an essential part of any letting process – surely you want to have at least some idea of who will be living in your property! However this example demonstrates how even a detailed evaluation, consisting of references and even funding credentials, can result in a rogue tenant slipping through the net – at a severe and unfair cost to the landlord.

“While this example could cause landlords to be concerned about the validity of references and documentation, it’s important to acknowledge that the tenant in question appears had a good working knowledge of eviction process, recognising that they could live in a property rent free for a considerable period while the landlord went through a lengthy eviction process.

“For me, this once again highlights just how biased the current eviction process is against landlords. I understand the need to protect the interests of tenants but this should not come at the cost of a landlord’s interests. Surely, in cases such as these where the tenant has deliberately fallen into rent arrears, common sense should prevail and a speedier process should be deployed.”

If you have a tenant in rent arrears and want the situation resolved as quickly as possible and with the most minimal financial impact, contact our dedicated team today.