A landlord from Barnet, London, has finally reclaimed her two-bedroom family home after a tenant refused to leave or pay rent for three years, leaving her with £55,000 in unpaid rent and a property requiring an estimated £22,000 in repairs.
Collette McFarlane, 62, a business owner who works in human resources, began letting out her home in May 2021 at £1,600 per month. The tenant paid on time until February 2023, when Collette initially set up a repayment plan.
Three-year legal battle to reclaim property
It took three court orders, £4,500 in legal fees, and three years before Collette regained possession in September 2026. At every court hearing, she claims, the tenant was granted additional time to remain despite refusing to pay rent.
Collette, who now owns the property outright with no mortgage, said: "It's absolutely crazy. I'm relieved she has gone but so angry and exasperated that it has taken so long."
She added: "How is it that I seem to have no rights at all? It's taken a lot of time and money and has been emotionally exhausting and distressing."
Eviction attempts and court delays
The tenant initially claimed she was short of money due to a change of jobs and would catch up on arrears, but never did. After a repayment schedule failed again, Collette served an eviction notice in October 2024.
A Section 21 no-fault eviction proved unsuccessful, so she resorted to a Section 8 notice due to rent arrears. At that point the tenant owed £16,600 but was given a 28-day extension by Collette and the letting agency. Securing a possession order took over a year.
Bailiffs were scheduled to evict in February 2026, but days beforehand the tenant requested more time, and the court granted a 28-day extension. In March, Barnet County Court ordered the tenant to vacate, but she refused, saying she had nowhere to go. A fresh bailiff appointment took months, and the tenant eventually left voluntarily in September 2026.
Wrecked home and financial impact
The property was found filled with clutter, mould covering the bathroom, holes in two ceilings, and doors hanging off their hinges. Collette estimates repairs will cost £22,000.
"I was horrified that someone can live like that and also that they could treat someone else's property that way," she told Sell Us Your Story. "I'm upset she has treated me with such disregard. And I'm sad. I was proud of that home and put my blood, sweat and tears into doing it up at a time when I had little money."
Barnet County Court has now ordered the former tenant, a single mother who Collette believes became unemployed, to pay £55,000 in outstanding rent. Collette said: "I'm lucky to have a good job, but a £50,000 plus hole in my budget is a massive problem and worry for me."
She added: "The court system is totally broken. It enabled her to get away with not paying and continuing to live in my house. My hands were completely tied."
