Resident Assocation Meeting

kirstybastin

Hi All,

I received an email from my landlord stating a complaint had been made that a smoking tobacco and other substances were being used in my flat. I have confirmed that this is not the case as neither me or my partner smoke but also that we do not agree with drugs.

Landlord has thanked me for coming back to her so soon but has stated that me and landlord will have to go to a meeting with the resident assocaition as they need to back up what they are reporting and we can make clear our position.

I do not know why the neighbours are complaining about this I have noticed such smells within the block of flats but I know its definetly not coming from us. But we haven't complained because we don't want to update neighbours otherwise we could raise several complaints ie people scraping denting pulling off bits of walls because of a bike etc.

I don't really know what to expect from this meeting what I have to do where the meeting will take place ie their location or whether they will come to flat.

any help would be greatly appreciated

Better_Days

Well, I wouldn't expect the meeting to be in your flat. If the LL and the RA want to arrange a meeting then they will need to provide the venue. I certainly wouldn't like it and if things do get a little unpleasant you don't want that going on in your flat.

I would ask for an agenda for the meeting too. Do you have any paperwork about the RA - its terms of reference etc?

BitterAndTwisted

If you don't know where this meeting is due to take place then you should ask your landlord as that is the party you have a legal relationship with. The residents association have no power over you, so you are not legally obliged to answer to them. Although the association may be able to sanction your landlord in some way for your breaches, you don't have sight of their lease so aren't in a position to know what they might be.

In my opinion it is extremely unlikely that the association would be able to enforce any no smoking rules even if it was you who was doing the smoking in the first place. But that's no reason not to go through with this meeting for the sake of the appearance of harmony with your landlord and the other residents.

kirstybastin

thank you better days I have never been in this situation before and never wanted this kind of situation either I will ask for a agenda and I have no paperwork just an email from my landlord stating there was a complaint and i replied it wasn't us and she said because a complaint was raised a meeting has to take place I have never had a problem and I have been renting off different landlords for nearly 10 years now and only been in this place since feb.

Guest101

Personally i wouldn't go. you've answered yor landlord, tha HA is to do with him/her not you.

BitterAndTwisted

Not agreeing to attend this meeting could result in your landlord giving you notice if the association seeks to sanction your landlord. That's if their lease allows for such a thing.

I suspect this would be unlikely in the extreme, but for the sake of a good relationship with your landlord I think you should show willing.

mrginge

Guest101 wrote: »

Personally i wouldn't go. you've answered yor landlord, tha HA is to do with him/her not you.

More sensible advice i see....

OP - do this and expect to be given notice.

The sensible option is of course to front up, explain that it is not you, ask why they think it is you, and resolve the issue face to face.
Don't start moaning about dents in walls because you will probably also end up antagonising the RA and LL.

ValHaller

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Not agreeing to attend this meeting could result in your landlord giving you notice if the association seeks to sanction your landlord. That's if their lease allows for such a thing.

I agree but if I were in OP's position, I would as a matter of course decline to accept the first date offered and ask for the complaint to be presented in writing.

BitterAndTwisted

If I were in the OP's position I would not do anything to inconvenience or alienate my landlord in case s/he decides to replace me with someone rather less troublesome.

Guest101

mrginge wrote: »

More sensible advice i see....

OP - do this and expect to be given notice.

The sensible option is of course to front up, explain that it is not you, ask why they think it is you, and resolve the issue face to face.
Don't start moaning about dents in walls because you will probably also end up antagonising the RA and LL.

I said I would not... That's my personal opinion. I dont control what the OP does.

Just pointing out the RA are obviously looking to blame the OP for this, and will likely use this meeting to try trick some kind of 'confession'

BitterAndTwisted

They're not "obviously" doing anything. All it would take is for the OP to invite the members of the RA and the landlord to have the meeting in their property and it would be immediately apparent that it's not the OP who is doing or has done any smoking in there.