Aggressive previous tenant!

P_1

Zara23 wrote: »

I'm female, 22 years old, I don't know if it would help because he's threatening in kind of a quite way if that makes sense.

Also, since he left in the middle of the night, I'm assuming he never left his keys back. Its clear the locks haven't been changed either. I'm starting work next week so won't be here as much, he could probably just let himself in if he wanted to!

In that case you really should get the locks changed ASAP. Get onto the landlord, explain your concerns about the ex tenant potentially still having access to the house and make sure the landlord has a copy of the new keys

Zara23

michael999999 wrote: »

Aren't you the big man?

Next time he calls tell him the guards are constantly calling to the house looking him, that should keep.him.away!

Not a bad idea, he is determined though! Thanks

The_Morrigan

michael999999 wrote: »

Aren't you the big man?

Next time he calls tell him the guards are constantly calling to the house looking him, that should keep.him.away!

Zara23 wrote: »

Not a bad idea, he is determined though! Thanks

Do not do this, it will just aggravate him.

An Ri rua

Just like if neighbours were affecting your right to peaceful enjoyment of your property, so also with this case. Your landlord has a duty of care to you. And obviously the Gardaí also if you feel that things need to be recorded.

A landlord of mine a few years ago was at the same sh1te. Wanted me to just leave the post on the hall table so he could just open the door and help himself. Same thing, drawing dole at that address. As he was a messer, I simply locked the front door and went out the side gate and locked that too. He, being a messer, didn't have his back door key. Sorted.

In your case, you need locks changed asap. Take the advice of reasoned people here, longterm posters like Victor. I would say advise the landlord by registered post / email that you need to change the locks and, if you don't hear back from him, will need to proceed and be refunded. Others will advise better but you do have firm rights; to peaceful enjoyment, to privacy.

Secondly, have you fixed line broadband in the house? If you do, run www.yawcam.com on a USB cam or a laptop's webcam or on a wifi cam and get instant emails if this idiot or anyone else intrudes. I actually use midband/ a mifi and it keeps my home secure.
Or use a cheap Android phone (€20-30) and use Securet Spycam (and perhaps IP Webcam if you like) to do the same. Sends you INSTANT shots of any motion detected. I use Yawcam on my front elevation and a permanently rigged Android phone running Securet Spycam & Dropbox on my back sliding door. Plus I have a Dadi Alert / maddie Alert installed. www.DaDiAlert.com. And a little note welcoming the back garden intruder to the world wide web and Crimeline...

Its enough to run cameras internally to protect your rights. Plus 'perhaps' get some basic cctv stickers on eBay. Good for longterm. Although best not to aggravate this guy. Best to keep your cards close to your chest and just run motion detection internally until this crisis is over. Then make your security more overt; with warning stickers.

Take the good advice of seasoned posters here. Stand up for your rights; don't seek to antagonise this idiot. Let the LL know of your concerns and ask Threshold what his immediate duties are to you. Make plans to break that lease if you have good advice and just grounds to do so.
You don't need that sort of low-level intimidation in your life. Mind yourself and take care.

djimi

While I would be exploring the peaceful enjoyment route, Im not sure that it applies here. In general, it is a rule that is there to prevent the landlord from meddling into the privacy of the tenant, and to ensure that the tenant is left in peace. Im not sure that it could be used to oblige a landlord to stop someone else from calling to your door; thats not really part of their job as a landlord (unless they are directly responsible).

sillysmiles

Stop answering the door to him.

That way you will a) work out if he has keys and b) have a reason solid reason to go to the guards as he has entered your property without permission.
You are, at some point, going to have to tell him that you have had his post re-directed.

Try to be as assertive (not aggressive) as possible. Good luck.

sillysmiles

djimi wrote: »

thats not really part of their job as a landlord (unless they are directly responsible).

Would they not have some level of responsibility if they haven't gotten keys back or changed the locks?

Milo Minderbinder

Move.
This situation will never be resolved.
The person in question seems to be of the type who will not be dissuaded from calling no matter what you , the Gardaí nor the landlord do.
Do not complicate the issue by involving state agencies before you move. To do so will not achieve anything.

Regarding your lease; have a read of various Landlord obligations on the PRTB website. In my humble, yet somewhat learned, position I would feel that you may break your lease without penalty. If the landlord feels otherwise then refer them to the PRTB. Don't stress over your lease.

Best of Luck. Dont be worrying; just move.

listermint

Him
"Is there any post for me"

You
"The postman asked me did you live her anymore"
"i said no"
"i havent received any post since"



Close case

Get your landlord to change locks immediately.

And be done with it.

djimi

sillysmiles wrote: »

Would they not have some level of responsibility if they haven't gotten keys back or changed the locks?

If this person has keys (is there any suggestion that they have?) then I agree the locks should be changed.

My point though was that it is not the landlords responsibility to ensure that the tenant has "peaceful enjoyment" from anyone who might be bothering them at the property, at least, I dont think that it is. If the OP is being harrassed by someone then they need to get the Gardai involved; there isnt a lot that the landlord can be expected to do to make the problem go away.

listermint

djimi wrote: »

If this person has keys (is there any suggestion that they have?) then I agree the locks should be changed.

My point though was that it is not the landlords responsibility to ensure that the tenant has "peaceful enjoyment" from anyone who might be bothering them at the property, at least, I dont think that it is. If the OP is being harrassed by someone then they need to get the Gardai involved; there isnt a lot that the landlord can be expected to do to make the problem go away.

they left in the middle of the night with bills not paid. and OP said it doesnt appear the locks have been changed and are original.

I think the only answer is to move OP.

I'd be disgusted at the Landlord for not disclosing who the previous tenants were. There was always a chance that you'd have to interactive with the previous tenants at some point so it should have been disclosed to you.

djimi

Milo Minderbinder wrote: »

Move.
This situation will never be resolved.
The person in question seems to be of the type who will not be dissuaded from calling no matter what you , the Gardaí nor the landlord do.
Do not complicate the issue by involving state agencies before you move. To do so will not achieve anything.

Regarding your lease; have a read of various Landlord obligations on the PRTB website. In my humble, yet somewhat learned, position I would feel that you may break your lease without penalty. If the landlord feels otherwise then refer them to the PRTB. Don't stress over your lease.

Best of Luck. Dont be worrying; just move.

Im not so sure that its that simple at all to be honest. Im not saying that I disagree that moving is not perhaps the best option, but the OP needs to take advice and do so carefully if they wish to retain their deposit.

djimi

Deleted User wrote: »

I think the only answer is to move OP.

I'd be disgusted at the Landlord for not disclosing who the previous tenants were. There was always a chance that you'd have to interactive with the previous tenants at some point so it should have been disclosed to you.

Id agree with you in the previous tenants were vicious phychopaths who had a murderous vendetta against the landlord, but in this case it seems they were just bad tenants who buggered off in the middle of the night. The locks should have been changed (I missed the part where the OP said they left in the middle of the night), but I think its pretty unreasonable to expect every landlord to have to disclose the details of previous bad tenants just on the off chance that they might come back.

djimi

djimi wrote: »

Id agree with you in the previous tenants were vicious phychopaths who had a murderous vendetta against the landlord, but in this case it seems they were just bad tenants who buggered off in the middle of the night. The locks should have been changed (I missed the part where the OP said they left in the middle of the night), but I think its pretty unreasonable to expect every landlord to have to disclose the details of previous bad tenants just on the off chance that they might come back.

I see where you are coming from but in this instance with how the OP has explained it I think any new tenant would have a right to know...

SpaceTime

Tell him the Social Welfare office are giving you loads of stick (make something up about yourself) and that it's probably a bad idea for him to be getting his post here as inspectors keep calling around to you.

Tell him they're spying on ya or something and they're probably onto ya about your allowances.

At least that way you're not provoking him!

Shout Dust

Tell him the landlord told the post office/guards he no longer lives there

jmayo

michael999999 wrote: »

Aren't you the big man?

Next time he calls tell him the guards are constantly calling to the house looking him, that should keep.him.away!

Yeah right.
Sorry, but I have seen the Gardaí deal or should I more correctly say not deal and scamper away from people who are of the same community as this guy.

Yes OP you can tell the Gardaí.
They should take a record of it and they will probably tell you someone will look into for you.
But don't seriously think they will try and find this guy and go visit him to tell him stop going near you.
And even if they do what is to stop anything happening to you some night.

I think as some others have said the only way you trully get away from this is by leaving.

The likelihood is the landlord never got the keys back as they couldn't find this guy anyway and that the locks haven't been changed.
If you are going to stay you should demand, on threat of leaving, that the external locks are all changed immediately.
Let the Gardaí know so there is a record, but don't expect anything to come of it.
Let the postman know they are no longer at this address.
Then prepare to be hasseled for a period as this person still thinks their mail is coming.

As a side point I have to say I have seen people around here recently advise people in trouble or being intimidated to let the Gardaí know often with the implied assumption that everything will be ok after that.
Yes let the Gardaí know, but don't expect a solution and don't expect your safety to be guaranteed.

The sad thing is that in this country we have reached a stage where the Gardaí and our justice system can no longer protect us from some people and you either have to somehow withdraw from the situation or be willing to go to worse levels than those threatening you.

Zamboni

Nobody is going to assist you.
Just leave as quickly as you can.
Life is too short to deal with scum like this.

People will say that is too simple.
Well - It is far, far simpler than talking to the social welfare, the post office, the postman, the gardai, the landlord, etc. (in other words - people who don't care).

Zamboni

Zamboni wrote: »

Nobody is going to assist you.
Just leave as quickly as you can.
Life is too short to deal with scum like this.

People will say that is too simple.
Well - It is far, far simpler than talking to the social welfare, the post office, the postman, the gardai, the landlord, etc. (in other words - people who don't care).

Exactly.

djimi

jmayo wrote: »

As a side point I have to say I have seen people around here recently advise people in trouble or being intimidated to let the Gardaí know often with the implied assumption that everything will be ok after that.

Most people say to notify the Gardai because you need to have something on report with them if you want to have any hope of getting help from anyone else in a matter like this. Its not that anyone believes that its some kind of magic solution to make the problem go away.

username123

Just move. Why prolong it? This guy is not going to give up easily. This scam is worth money to him. Break the lease and move out. The landlord would be off his rocker to chase you for costs. Go before this person assaults you because in his culture it's the norm to get what you want through violence and intimidation.

djimi

username123 wrote: »

Just move. Why prolong it? This guy is not going to give up easily. This scam is worth money to him. Break the lease and move out. The landlord would be off his rocker to chase you for costs. Go before this person assaults you because in his culture it's the norm to get what you want through violence and intimidation.

A lot of people are not in a position to walk away from hundreds and possible thousand Euro or more of a deposit. Im not disagreeing with the sentiment, but its not all that easy to just up and leave when you have no place to go to and cant afford to rent a new place because you have forfeited your deposit (or at best might have to fight to get it back).

username123

djimi wrote: »

A lot of people are not in a position to walk away from hundreds and possible thousand Euro or more of a deposit. Im not disagreeing with the sentiment, but its not all that easy to just up and leave when you have no place to go to and cant afford to rent a new place because you have forfeited your deposit (or at best might have to fight to get it back).

Your personal safety comes first at all times.

Genuinely, medical costs could be a lot higher than a deposit. The landlord knows the situation, either tell him to give back the deposit and get out or withhold the next months rent and move on, but moving on is imperative. Its just not safe and things will start coming home to roost now with the post not being delivered so OP should move away.

Nonoperational

I'd be quite uneasy about this. I'd be leaning towards moving out if it was me. I know that's giving in to the situation but it sounds a dodgy situation.

An Ri rua

djimi wrote: »

A lot of people are not in a position to walk away from hundreds and possible thousand Euro or more of a deposit. Im not disagreeing with the sentiment, but its not all that easy to just up and leave when you have no place to go to and cant afford to rent a new place because you have forfeited your deposit (or at best might have to fight to get it back).

That's true but not the full picture either. You can cease to pay rent and allow the deposit to cover that period. All the landlord can do is go through the motions and apply for an eviction etc. They cannot enter the property or do anything else untoward. The tenant has the upper hand. So, diplomacy first and if that fails, self-preservation foremost. Don't ever go soft and lose your deposit. Its not ever necessary.

djimi

username123 wrote: »

Your personal safety comes first at all times.

Genuinely, medical costs could be a lot higher than a deposit. The landlord knows the situation, either tell him to give back the deposit and get out or withhold the next months rent and move on, but moving on is imperative. Its just not safe and things will start coming home to roost now with the post not being delivered so OP should move away.

Again Im not disagreeing with you, but its not quite as simple as you are making out. Even if you withhold the last months rent, you are still going to have to remain in the property for a further month before you have the required months rent + deposit to secure another house. Not everyone has somewhere to go if they need to up sticks an dleave in the middle of the night.

username123

djimi wrote: »

Again Im not disagreeing with you, but its not quite as simple as you are making out. Even if you withhold the last months rent, you are still going to have to remain in the property for a further month before you have the required months rent + deposit to secure another house. Not everyone has somewhere to go if they need to up sticks an dleave in the middle of the night.

I'm not saying it's simple but in plain terms it's the threat of personal safety versus moving out. It's a no brainer to me, I would have left as soon as the previous tenant wanted to keep calling for his post.

The_Morrigan

username123 wrote: »

Just move. Why prolong it? This guy is not going to give up easily. This scam is worth money to him. Break the lease and move out. The landlord would be off his rocker to chase you for costs. Go before this person assaults you because in his culture it's the norm to get what you want through violence and intimidation.

Please refrain from making such sweeping generalisations.

Thanks

Morri

Zara23

Update:

So the day after I posted, he called again first thing in the morning banging on everything once again, and driving up and down to road outside.

Except this time, I saw him drive down the end of the estate road (dead end) but not back up. I thought he was maybe waiting there until I had to leave. I had somewhere to be and was afraid to leave so I rang a friend and he drove up and past to make sure he was gone.

I'd had enough at this stage and went to the guards for them to at least make a record of the problem. The guard I was speaking to said he knew of him and would send some of the lads over to speak to him. I also have him his phone number.

He also said that if he come again not to answer the door but to call them and they would be over straight away.

That evening the guard called me and said he called the man and he came into the station. He told him not to come around the house anymore and the guard reckoned there would be no more hassle with him. He also contacted social welfare and the post office again.

His defense for the constant calling over was that he was waiting for a very important solicitors letter.

The next morning there were 2 broken egg shells outaide my door, but no sign of the eggs anywhere? This doesn't really seem like his style to me and could be just the cats around the neighbourhood going through the bins but seems like a coincidence!

On a funny side note, it seems they have broken my doorbell with constant usage and holding it down so for the past 2 days its been goin off when it feels like causing me to panic and be absolutely clueless as to how they disappears so fast! I've since disconnected it.

So my main problem now is this- I'm really not comfortable staying here anymore and am afraid all the time. I won't answer the door at all anymore and still have my blinds down all the time.

I want to move but I really can't afford to lose my deposit, especially with Xmas around the corner. I've been trying to call threshold so they could advise me but they left me on hold for so long that my credit ran out twice and I can't afford to try again.

So ill have to wait until next week to top up and try again. Thanks everyone for help and suggestions and ill keep you updated!