I let my friend move in while I worked abroad but she stopped paying rent – I forced her out by changing the locks and cutting off the water but people think I’M in the wrong
A mother-of-two has revealed the drastic measures she took to rid her home of its ‘unwanted guest’ after her friend refused to pay the rent or leave the property.
The British woman shared her ordeal on Mumsnet, disclosing that she was forced to take matters into her own hands after police refused to meddle in the domestic dispute.
The original poster was at her wits end when an agreement between the acrimonious duo met an abrupt end following her return to the country after six months abroad.
In an elaborate rant on the forum, she explained that the fellow mum-of-two had agreed to pay an undisclosed sum per month, but stopped paying after only two months.
However some suggested she had acted illegally, with one saying: ‘You’re lucky you haven’t ended up in court. However justified you feel you were you acted illegally’.
A mother-of-two has revealed the drastic measures she took to rid her home of its ‘unwanted guest’ after her friend refused to pay the rent or leave the property (stock image)
Explaining her predicament, the mother wrote: ‘I arranged to rent our home out to a ‘friend’.’
‘She only paid two months’ rent but I let it slide until we returned. When we did come home, she refused to leave the house’.
‘The police said there was nothing they could do so myself, husband and two small children had to camp out at my mothers’ thirty miles away’.
‘After six weeks of this, and having tried every legal avenue, I went to our home after (the) ‘friend’ had left for work.
‘I still had my keys so I entered and turned the water off at the stopcock’.
‘I then cancelled the broadband for the address. That night she had the nerve to phone me complaining. She said she had an infant, a toddler and no water’.
But emotions didn’t move the mother who stuck by her guns.
She said: ‘Cue tears, threats etc. but, because I knew she had somewhere to go, I held my ground.
The British woman shared her ordeal on Mumsnet, disclosing that she was forced to take matters into her own hands after police refused to meddle in the domestic dispute
‘I went round next day and she’d gone, although the place was trashed.’
The poster has since accused her ex-bestie of ‘badmouthing’ her.
Over 200 comments poured in from numerous Mumsnet advisors after learning of her predicament.
Many fellow Mumsnetters congratulated the poster on a job well done, while some warned that her illegal tactics could land her in hot water.
‘What a vile person. You were well shot of her,’ wrote one user.
‘She doesn’t sound much of a friend,’ agreed another.
‘Dreadful,’ another aptly stated.
Other users were divided over the woman’s behaviour, with some saying the tenant had a ‘legal right’ to stay in the building
One user even went as far as to say: ‘She is a cheeky t*** and deserves everything she gets. I’d make sure all mutual friends know what she’s done too.’
However, advice became all too complicated when some advised the OP that she could be breaking the law.
One user explained: ‘If she paid you rent at any point, she legally had an assured short hold tenancy.
‘You should have protected her deposit (if you too (had) one), had electrical and gas safety checks done, and various other bits. What you did in the eyes of the law was an illegal eviction.’
Another added: ‘Depending on the agreement you had, what you did is potentially illegal, and turning off water etc. is not acceptable although I can fully understand why you would want to.’