Landlord pursuing tens of pounds

krlyr

I work in the accounts department of a company and we can be "petty" to the point of disputing pennies on an invoice. I've queried an invoice literally for 1 penny before - it had been raised by the company as their system didn't allow zero value orders or something, but regardless of value, I wasn't about to pay it without knowing was it was for and having it approved by the buying department.
On the other side of the coin, we've had suppliers chase for small amounts - I think I've had a solicitor's letter for a balance of about £5 before (we hadn't received the invoice in the post so it had been unpaid until they chased), it probably cost them more to get the letter typed up than the amount we owed, but it's the principle - if you owe money, you owe money, regardless of value.
In a business, that 1p may not just be 1p. It may be 1p on 1000 invoices, 5p on 500 invoices, 10p on 100. And that might be just in a month, or two months - multiple that by the annual amount and it soon adds up. Your letting agent doesn't just deal solely with you - why should you be given special allowances over the other tennants?

It may only be a small amount to you, but you owe it. You agreed to the rent increase by paying the new amount - therefore you are liable for the full rent value, not whatever you felt like paying. If your employer underpaid your wages by £30 one month, for no reason, I imagine you would have something to say about it! Or how would you feel if part of your deposit was retained for no reason - what if the situation was reversed, you owed the LA no money at all but when you left they short-paid your deposit by £30 for absolutely no reason at all?

If cheques are that inconvenient for you then I'm sure they wouldn't object to a bank transfer, or just an increased direct debit payment as a one-off to cover the difference.

mrsbmartin

If you are planning on moving into another rental it would be foolish not to pay it...they could just show it up as you being behind on the rent surely? Not to mention a reference....

Gordon_Hose

I take it you can prove they actually got the email you sent by way of delivery and read receipt?

mrlogan

krlyr wrote: »

If your employer underpaid your wages by £30 one month, for no reason, I imagine you would have something to say about it!

No, actually. I've been underpaid many times that I've spotted and probably many more times that I haven't spotted. But I make a fair amount of money so I don't bother chasing up small discrepancies. So how much moreso for a letting agent who's making far more money and doing far less work this money?

franklee

mrlogan wrote: »

They sent me a notice of rent increase in the post, I emailed them detailing the reasons why I disagreed with this, but they never replied. So I decided I was going to move in the near future and started paying this new rent amount. So in the end, I didn't even dispute it. I plan on moving soon.

So you were served a section 13 notice giving at least one months notice of the increase with the notice to end at the end of a period. Plus you are on a periodic tenancy? Also the last Section 13 increase was more than a year ago etc.

If that didn't happen you could have ignored the increase.

If it did happen then you could have referred the increase to the rent assessment committee. Even though you are leaving there are still the months before you go to pay for so why not get it assessed if you felt the rent is demonstrably overpriced? It sounds like your email already has the comparable properties listed.

You could give em a bit of admin to get your money's worth. Of course you may be too late now I'm not sure but suggest you search for "Section 13" "Rent assessment committee" for the details.