Lease Problems

Other

I am an executor to my Mother's estate and there is a 3 bed house with a tenent in it who has been there for approx 16 years and paid £200 per month rent for the last 10 years. On inspection of the property, which is in a poor state, it appears that he uses it as an office - all rooms are full of storage boxes and filing cabinets, though he maintains he lives there. There is a bed in one bedroom. Any repairs that he has needed doing have always been done and paid for by the estate. I was told by my Mother before she died that he had a lease but the tennant now says that he has never had one. We had the local agents round to review the rent and he suggested that it should be increased to £300 per month, taking into account the condition of the house. The tenant says he will not pay the increase and has sent his regular cheque to the estate solicitors who have not banked it. I think that house will probably have to be sold to cover death duties which the tenant probably knows and I think he is hoping that he will be able to buy it at a low price. Is there anything I can do to issue him with a lease now or to get him to leave the house?