Maureen_539
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8,808 Posts
Situation is this helpful folks ;
my shared house in a student area has not, I discover, got [or ever had] a TV Licence despite AST stating this is a REQUIREMENT.
This info came from a foreign student occupant recently doorstepped by an over-enthusiastic TV Licence inspector. A change of pants was then neccessary I am led to believe. This sparked a chain of events culminating in this student sending me a big pile of carelessly discarded warning letters from the Licensing Authority. She was told during the recent house visit that the occupants now have their final warning before a visit from the enforcement team.
My suggestion that she ask the other tenants to share the cost of a TV Licence was met, she says, with loud hoots of derision. To say she is worried is an understatement. With this info in mind I will demand sight of relevant paid bills/tv Licence before renewal of the AST. That does not help her now, or protect the property from 'who knows what' should a Court Warrant 'to enter' be obtained and executed.
For a minute I considered purchasing the Licence myself [£139 p.a.] as a future marketing point maybe. Hang on though, would this then send the wrong message entirely to the 2 tenants already showing their irresponsibility gang colours? This gesture could well be interpreted as "landlord will fork out if tenants risk a visit from the heavy mob so why bother to pay the other bills".
Obviously, I want to protect my property, but on principle I want tenants to take responsibility for their own living costs and get the habit of paying their way. It's a moral maze I know - what suggestions have you got?
Also, when I do my termly visits here I do comment when numerous red reminders are lying around and quote the AST conditions about paying all household bills. This promotes integrity sure as I don't want to be seen to condone the obvious unpaid bill pile [or Court summons]. They could hid them from sight, I suppose. Another moral maze folks....do I promote core principles of the AST and my own integrity or butt out and just ignore the evidence of a potentially damaging chaotic lifestyle.
