Please help re flat deposit

barnaby-bear

Edna_Bucket wrote:

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!

I think the multiple IDs is suggesting fraud - I would a) report it to police b) report LA to ARLA and professional bodies c) report it to court d) report it to tax department - list all her assets etc (I bet she's fiddling somewhere) e) even send a letter to experian etc f) her bank whereever you paid monies f) the LAs bank informing them account may be used for fraud - spread this info around -

honeypop

Now, I am another one who has followed this from the beginning although sat here silently just reading, not posting.

EagerLearner wrote:

Uhm, I could already construct professional letters, follow complex legal docs and research... as it happens I'm a Personal Assistant

But from the start there were always requests on what to say, how to word the letters, sometimes saying 'is this what I should put?', who to contact next etc... I would say there has probably been a lot of progress on constructing professional letters.

I agree with everyone else who thinks you are being 'too nice', although maybe the holding back of taking this any further or gaining any further information is due to being completely worn out by the whole thing by now. There have been a LOT of suggestions on what steps to take next which are nearly all met with 'but I can't do that because...' of some reason or another.
It all comes down to if you are serious about taking it all the way, or needing to leave it now as it has taken so much time, effort and money to get this far. If you want to keep on, there have been many suggestions to follow but evryone can't keep doing the work for you no matter how much we want to see the LL brought to justice.

I am not meaning to be rude, just that I have read this thread from the beginning and it seems to be that you don't want to follow up peoples ideas anymore and just see what happens hoping that she will somehow decide to pay up. Hopefully, you find it in you to keep going though, or this whole time would have been a waste of your efforts (and that of everyone who has tried to help).

RabbitMad

I suggest that you write to the occupier of each of her rented properties asking for the LL's address and explain that you have taken them to court as they unreasonable withheld your desposit.

You should also inocently mention that the landlady has multiple names has been very difficult to serve court papers on and that the address for serving papers on on the letting agreement cannot be used if it is a c/o address (this should get the current tenants thinking that she will do the same to them too).

This may not get you any closer to getting your money back but it will make her life difficult.

I also agree with a previous poster that you will be richer for the experience.

Mrs_pbradley936

I agree with Rabbitmad - wish I had thought of it!

prudryden

Here is what I would like to do? Anyone with me? Please in one sentence - state the name and email address of the letting agent on this forum. Everyone send an email to this agent. They may decide to take a hit on this themselves and return the deposit. Also, can anyone pm me the name of LL?

It takes years to build up a good reputation, and one incident like this to destroy it. They make take notice.

Pontoon

Think that it would be best to name and shame the landlord and letting agent in the paper if you can.
It's one thing getting local support its another starting a national hate campaign against someone. I know that is not the intention, but it's possible that it would get out of hand otherwise. There are a lot of passionate and emotive people on here, which is a good thing, but could be overkill on the vengance.

EL good luck with it. Having been a renter as a student we got screwed over several times by landlords who took advantage of us being students so kept our deposits :-( We didn't know how to get them back so just left it. Think more people need to make a stand, teach them that just cos they've got away with "common practice" so far doesn't make it right or just.

irnbru_2

clutton wrote:

do you KNOW she has moved - have you knocked on the door of her address ?

That's what I'd do.

Hopefully, she was an owner occupier rather than renting from another LL.

If there is a new buyer just ask them for her new address. If they don't know, fair enough.

If she uses different spellings for different porperties then I would report it to the police, they'll decide if it's worth pursuing.

Finally and I cannot stress it enough, your MP and local councillor will help you.

Councillor/MP/Police only cost you time not money.

Edna_Bucket_2

Good list of posts above here and second all of that. Rather than asking any more "should I do this, should I do that?" you need to go nuclear now (you've in fact already done the hard part in terms of the Court)

I never let people (more often companies) get away with avoiding paying up (or theft as it is more accurately described) because they think they can, whatever the size of the sum.

I think the smallest sum I ever started SCC on was about £30 after a "go ahead and take me to Court then" conversation. I did - they paid (for everything.) Hopefully they won't try the same scam again on anyone else.

As I said before, no-one who does business in the UK is invisible - I believe this fraudster can be easily tracked down.

PS. "hate campaign" Pontoon? I quite liked the idea of a MSE party in Brighton followed by a lynch mob pursuing her through the streets and chasing her off the end of the pier!

clutton_2

honeypop - i agree with some of your thoughts, but, reading your post from EL's perspective, i might find your post quite annoying to read ! I think she has followed up the majority of ideas offered to her, and bearing in mind that she works full-time, its not terribly easy to immediately make and keep several appointments in a short space of time. IF folks thought she was not helping herself, there is NO way this thread would be as long as it is !!!!!

But i do agree on getting angrier !!!!

EagerLearner

clutton wrote:

honeypop - i agree with some of your thoughts, but, reading your post from EL's perspective, i might find your post quite annoying to read ! I think she has followed up the majority of ideas offered to her, and bearing in mind that she works full-time, its not terribly easy to immediately make and keep several appointments in a short space of time. IF folks thought she was not helping herself, there is NO way this thread would be as long as it is !!!!!

But i do agree on getting angrier !!!!

Thanks Clutton :T

Just on here for a minute as will be reasearching during lunch - will advise you later of any joy :beer: