A LANDLORD in Malvern says a tenant he was forced to evict has disappeared owing him over £4,000 in unpaid rent and leaving the property "in a state".

Neil Cooper, 54, told the Gazette that the tenant had been in the property in Malvern Link for just over a year when he missed a rent payment in April.

“They missed the first rent payment and I thought, ‘well everybody struggles for cash from time to time’, so I let them off,” Mr Cooper said.

“The tenant then failed to pay again and I couldn’t reach them via email. The letting agency also tried to get hold of them and got no response.

“Eventually, after three months with no response, we were getting worried and the letting agents told them that if they failed to make the payment again, legal action would be taken, and they would be evicted.”

After still receiving no reply, Mr Cooper says he was able to obtain permission to evict the tenant.

Eventually Mr Cooper went down to the property in person to see if the tenant was still there and said he found the house in ‘a right state’

“When I opened the door it immediately seemed as though the tenant had left in rather a hurry,” Mr Cooper said.

“The place was a right mess, there were empty glasses all over the place, food left lying around and clothes still left there.

“We have had to take up the carpets and get new flooring sorted. The bathroom sink was smashed so that has had to be repaired as well as the two broken doors in the house.”

The tenant could not be found for a comment to respond to the claims.