MAJOR help needed... typical LA

RobertoMoir

Angry_Bear wrote: »

That's not what it sounds like to me. It sounds to me like a young woman living alone has been bullied by her LA and let down by her council and police to the point that she has let people she doesn't want (and is afraid of) into her home.

Yes, But she made the choice to compromise rather than endure any further stress or distress. My point in making the post was to say to her "it's ok to solve this however you want" because a lot of people seemed to be expecting some big good vs. evil battle and she's not up for that.

Maybe I haven't done it very well but I was trying to extend a bit of sympathy to her. Sorry if you think I've done something wrong.

Spent the last day in terror and now is moving back home and will "never, ever rent again". The whole situation is beyond disgraceful!

Indeed. I was and still am aghast. This was an awful awful situation.

franklee

So given the viewers turned up doesn't that show that the agent had no intention of cancelling the viewing and that their asking for an inspection was just a cover to get the viewing done? If it was a genuine inspection only the viewers would have been told their viewing was cancelled. Is it worth putting that in writing to the council TRO/tenant representative, to confirm that the agent played them? If nothing else it's a bit of experience for that person so hopefully next time they won't be duped by the agent.

I really hope the agent behaves better for the rest of your tenancy marliepanda.

Thank you for your posts on this thread Ben, I've copied them for future reference. When you have time is it possible you could post an anonymised version of your letter (either here or in your blog postings) as I'm sure many tenants (and landlords) would find it most useful.

Angry_Bear

RobertoMoir wrote: »

Maybe I haven't done it very well but I was trying to extend a bit of sympathy to her. Sorry if you think I've done something wrong.

Sorry, not what I was trying to get at. I could see what you meant and I agreed with you in general. I was just generally being angry on Marlie's behalf (at the LA - not you) and wanted to make it clear that I don't think the compromise she has been forced into is acceptable

(Damn lack of tone in forum posts, grumble grumble .... )

Ben_Reeve_Lewis_2

You cant write a pro-forma letter in such cases as each person’s story is unique to them. I constantly get asked by my employers to standardise these kinds of things but it cant be done.

It was a mad run today wasn’t it? I had similar cases to Marlie’s that I was dealing with on a face to face basis but I kept shooting back to her because I was worried for her.

I appreciate where everyone was coming from but not sure all the advice would really help her, as emotional arguments and sense of justice have nowt to do with the law

I had one of my tenants/clients kill themselves on Monday, ran out of the interview room and threw themselves under a bus while I was recording their allegations because of similar pressures and there was nothing I could do to stop that, so it’s not sat well with me, so I think Marlie’s case became a bit of a cause celebre, trying to claw something back.

Not been the best week

RAS

Just been perusing your blogs.

Very pleased to have you here.

We get a lot of cases here of a similar nature - illegal evictions, threats of IE etc.

At least three times recently, police have either advised tenants and a landlady incorrectly. So a tenant was told that they could not protect themselves from possibkle IE (change the locks) and a LL was told that she could not force her lodger to leave unless she gave him one month's notice - after he had harassed and threatened her.

And we do get the accidental LLs.

I wish that things had been different for your client this week - it is harsh enough facing this stuff anywhere but London is the pits for those made homeless.

If you want support for licencing of LAs, you will find a lot here, by the way.

Clearlier

Ben_Reeve_Lewis wrote: »

You cant write a pro-forma letter in such cases as each person’s story is unique to them. I constantly get asked by my employers to standardise these kinds of things but it cant be done.

It was a mad run today wasn’t it? I had similar cases to Marlie’s that I was dealing with on a face to face basis but I kept shooting back to her because I was worried for her.

I appreciate where everyone was coming from but not sure all the advice would really help her, as emotional arguments and sense of justice have nowt to do with the law

I had one of my tenants/clients kill themselves on Monday, threw themselves under a bus while I was recording their allegations because of similar pressures and there was nothing I could do to stop that, so it’s not sat well with me, so I think Marlie’s case became a bit of a cause celebre.

Not been the best week

I hope that you're getting some counselling for that Ben. It wasn't your fault and there were probably a hundred other things going on that nobody was aware of.

RAS

Completely off track https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4038249

He has been back this week but it looks like a right pickle?

dancingfairy

Hi Marlie - glad you survived and hope you can get some sleep now. I genuinelly can't believe they actually invited still turned up and invited the buyers around. Shameful,absolutely shameful. I can totally understand why you let them in when you feel like you got no help from the police or the TRO. I hope when you are feeling a little better you are able to fight them because frankly they deserve hauling over the coals and I for one would love for them to spend some time in prison. They truly are disgusting, horrid people.
Stay strong.
df

Yorkie1

Just want to say thanks for your advice in this thread Ben. To get that many 'Thanks' in that few posts gives you some indication of how many of us appreciated you taking time out of your busy work to help out.

I hope that you manage to get some down time this weekend too.

Ben_Reeve_Lewis_2

Thank you but no rest for the wicked haha I am in Norwich all weekedn with housing lawyer Tessa Shepperson, looking at how we can create training courses for landlrods and agents so this kind of S**t doesnt happnet so often.

Look to the bottom of my latest article on Landlord Law blog to see the week I've had and how this kind of stuff that goes on everyday. How can Shapps and co say that landlords and agents dont need regulating?