And the scum shall inherit the earth.

We had planned on going out to visit a garden today, but for various reasons, that was cancelled. Instead I spent a long time pricking out and potting on my Verbena Bonariensis which I sowed about 2 weeks ago.

While my wife chopped up more wood for the fire, I planted out the best part of 100 asiatic lilies. I returned to the house cold and feeling miserable, but looking forward to my bath. First I read my emails:

I rent out property up north. This is my retirement plan. I have no savings, but this is my investment for the future. Recently, a tenant totally trashed one of my properties. He carried soil, 4 floors up a tenament building and soiled all the carpets. He also slammed the door handles into the walls, smashed my glass wardrobe doors, ripped the kitchen door off its hinges, and pulled off all the wallpaper in the hallway. He did a lot more besides that. I had just spent a lot of money redecorating. The police were not interested "Civil matter". He was unemployed and had failed to pay his rent.

For whatever reason, the Unemployment had stopped his benefits (They don't tell me any reason why ... "Data protection" and in fact, they won't even speak to you until, the tenant is 2 months in arrears with the rent). I still had to pay the mortgage and I received nothing for the rent. He is now out of the property, but I have lost another 2 months rent in the time it has taken to have everything repaired.

Now the same thing has happened in a second flat. This time the girl has stolen the fridge and freezer, plus a microwave.

Yes both flats were rented out through an Agent.

Yes both tenants were professionally vetted.

Yes both tenants had guarantors.

Ever tried taking someone to court for this? Do you know how hard it is?

This government believes that Landlords are the bad guys. All the rights lie with the tenants. It used to be the case that if a tenant was unemployed, that the Unemployment office paid the rent directly to the Landlord. Now the rent is paid directly to the tenant. Guess what happens when the tenant doesn't pay? Guess what some (not all, but a significant number of), unemployed tenants do with this money rather than pay their rent?

I am sick of this world. I do my best to make a living and get on in life and scum like this make my life hell.

I hope you had a better day than I did.