If I move out of my rented property without paying the last 2 months rent

Question

Can the debt collectors or courts find me if I don't join the electoral roll.

This is for people in the UK to answer please.

I know I'm underhand and a bad person for doing this but I physically can't afford the rent as I lost my job due to the credit crunch.

Answer 1

no, i did a moonlight flint from a property, i owed 6 weeks rent, i only moved 200 yards down the road and theyve never found me.

that was 2 years ago.

Answer 2

When people in rented property hop off without paying their rent. Their details are posted on a website to every letting agency in Britain. It is the same as credit agencies keep a register of bad payers etc. So it is nigh immpossible for them to rent somewhere else. private lanlords who also don't use letting agencies have access to this file.

Answer 3

You lost your job due to the credit crunch? Already? Shame.

Anyway, do what you want, as long as you paid a deposit the landlord/lady shouldn't come after you as he/she can take it out of that.  That is, if you mean you will be moving out two months before the end of your contract.

If you mean you have been living there two months without paying rent and are now planning to move out without evening things out with your landlord/lady, you are a terrible person and I hope the debt collectors come after you.

Get a loan, ask a friend, ask your parents if you need to.  These people need to make there money as well, you are not the only one affected by this.  Stop being selfish and grow up!

Answer 4

Hi

I presume that the landlord took 1 months rent as a deposit, and it was before 6 April 07, he did not lodge it in the TDS. So he will have offset the two months’ rent with the deposit, so now 1 month rent outstanding, the chances of him trying to find you is slim, unless of course you destroyed his property? In that case he may well try to find you.

As to nosdda answer of a list of bad payers, that is a load of c..p, there is nothing like that, as it would be against the Data Protection Act, very useful but unreliable.

Nosdda if you currently work in the lettings industry, may I politely suggest you ask the boss to send you on a up to to date course, and if he is teaching you maybe he should go on one himself.

Answer 5

They can find you if they want to but most wont bother, it would probably cost the landlord more to find you  then you owed in rent. However you do leave a paer trail and if a debt collector wants to find you its quite easy for them to do so. I skipped out on rent once, my landlord hadn't fixed my broken shower after 3 months of constant calls and letters, i dint have a bath so going up and down to my parents was a nightmare every morning so eventually i left, leaving him my deposit. He called the police saying i had stolen all the furniture, they caught up with me but he was prosecuted not me when they found out that i had actually left my own furniture there and he was trying to get money from me though the deposit covered the last months rent plus a bit more.  

Answer 6

I'm in the United States, not the UK. However, there are plenty of ways for someone to track you down. In the U.S., there are companies called "skip tracers," sort of like private detectives. And there are a lot of other techniques. After all, your landlord probably knows something about you if you filled out a rental application. And all that information can be used to track you down.

Why don't you talk to your landlord and see if you can work out some sort of compromise?

Answer 7

As a Landlord I would definitely take your deposit. It's no wonder deposits sometimes are amlmost 2 months rent. They can always find you if they want to, it's not very difficult. You probably gave 2 referees - they can pest them a bit (but I guess within reason). So I guess you have to consider who you put down as a ref?

Your previous job, they may wait for your post if it's not being redirected.

If you are registered on the electoral roll they can find that I guess. I am sure they ould find just about anyone, it's just whether it's a lot of money and if it's cost effective for them to do so. I would go for the deposit.

Answer 8

of course they will find you - they do it for a living

Answer 9

They will catch up with you, They always do. Is it private or council?

Answer 10

yep.. there are ways besides the electoral roll. everyone leaves a paper trial of some sort.

also there is a deposit, that must make some of what you owe?

Answer 11

Im sorry...if this is for the peeps in the UK only, could you please post in the UK forum ONLY next time???

Answer 12

If you are struggling with the rent, contact your local housing authority and apply for a rent rebate/housing benefit.  You may qualify for some help with your rent if you are on certain benefits.