Tracking down a sneaky Land Lord - Help!

maximus9

I've started my own thread on this, having previously hijacked someone els's a few weeks ago now:http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1162223&highlight=maximus9

I moved out of my last rented room at the end of June and my landlord won't return my deposit. I'll summarise my position to save rambling, I could go into more detail so please ask if req.

My previous experience of renting came before the Deposit Protection Scheme, I did not realise it existed when I moved in and only learned after I moved out when my problems started. I've checked all three schemes and my deposit wasn't protected.

• The house was a new build, two years old so everything was 'new condition' and when I left it was in the same state - meticulous. I did not sign an inventory when I moved in.
• When I moved out my LL did not have time to visit so I couldn’t hand over keys or complete an inventory, even though I gave him 1 months notice (verbally). He told me to leave my keys in the communal Kitchen, in my cupboard. I left my keys on top of the cupboard, as another tenant had already started using it the day I moved out.
• A few follow up calls later and LL said he still hadn't visited the property; he promised payment in full but then stopped answering my calls. I consulted Citizens advice, where I learned about the protection scheme. I had to text him to mention Court proceedings as he wouldn’t pick up the phone. He called back, very angry, and said he visited the house but was then unable to locate my keys, which delayed finding another tenant. (He never asked me where they were and I thought it was obvious!).

When he learned where they were, he told another Tennant that he could move into my room as he wanted to swap rooms. The Tenant told him there was a stain on the carpet. The LL did not visit the property before the Tennant started using the room. This conversation was on speaker phone - I have witnesses.

• I did not stain the carpet, he does not believe me. He has photos of the room before I moved in. But he can’t have photos of before the new Tenant moved in! I unfortunately have no photos. He agreed to give me most of my deposit back and I would let the matter rest but since then no money and he won't answer my calls.

"Easy!" I hear you say; "take him to small claims and get 3x your deposit out of him!". Not so easy; all I have is his mobile number. No address on the contract (which he never gave me a copy of anyway).

The Land Registry reveals his address is the same address as the rental property. I've found an address on 192.com from the 2006 & 2007 census that I know is in the area of London where he works. But having checked that property on the Land Reg. It’s owned by someone else and was shared by other people, so it looks like somewhere he was renting.
The Courts say I can serve papers on the address he provided me with; the property I rented from him, however from reading this monumental thread, (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=227606) I can see this may leave me with a dead end further down the line.

Any ideas on:
1) How I find this horrid person? So I can serve papers on where he really lives?
2) Thoughts about getting papers served to the property I rented a room in?

Premier_2

From what I remember, your LL was trading as a limited company...although after investigations you discovered that the company did not have any limited liability (i.e. it was not registered as such with companies house)

Contact consumer direct. They will pass on your complaint to Trading Standards who I'm sure will be interested in this individual / company. It is illegal to trade as a limited company if you do not have that protection.

If what you are saying is true, then you are dealing with a hardened fraudster. Using your own money to pursue him will probably end in tears I'm afraid. Allow the authorities to find him and drag him through the legal system at their expense.

maximus9

He never claimed to be 'Ltd' - I just needed to double check he wasn't a Ltd company. I know this make take more of my money but I'd rather do that than just let him get away with it. I will report him to all the relevent authorities but I also want to do all I can to persue him myself!

Thanks so much for your post!

maximus9

For anyone who happens to notice this thread - it doesn't look like many have but... My local citizens advise have written to my Landlord at the rental property on my behalf to 'remind him of his responsibilities'. He has a month to respond and if not I will begin legal proceedings agianst him. So citizens advise can provide some useful free leveredge on your behalf if you are finding yourself in the same boat

neverdespairgirl

Best of luck!

maximus9

Thank you!

I have been doing some research to standards for multiple occupancy houses and dicovered that my LL was flouncing many of the rules under the 1985 housing act. I emailed the housing authority at the local council with my concerns and they were VERY interested and helpful. They are sending Fire saftey inspectors round to the house asap! But they said they have to track the LL down which may take sometime. They also informed me that I can serve papers to my LL address on the land registery and were generally very supportive.

silvercar

From the land registry you can find the name of the mortgage lender; they may be interest to know that he is not living in the property.