I'm so glad that people take action even if they don't get their money back quickly it's important to highlight people that just stop paying rent so that future LL if they perform their due diligence won't accept them as future renters.

Thank you for taking the time and expense op to pursue.

If the tenant has a job. Attachment of earnings.

Well done for bothering with this, so many LL dont.

You need to escalate to the High court for enforcement and instruct a HCEO firm who will collect the debt.

we have used https://www.qualitybailiffs.co.uk/southampton-bailiff-services.html in the past and they were very good, but there a loads of firms.

Check out their past history and current status before you go further. You might be one of many in a very long queue. There are fees that may not be recoverable. Obtaining a CCJ is the easy bit, actually getting the money is something else altogether.

Personally, I’d just let the £2.5k go and focus on renting it out.

• Once you obtain a CCJ, if the tenant still does not pay, you can take further enforcement action to recover the money. This could include:
  • Warrant of Execution: Instructing bailiffs to seize the tenant's goods to cover the debt.
  • Attachment of Earnings: Deductions from the tenant's wages.
  • Charging Order: Placing a charge on any property the tenant owns.
  • Third Party Debt Order: Freezing the tenant's bank accounts.

Attachment of earnings. I've done that and it gets deducted from their salary by their employer. Assuming they're working ofc.

I'd love to find my ex tenant and do the same. Unfortunately they've done a runner and I can't find them

With a CCJ hanging around their neck they will have a lot of trouble in life from now on. Unfortunately £2.5k is not worth your time and effort to get back from them.