Hi,
Just wanted to warn anyone else at La Hacienda about my dreadful long-term tenants. They moved in my apartment at Royal Lytham back in September 2009, saying they definitely wanted to stay on after the 11 month term. They struggled, as most long-terms tenants do anyway, to pay rent for a few months and ceased completely paying any rent at all in March 2010 and have hardly paid any rent ever since. I have had to get legal representation, which is going quite well at the moment. I have just been informed of the eviction date. The money they owe me, together with the time it takes the courts to evict them, with them living free until then, mounts up all the time. I did get them via an agent, so I took precautions. I would warn anyone to watch out for them wanting to rent your apartment. Please answer this message if you want their names, so you can make a note never to have them in your apartment. Also, be careful of tenants who pressure you into saying they can stay after 11 months.
I just hope you do not have to go through what I have.