Agency billing for cleaning services by fake company?

G_M

My 'plumber' works from his home.
He is not a Ltd company so not registered at Companies House.
He uses his home address/phone number on his invoices.
He is not VAT registered because his turn-over is (well) below the threshold.
Google might find him via Yell, Thomson local etc) but then again might not.
Google Earth will just show his house.

Nothing dodgy- he's a damn good plumber and (I believe!) pays his taxes every year.

My gardener, decorator, tree-man, electrician etc (most of whom know each other and pass work back and forth!) are all the same.

tbs624

OP - you didn't respond to my query above about whether you have finalised the return of your deposit?

It's quite straightforward to challenge the LLs claim that the property needed cleaning - he would have to be able to clearly show that the property had been provided to you in a clean condition at the start of the tenancy and that you had left it dirtier. You only have to leave the property in the same condition as when originally let to you, save for FW&T.

Don't just "threaten" to use the dispute service - if you have grounds to formally dispute proposed deductions then do it. The whole purpose of the schemes being set up was to prevent LLs from making unilateral decisions on deposit deductions,providing Ts and LLs with an alternative to court.

If you haven't and *are* wanting to formally dispute the deductions for cleaning then you do need to keep an eye on time limits.

googler

karenol wrote: »

There was only an @live.co.uk email address which could have been set up by anyone. It wasn't listed as a ltd. company.

I've got news for you - anyone could set up

localcleaner.com
flat clean.co.uk

and that wouldn't make them any more legitimate than someone using hotmail, gmail etc.

I've lost count of the window cleaners, plasterers, plumbers, electricians, etc that I've seen around my town with hotmail and similar e-mail addresses on their vans.