Please help re flat deposit

BobProperty

clutton wrote:

......Does the court know that this woman has a number of names ? if not, please tell them asap.

anyone else got any ideas on this ?

I think, and you'd have to check, but I think you can issue court papers / bankruptcy proceedings as Mrs Nasty Landlady also known as Mrs Nastie Landlayd and Mrs Nasty Landlladiee. If you have her name on something like the electoral register then that version should be pretty conclusive for a court. A call to HMRC with a list of the variations could prove interesting too.

BobProperty

clutton wrote:

then you edited it

Mrs Danvers

A_Nice_Englishman

Would it help to employ a debt collecting agency?

Edna_Bucket_2

clutton wrote:

...i now know that this woman uses a variety of different names, all terribly similar to each other. This is a classic criminal strategy. This can be construed as as attempt at deception. Anyone can change their names, simply by saying, "i am now elsie bloggs" or whatever, or by using a deed poll to publicly change their name.

BUT, name-changing is not legal if the reason for changing names is to deceive or defraud others...

This is now beyond a Civil matter - it needs to be turned across to the police and reported as a possible criminal matter.

If I were you though I'd be in the front door of the LA at 9am for a very short conversation in view of this. I'd give them 24 hours to hand you copies of everything they have on her identity, or you'll pass all their names to the police as well - remind them of the penalties for aiding and abetting a fraudster.

I suspect the DPA may go out the window in that case!

Edna_Bucket_2

Get your local newspaper - the Argus - in on it - you might even want to show them this thread! (edited version!!) 2 great stories in one!

A good landlord story always plays well:

http://www.theargus.co.uk/search/display.var.892773.0.electric_shock_victim_takes_court_action_against_landlord.php

This looks like the lady to contact:

News editor, Melanie Dowding

melanie.dowding@theargus.co.uk

Sharpie

Just popped into wish you the best of luck..taken me 2 hours to read this, and have been up and down with you. I agree that this is the sort of thing that needs the police involved...shame Esther Rantzen isn't around anymore- what about Nicky Cambell and Watchdog??!!

Don't give up now- its not for the money (past that stage) its for the moral victory....and just think of that Thai beach....:j

EagerLearner

Thanks again all for the support - feeling a bit better today and your PM's have been fantastic - just to answer a few Q's before heading to work and also summarise a bit for newbies:

- We left our previous flat in very good condition, expecting a max deduction of £50 or £100. We were advised that over and above KEEPING all of our £625, the landlady wished to charge us an extra £70-£80 for 'extras'. We requested invoices/receipts in order to dispute this amount, as no tenant who leaves a flat in perfect condition should pay this. We were also aware the landlady was planning to rennovate her entire apartment for the next tenant.

- Over the past 5 months we have been trying to get most or at least some of our deposit back with no avail. Despite the deposit amount being disputed by us, we were advised LAST WEEK that the letting agent gave back the entire amount in August to the landlord knowing we were commencing court proceedings. The deposit amount was £625 and she kept ALL of it in this way, there was no fairness, the letting agent and her simply agreed.

- We commenced court proceedings in September after sending 3 warning letters to her known address (this in itself took alot of investigating as she returned these letters to sender) and also to the letting agent. We received no response from landlord so were forced to proceed and spend £80 court fees.

- Court Judgement was awarded in our favour last week by default as the landlord did not respond - all letters were returned to the court.

- Last week we faxed and posted the letting agent requesting our deposit back in view of being awarded judgement against the landlady. As we had paid the letting agent the £625 to hold 2 years ago, we thought they would be able to give it back to us.They replied on Saturday 4th Nov and advised that the deposit had (conveniently) already been returned to the landlady in August, before court proceedings commenced, but at a time when they knew very well we were disputing the amount in full and were considering court action.

- We have now been advised by the letting agent that she has moved. We have faxed them yesterday asking for her address, but have had nothing so far.

Answers to Questions:


- This landlady has no company so I can't issue winding order etc
- Could we go to the Argus even though the landlady may claim she knows nothing about the case?
- We cannot afford to spend much more on this case - £100 max and even then we wonder if it is throwing good money after bad
- We now no longer know her address unless the letting agent provides it. If they do not, we will write to ARLA

Thanks all!

Edna_Bucket_2

EagerLearner wrote:

Answers to Questions:

- Could we go to the Argus even though the landlady may claim she knows nothing about the case?

Sorry to be rude, but you are still being too nice.

OF COURSE, she knows about the case - she's just a serial criminal who is well practised in these things. Why not instead take the informed view that she's no doubt got a track record as long as your arm in doing the same thing to others before you?

OF COURSE The LA know all about all of that and took the decision to work with her - by implication their hands are dirty.

If you work from that premise I think you'll get on much better.

clutton_2

when i was getting divorced my ex-husband was constantly telling my solicitor that he was moving abroad - he never did !!

do you KNOW she has moved - have you knocked on the door of her address ? sent a recorded delivery letter there ? asked the postman/milkmkan on that round ?

""Could we go to the Argus""


- of course - YOU'VE GOT A COURT ORDER AGAINST HER !!!!!!!

If you are getting tired or all this, and want to spend no more money, then, this bad publicity route might well give you some moral satisfaction if nothing else.

fbrj

Having spent a couple of hours reading the entire thread last night (phewwwwww.........!) I can only add my name to the increasingly vociferous support you are getting from this thread - you simply musn't give up at this late stage; that woman has got to be nailed!

Like another poster...I thought (from the thread title) that you were seeking support in raising money for a deposit - but then saw the thread ran to some 30 pages.....curiosity killed the cat... had a look....and was hooked!

The LA seems a slippery customer too. There was one point someone raised way back in the thread about their precise role as the letting agent as set out in the Tenancy Agreement. The only reason I raise this is that a couple of years ago we let our house, through a letting agent, and I distinctly recall that the agent held the deposit as "stakeholder" and was obliged to return the deposit to the tenant within, I think, 60 days from the end of the Tenancy Agreement. If there was a dispute (which there was), the money was to be held until formal arbitration (or other agreement) resolved the issue. There was certainly no question of the LA just handing over the deposit to the landlord in the circumstances you find yourself in.

This is a rather long winded way of saying....have you checked your Tenancy Agreement to ensure that the LA adhered strictly to the terms of the agreement, relating to this particular aspect (ie treatment of the deposit monies). If it can be shown that they acted improperly, then they may just be a little more amenable in disclosing a certain address you need.

Best of luck!!