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Solitaire Property Managment Company
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theartfullodger wrote: »Incidentally, for £1 British you can get the addresses of Directors from Companies House. Usually you get their home addresses...
So, if unable to encourage the company to do something you can always contact the directors at home... sites like 192.com can often give you 'phone numbers...
Christmas morning should find them in....
Hasn't that now been changed?
I thought as of a few months back. Directors can register under a service address as opposed to giving their actual residence- i guess for reasons like you've suggested above.0 -
Hasn't that now been changed?
I thought as of a few months back. Directors can register under a service address as opposed to giving their actual residence-
the clue is in. Usually you get their home addresses.0 -
We also have trouble with Solitaire Management. Unlike some people who live in a block of flats, we live in what we thought was a freehold house, only to discover a small clause declaring a management company.
They are supposed to be responsible for taking care of the green areas (amongst other things) but no one has been this year and some would be overgrown if it were not for residents such as me.
I was therefore quite angered at their latest bill, so I sent this email in response.Dear Sir/Madam
In response to your invoice for £124.79 received 20th May 2010, I am writing with some requests.
Firstly I would like to request a full invoice detailing a breakdown of the costs with itemisations.
Secondly, under the contract of my mortgage, I am requesting a thorough list of all responsibilities your company undertakes on behalf of the residents of this estate.
Thirdly I would like to make a complaint. Having spoken with your customer services by telephone, I am led to believe that all common green areas are maintained by Solitaire management. However for some time no one has tended to these areas and as a result some have become overgrown.
Finally, with respect to the common ground directly behind my house, I have been undertaking this management task myself, the invoice for which is attached, totalling £124.79.
Please make all cheques payable to Mr xxx. You have 21 days to make this payment. If this payment is not received, an administration fee of £50.00 plus VAT will be added to your account. This fee covers the extra expense that we may have incurred reviewing, managing and collecting the sum overdue. Interest may also be charged to your account if the demand is not paid within 21 days of falling due.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours faithfully
Mr xxx
I will take this to a Residential Property Tribunal if necessary so we can live in freedom from companies like Solitaire.
Paul0 -
You don't have the right to undertake work yourself and charge for it and you certainly don't have the right to add late payment charges!! All complaints or requests for further information should be in writing, preferably by recorded delivery: e-mail is not formal communication.Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️0
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Thanks for your input Fire Fox. I spoke with their customer services this morning and was advised to email first and write later if no reply.
An email auto response seems to indicate a service level agreement to respond within 10 days. We'll see if it happens, if not then I'll put it on paper. At least then I've complied with their advice.
As for the last remarks regarding the charges and late payments, well this is more tongue and cheek since I have used the same words in my request for payment as they have used in theirs. I am demanding money for doing very little, reflecting their own philosophy.
Paul0 -
RUBBISH RUBBISH RUBBISH RUBBISH RUBBISH RUBBISH
Sorry, nothing useful to add, but we've had to endure them for 4 years, putting their prices up to triple the start price and no service whatsoever for it. My neighbour is in court against them next month as she got so fed up with the whole thing.Who made hogs and dogs and frogs?
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Thanks for your input Fire Fox. I spoke with their customer services this morning and was advised to email first and write later if no reply.
An email auto response seems to indicate a service level agreement to respond within 10 days. We'll see if it happens, if not then I'll put it on paper. At least then I've complied with their advice.
As for the last remarks regarding the charges and late payments, well this is more tongue and cheek since I have used the same words in my request for payment as they have used in theirs. I am demanding money for doing very little, reflecting their own philosophy.
Paul
You should not be taking advice from an organisation you are in dispute with!! If you are freehold you are not bound by the same legislation as leasehold service charges, but for leasehold you are ONLY entitled to lodge a formal dispute in writing - if this ends up in court you need proof that communication was received, a recorded delivery slip is ideal. A Residential Property Tribunal is an LVT - IIRC it's for leasehold properties.
I guessed you had copied their wording, unfortunately until a court rules otherwise you are bound by whatever covenants are in your freehold title so they may well be entitled to add late charges (do check). IMO being a smart @rse is not going to do you any favours in court, you should be looking to come over as a hard working, hard done by resident. Unless Solitaire have been informed that the work is not been carried out according to contract they can simply plead ignorance.
Don't get me wrong Solitaire are known to be a bunch of shysters, they probably won't respond properly. I have had a similar experience with our (now ex) management company, I avoided legal action by being able to list - and prove with recorded delivery slips - all the letters they had ignored. Being organised has saved me £4K to date.Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️0 -
Hi Fire Fox.
To reiterate, I am freehold. I don't yet consider myself to be in dispute with Solitaire since this implies some kind of two way communication where parties fail to agree. At the moment, it's a one way channel where our telephone conversations - normally enough with most companies to solve a problem - have been ignored.
However, semantics aside, I consider this to be more of a complaint whereby the complaints procedure should be followed until the company concerned can take corrective action. The procedure is quite clear: telephone, email then letter.
I believe a court would also look unfavourably on any person who had not following the published complaints procedure, regardless. Court is an absolute last resort!
However, your comments about my invoice are probably correct in retrospect. I do not expect them to take it seriously but it might, however, grab someones attention just enough to get something done. A bit like when the Tesco CEO had a demolition order placed on his house.
Paul0 -
AFAIK companies cannot dictate HOW you contact them in the event of a complaint or dispute, only WHO you need to contact otherwise it would be discriminatory. Phone calls then sarky e-mail leave you open to them pleading ignorance about previous contact, which I would not put past Solitaire.Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️0
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