Even if you have done your homework on your tenants and gotten the relevant references, you can still end up in a situation where tenants can leave without paying rent and without leaving a forwarding address. Some tenants can owe money for property damage, rent arrears, and utility bills. And in most cases, the tenant’s deposit is not enough to cover all the outstanding amount owed.
So, as a landlord, you cannot take action unless you have a forwarding address for the court orders to be sent and obtain an attachment of earnings. So, if the tenants know this, they can be hard to find. So here are some things you can keep in mind when tracing an absconded ex-tenant:
Validate The Ex-Tenant’s Date Of Birth And Correct Name
If you want to hire professional tenant tracing services, you need to have basic identification information about your client. You need to make sure it is correct and verified against a passport or any other photo identity document. This will ensure that you track down the right individual because their name and birth date information can be attached to their current address.
Research And Record All The Previous Addresses Of Your Ex-tenant
This can be a crucial step in more than one way. Firstly, this will help you analyze the data at hand, help you recognize a false positive address that the tenant may have gone back to, and get more information on them as a tenant.
Research The Ex-Tenant’s Partner’s Name
Normally, when ex-tenants move from the property, they may put all the property details and bills in their partner’s name to avoid detection and being tracked by their ex-landlord. Having a document with the partner’s name can be helpful.
Dig Out Their Employment Record
If you have their current work address, you will be able to enforce a money judgment. Even if you have old employer information, it can be helpful to track them down to their new workplace and then lead to their current address. Also, check LinkedIn and other socials to find a location tag.
Try Electoral Rolls
You can also try checking the electoral rolls via the local borough or through an online credit-paid service. You can crosscheck the data with the tenant’s partner or any other individual living with them. There are two versions of this roll, the full government version and the edited public version. If they are not visible in the public version, it does not mean that they have left the UK but opted out of the public electoral list.
You can always consult a rent arrears solicitor and debt recovery service to help you out in this tricky situation. At Landlord Assist, you can find professional rent arrears solicitors to provide debt recovery services in Kent. If you need help with tenant eviction, debt recovery or landlords, and landlord legal services UK, then get in touch with us at Landlord Assist or visit our website for more information on our legal services.
