Tenant Left Without Paying Rent - Tracing Absconded Tenants

Dec. 10, 2009 - PRLog -- The problem of absconded tenants has worsened due to the recession, now is an important time to review your procedures and implement changes that can really help should a tenant abscond.

http://www.findermonkey.co.uk/tenant-tracing

Firstly, you should always conduct a thorough search of any potential tenants before they move in, there are companies that can give you a tenant credit check, you must gain permission of the potential tenants before the search can be carried out. The search can reveal

•   Address links – This allows you to look at the previous addresses of your potential tenant, giving you the chance to make sure their story matches the facts. This is further enhanced by giving you dates that they were at the address. If you keep this information it is very useful should you need to trace a missing tenant as some will go back to a previous address. It may also give you a parent’s address; this again is an ideal way of tracing a tenant who left without paying rent.

•   County court judgement information – This is obviously crucial in deciding whether a tenant is trust worthy, we have performed tenant credit checks and found people who have over 10 CCJs and the landlord did not know! Maybe the potential tenant only has one CCJ? At least you can discuss this with them and put your mind at rest.

•   Bankruptcy and insolvency information – This is self explanatory!
You should also make a point of asking for certain information from an possible tenant so in the event they become a missing tenant you can trace them successfully, having key information makes tracing missing tenants much easier. You should always ask a potential tenant for the following information

•   There full name (including middle name)

•   Parents/ next of kin address

•   Date of birth

•   Old addresses

•   Place of work

These things really are crucial when tracing gone away tenants.


So what if the tenant has already gone owing money?

There are options available to you but the easiest way to find a missing tenant is to use a professional service. You should look to leave it at least two months before instructing an agent to trace an ex tenant. This gives the ex tenant the chance to change their details to their new address and for the systems to pick up on these changes. We appreciate that this time will be frustrating but it gives you the opportunity to seek a court order from the local county court to try and reclaim your rent arrears. To do this you must instruct a solicitor to start to issue court proceedings, one stipulation is that you have the absconded tenants current address which is why it is so important to have the current address of an ex tenant.

Good luck with your tenants.

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Whether you need to find a lost friend, locate missing relatives or trace debtors, FinderMonkey.co.uk is a one stop shop for people finding. We are also specialists in tracing absconded tenants.

http://www.findermonkey.co.uk/tenant-tracing