Debt Collectors for Previous Tenant

Debt Collectors for Previous Tenant

Landlords in the UK often find themselves in a position where they are owed money from a previous tenant. For example, one landlord may rent out a property to someone, who eventually will leave. At the end of their tenancy, they may have some outstanding fees that need paying.

Some examples of this include outstanding rent payments or maintenance charges to the property that they are obliged to pay for. Regardless of the case, if there is money owed, then it must be recovered as soon as possible.

Like any other business, landlords rely on a stable cash flow to make a profit and fulfil their financial obligations. If a tenant does not pay, this can cause a great number of problems in a short amount of time.

In most cases, the previous occupant is no longer at the address and has provided no forwarding address. If this is the case, then a specialist trace service is required in order to find the debtor.

Luckily, most professional debt collection agencies can provide this solution, along with the means to enforce the recovery of a debt.

Frontline Collections is one such agency and has helped thousands of individuals and small businesses recover owed money since 2005. In this article, we explain the benefits of hiring debt collectors for previous tenants.

The Issues Landlords Face

Ultimately, landlords are the same as every other business in the UK. They provide a high-quality service for their customers and must be flexible to succeed. A landlord’s properties are his main source of income. They must ensure that everything is as it should be in order to meet legal tenancy requirements.

Property ownership and management can be very profitable business. However, it does come with its fair share of costs and expenses. For example, a tenant that lives at the address notifies the landlord that their washing machine has broken. In this case, it is up to the property owner to pay for a repair or replacement.

Or, when a tenant leaves a property, the landlord must pay the cost of any general maintenance that needs resolving. This is as well as listing it on property websites and estate agents in order to find a new tenant.

In some cases, a tenant may leave the property in a poor state of repair once they leave. Whilst it is common for landlords to require deposits to provide security, the cost of repairs may be greater than this.

Unfortunately, many landlords have to face the necessity of evicting a tenant from their property. This may be due to a breach of the tenancy agreement, or because of a lack of payment. Either way, the act of evicting a tenant will be costly, both in terms of time and money.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the individual case, there are many situations where a landlord is owed money. If the tenant refuses to pay, then the services of an enforcement agent must be used.

Debt Collectors for Previous Tenant – Hiring a Professional

When a property owner is owed money by a previous tenant, it is better to hire a professional. This is as opposed to trying to take on the task of tracing the debtor and recovering the money alone. This can often take too long and is usually unsuccessful.

Many debtors believe that they will be safe from any consequences of their actions if they abscond. They often view the worst that could happen as a negative impact on their credit rating.

It is common for ex-tenants to leave without providing a forwarding address. It is also common that a tenant no longer lives at the address indicated. Proof of identification, such as something like a council tax bill or a credit card invoice is good to have. A skilled tracing agent may be able to locate them.

For example, if the debtor has absconded, you may not be able to contact them at all. If this is the case, the communications you send will be marked as return to sender.

If you do know the debtor’s whereabouts, then you can send them payment reminders and final notice letters. However, most debtors are determined not to pay, and will most likely never open the letters. This leaves property owners will few options, but luckily, there are solutions available no matter the circumstances.

Instead, a professional debt collector can perform the act of enforcing the debt on your behalf. This will save you a lot of unnecessary expense and time. It will also provide an effective and low cost solution.

Many options exist for the topic of debt collection. For example, debt collection solicitors, speaking with a debt agency, or at the very least, talking to the citizens advice bureau.

The option of taking legal action against a debtor has always been a common course of action. However, it can take a very long time for the case to work through the county systems. As well as this, there is no guaranteed outcome at its conclusion. During this time, property owners must pay legal expenses and other costs, until the case has been won.

Whilst various choices exist, the most beneficial, effective and low cost solution is to instruct a professional debt collection agency.

Frontline Collections is one such agency. Since 2005 we have helped thousands of businesses and private individuals recover what they are owed.

As well as tracing absconded debtors, we can enforce the recovery of owed debt. Our debt collection experts are regarded as the UK’s leading private collection agents and provide a fully comprehensive service.

We are regulated by the Credit Services Association (CSA), meaning we provide a fully regulated service. We have also won awards such as the “Gold Preferred Supplier” title from the Independent Schools Association (ISA).

Speak to one of our friendly debt collection experts today for a free, no obligation, pre-action assessment.