Robert Eckford explains how the Court of Protection can help with “hoarders” & unco-operative tenants
A common problem faced by social landlords is the hoarding tenant or the tenant who refuses to engage or co-operate with their landlord, or with social services in providing support for their tenancy.
Such tenants can cause significant problems for landlords. Hoarders can accumulate volumes of rubbish and clutter leading to unsafe and unhygienic conditions in the property, including posing a fire risk or leading to infestations. This in turn can affect the tenant’s neighbours and lead to complaints.
Non-engagement by a tenant can also causes problems, such as refusing to permit the landlord to enter the property for inspections or to undertake works, or refusing to pay rent. Either type of tenant is likely to be in breach of their tenancy as a result.
Injunctions
In some cases the landlord can seek an injunction from the court. This can be an effective remedy as it forces the tenant to clear their property or allows the landlord or social services to enter the property to effect
