A landlord has sparked outrage after confessing his desire to evict a tenant in pursuit of higher profits. When you rent a property, you enter into a tenancy agreement that secures your right to occupy the rented space for a specified period.
Landlords are generally restricted from evicting tenants before the end of their tenancy without legitimate grounds. Currently, Section 21 permits landlords to terminate shorthold tenancies through what is known as "no-fault eviction". However, Labour has signalled its intention to scrap this practice with the upcoming Renters' Rights Bill, potentially coming into effect as early as this summer.
For those in long-term tenancies, landlords must provide adequate notice and secure a court order for eviction, which is only permissible for serious reasons such as non-payment of rent or damage to the property.
But one landlord's attempt to evict his tenant under an unusual pretext has gone viral. He informed his tenant that she had to leave "immediately" because he planned to convert her flat into a holiday let to increase his earnings.
Tenant Chloe divulged her email exchange with her landlord, Martin, to property expert Jack Rooke, who then created a TikTok video showcasing the correspondence.
Chloe was stunned when her landlord, Martin, emailed her demanding she vacate the flat she rented from him so he could convert it into an Airbnb for the tourist season. He argued that the property had "more potential" in this new venture, so needed her out as soon as possible.
Confused by the sudden request, Chloe questioned if he was "serious". In response, Martin assured her it was "nothing personal", and offered to reduce her last month's rent as a "gesture of goodwill".
However, Chloe stood her ground, replying that his actions constituted a "breach of contract" and were "possibly illegal", highlighting the lack of sufficient notice and the absence of a valid reason for eviction.
Attempting to placate her, Martin then promised a two-week extension for moving out, an immediate refund of her deposit, and even offered to cover a couple of nights in a hotel to ease her move to a new place. But Chloe remained firm, asserting that her deposit wasn't a "bargaining chip" and reminding him that, under their contract, she was entitled to two months' notice before eviction.
As tensions escalated, Martin threatened to "change the locks and keep her deposit" if she didn't leave. This move backfired spectacularly when Chloe revealed she had escalated the matter to the Property Ombudsman and the local council, warning of legal repercussions should he act on his threats.
Bowing out of the confrontation, Martin ultimately relented and informed her that she could remain in the residence "for as long as she likes". Chloe, however, determined not to stay under a "toxic" landlord's roof and expressed her intention to vacate once her lease came to an end.
Reflecting on the exchanged messages, Jack remarked: "She's played the game absolutely perfectly there. I don't know what this geezer was thinking, but he's so far in the wrong. It's just not acceptable."
The video garnered strong support for Chloe among viewers, with many sharing their own dismal encounters with landlords, highlighting the importance of having written records of all communications.
One viewer commented: "I always make sure any correspondence with my landlord is in print; previous experience with a bad landlord has made me protect myself more when I was told to leave."
