(Crazy) landlord warned me that the council are on my back. Advice? (UK)

[kace]

Hi there. Right, I lodge at a house and am receiving housing benefits. Late last night my landlord text me saying "a skinny bloke came round today from the council asking if you still lived here. I wasn't supposed to tell you".

Now, I have of course been living there for months, but spending less and less time the last month due to my shitty health, have been staying with my bf as he is close to my pharmacy and hospital, as well as seeing my family. My landlord lives in the middle of the countryside and I would be fucked if I needed an ambulance quickly like I did at the weekend. I have problems breathing and they came in less than 5 mins with an oxygen tank.

My landlord is an odd bloke. About 12 tenants have moved in and out as I've been there, leaving due to him not maintaining the property well, shouting and screaming at tenants, not looking after himself or his many animals, being creepy and hitting on the young girls, being quite manic, suicidal and depressed, being controlling and having anger issues.

With me, he has just been creepy and weird, constantly sending me texts if I'm away saying he misses me and to come back, constantly hitting on me, saying I'm beautiful and once how he would "do anything to get into bed with me". I have always ignored it and have avoided him. He used to text me every day, but stopped 2 weeks ago after a bit of an argument, and this is the first time he has spoken to me, to warn me the council are after me.. It just seems too coincidental to me, and part of me feels that this is him making up bullshit to get me back at his house. I'm not sure what to do. I want to just phone the council and see if its true.

Please any advice? Thank you for reading.

 

[Si Dread]

sounds a bit suspicious... Provided you're not engaged in any sneaky work or anything else that's dodgy, if the council are coming round, it's probably to keep an eye on him!

 

[kace]

Yeah I think so too. Nope I haven't done anything shady other than go to my docs numerous times, seen paramedics as Ive been away for the last 2 weeks. What's also weird is that the creepy texts came to a blunt stop,then silence followed by this. I know he's been in trouble with the police before, and he did say someone reported him using mobile homes to house people. I think that's true, and maybe he's just trying to scare me back and away from my boyfriend.. :/

 

[Sammy G]

Sounds like total nonsense, invented purely out of some twisted, jealous, manipulative mind.

First of all, I don't think most councils have the resources to send people out to do these kind of checkups, and in any case, it'd probably be the benefits people, who are notoriously lax on such matters.

I've never heard of anybody being checked on to see whether they still live somewhere; only (very) rare instances of people being found out for subletting / moving their partners in. And I mean, very rare.

Sounds like the guy has his problems, in all fairness, but when he starts to become your problem too, it's maybe time to up sticks.

 

[velmwend]

Along with the sexual harrassment, this is just an attempt to control you. The council story is a load of bullshit. I'd seriously get the fuck out of there. People like him deteriorate as they age further. Find yourself some place where you're respected.

 

[felix]

Why would the council be after you?

Are you up to date with rent, and abiding by the landlord's terms & conditions?

I'm confused by this, and suspect there is a person at the council who will be more on your side than the weird landlord.

 

[Sammy G]

I think the landlord's confusing 'the council' with the housing benefit people, assuming that they are one and the same.

Local authorities did used to send people out (in the days when there was still council housing stock) to make sure that, say, single men or women who were provided accommodation on the basis of their being single didn't move their boyfriends / girlfriends in on the sly.

There's absolutely no reason for the Benefits Agency to pursue a single person in order to determine whether they're still living in their declared residence. Especially as the crook in this case would be the landlord.

The guy's talking arse.

 

[kace]

Thank you guys. Yes I'm up to date with rent and everything. The more I think about it, and reread his texts the more it sounds like rubbish. The guy has a restraining order from his ex wife and kids, from last year.
However, the small chance that I don't spend much time there, especially over the last 2 weeks is worrying me. I'll update x

 

[maxalfie]

Sammy G has already mentioned it but the only reason that i could think of would be the council coming around to make sure you are still living there if they are paying housing benefit for you. If that's not the case then it's probably made up bullshit by your landlord trying to say in a subtle way 'are you still living here or not'?

 

[kace]

Yes I am receiving housing benefits, my landlord is implying that as I haven't been there this past two weeks the council (they have a housing benefit section) or on to me.

 

[ponch]

Let him catch you having a dump, that'll teach him.

 

[kace]

Yes I am desperate to now. It was horrible and awkward having to deal with the comments, having him following me around the house, hearing and seeing him masturbating with his bedroom door wide open (which is next to mine) and now this.

 

[felix]

Yes I am receiving housing benefits, my landlord is implying that as I haven't been there this past two weeks the council (they have a housing benefit section) or on to me.

Well, if you're in the clear financially I can't imagine what business it is of the landlord's whether you're resident or not. Either inform the council yourself or make arrangements to move somewhere else.

For other people's benefit, I would let someone at the council know about him, regardless of what you do.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Please don't end up on the news!

 

[kace]

Haha, Ill try not to Deathrow. The Daily Fail get boners over this stuff.