British Owned Spanish Rental Property Trashed By Tenants From Hell

Britons looking to invest in a buy-to-let property in Spain should take note of the nightmare caused by a Benidorm tenant from hell and his family.

Burnley-born Kelly Louise Metcalf, now living with her husband in Valencia, was happy when her Benidorm letting agent informed her of a British tenant and his wife who were interested in renting her villa for at least a year. However, it didn’t take long for her to realise the couple were more of a curse than a blessing in disguise. John Anthony Parkin, his wife and their children moved in on November 17 last year, having paid their two months’ rent as a deposit, and from that point onwards it was downhill all the way.

After the two months covered by the deposit were up, Parkin sent excuses rather than rent, using lies such as failed money transfers and other stories to avoid paying. He then began claiming equipment had broken down and there’d been problems with the house, saying he’d had to pay to get repairs done and workmen in and asking for reimbursements. He even sent fake invoices to support his claims, using Google templates of breakdowns and replacements as well as damage repairs. Finally, he demanded €350 after refusing to move out or pay any rent.

Mrs Metcalf took the hard line until Parkin began taunting he on social media, saying he’d never intended to pay any rent and wouldn’t leave the house until she paid him to do so. Electricity and water bills remained unpaid until she finally gave up, sent the €350 and made sure he and his family had left before she arrived to inspect the house. When she did, she was horrified at the filth and mess the couple and their children had left behind. Rubbish was everywhere, broken items were on the floors, as were dirty plates and the remnants of meals, and the television was missing. Since then Mrs Metcalfe has spoken with other landladies who’ve told the same tale about Parkin and his family.