Estate Agents Blaming Me

gary224

pipe underbathroom

chris_m

gary224 wrote: »

pipe underbathroom

Inaccessible by you without removing panels or floorboards, I take it?

If that is the case I fail to see how you can possibly be held responsible.

gary224

furthermore, i hardly ever used the shower extension, i take mostly baths and it was only used to clean the bathtub.

while i am mostly likely not responsible, the agent does not seem to care and auto-charges me. so i want to konw what to do from now on

dimbo61

Letting Agents need no training, no qualifications or even to be honest.
All hot air from the agents, so write back a letter pointing out the bathroom has a leak in the pipework which is the landlords responsibility to repair.
You have reported this in good time and will not be paying any charges.
Complete and utter XXXXXXX but this is what you now get in London.
Same greedy XXXXXX who are now charging BUYERS 2% to put in an offer on a property in London.
It makes me want to scream

YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FULL STOP

PS LA,s are very keen to charge tenants and Landlords as much as possible

dimbo61

Does not make good reading but you should be aware

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-2579076/More-200-000-tenants-victims-revenge-evictions-landlords-year-asking-repairs-Shelter-claims.html

Blackpool_Saver

dimbo61 wrote: »

Does not make good reading but you should be aware

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-2579076/More-200-000-tenants-victims-revenge-evictions-landlords-year-asking-repairs-Shelter-claims.html

Will be a lot more than that. Most put up with the faults so as not to get notice

gary224

thanks for nice support Dimbo

i found out from old tenant that 2.5 years ago it was leaking.

in addition this estate agent, David Daniels, charged a old couple on this road 1,000 pounds (taken from deposit) to cover "damages"

SerialRenter

Ouch!

Now's the time to make sure your deposit is protected then.

Hopefully you received information from the landlord or David Daniels about your deposit, the prescribed information.

If you didn't/cant remember, have a look on here:
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/tenancy_deposits/tenancy_deposit_protection_schemes/deposit_protection_and_tenancy_deposit_schemes

And hopefully you'll be able to find it.

If it's not listed under any of the schemes, give us a reply and we'll help you out further.

princeofpounds

Hi Gary, thanks for all the clarifications.

Clearly this is not your fault. So you need to move into protection mode.

As suggested, make sure your deposit is protected (please confirm here). This should ensure that no unfair deductions can be made.

The next thing to do is make sure you create a strong paper trail.

Write to the LL, copying LA, at the address for the service of notices on your tenancy agreement (this may be the same address). Post this, with proof of postage from a post office.

This letter should be brief and factual. The purpose is not to complain, so keep emotion out of it, but to record events and show that you notified the LL.

Broadly the following points are important. You might wish to subtract some, add more... this is just a rough structure I thought of quickly.

- As a record of events to date, you originally notified them of the leak as soon as you were aware, by method x, on date y. This letter follows up various phone conversations from that point.

- A visit from a workman was arranged. The workman did not perform a proper inspection.

- The agent is attempting to bill you for the visit, claiming it is your fault for using a shower tube on the tap. This is not a remotely credible reason for a pipe to break. The pipe is not even accessible to you and you have caused no damage to it, through misuse or otherwise.

- As a result you accept no liability for these charges and spurious penalty fees. Repairs to the house are the obligation of the landlord.

- Since the workman visited, you are told the leak has re-appeared, demonstrating that the diagnosis and repair work of the workman is flawed. You note that the shower tube has not been used once since the visit.

- You would like the leak to be repaired properly and promptly, for the benefit of the downstairs neighbours as well as yourself.

dimbo61

" in addition this estate agent, David Daniels, charged a old couple on this road 1,000 pounds (taken from deposit) to cover "damages"

Total and utter XXXXXX
Now unless the landlord has had a video Inventory done by an Independent Video company and printed a copy off that you and he have signed HE HAS NO PROOF of the properties condition.
If you report every problem in writing and keep copies to prove in court LA/LL can deduct nothing.
Refuse to accept any damages and take it to DPS arbitration and you will win.
Landlord has to prove you caused damage so do not let the XXXXX get away with one penny of your money