I have been renting out a flat for years. For the first time recently a tenant left owing hundreds of pounds in rent. How can I recover this money owing to me? He also took fixtures and fittings without permission.
If you’ve had no trouble before you’ve either been very lucky or very astute in selecting your tenants. If you know where your tenant is you can sue him for the money he owes you in the County Court. Write first letting him know this is what you intend. If, as is often the case, your tenant has disappeared without a trace you need to take steps to prevent a recurrence, for example by setting the deposit at a sufficient level and taking immediate action when a tenant defaults on a rent payment.