I'm hoping that those who rent out property could offer some help and advice. My girlfriend's first and only tenant of more than 3 years has told us that he is broke and can't afford to pay the rent. He's said he's moving out this weekend (he has somewhere else to go) he has a contract till January. We're not too bothered about the contract however we know there is some damage within the house e.g. holes in the plaster and damage to carpets etc. I was wondering where do we stand with his security deposit? The contract states that the house must be professionally cleaned by the tenant before moving out, how much weight that holds I don't know. We do know the house needs some money spending on it before another tenant can move in. He does owe some rent which he can't afford to pay also, does this hold to claim over the deposit?
What's the best way to find new tenants? We've spoken to a few agencies; one says they have a tenant interested as the property is ideal for them. This would be for 6 months initially however they charge in excess of £800 fees (taking into account rental and other fees) which for a 6 month contract seems extreme. Obviously I'm going to negotiate however I'm new to all this so I'm unsure how much success I'm likely to have. Any recommendation would be appreciated? Thanks.
