Mare Street, E8

A three bedroom rather tired flat I purchased from a desperate buyer in 2015 with the goal of doing a quick refurb and sell. The refurb went well but then three consecutive buyers dropped out due to their own circumstances. So I changed strategy and decided to rent out the property. That went really well for a few years with the property achieving £2,500 a month with lovely tenants. It all changed when the pandemic hit and my international tenants decided to return home.

Feeling like I should do a bit for the community I signed up for the Hackney Council rental scheme and they sourced a Universal Credit tenant. I met the tenant and she was a mother with her three children. I thought she would be great. Wrong! From the time she moved in it was a battle for her to pay rent. Finally I applied and received her UC payments but then she would stop them and I’d have to reapply all over again.

Three court hearings later and Hackney Council absolving themselves of all responsibility I finally had vacant possession in 2023. Countless hours of clearing, cleaning and staging later the flat is looking beautiful and ready for the sales market. Interested? It’s on with Dexters for £550,000.