After 3 years tenancy landlord suddenly claiming a payment didn't arrive -my bank says it did arrive

Artemis23

housebuyer143 said:

When I worked at a letting agent (owned by the connells group) all the chase letters and texts were automatically generated and sent to every person in arrears, even if they had a valid reason. Could this be what is happening?

I would however email and write to them a formal complaint and ensure that the account is reflected to show payment received and also to show you your rental statement to show you are not in arrears. 

Good point.  They are dealing with around 200 tenants just in my apartment building alone, and we represent only a tiny fraction of the properties that they are managing.  

I'm starting to lose hope that this is ever going to get sorted out.  I've provided proof the rent's paid.  I have an immaculate payment record before and after this alleged missing rent.  I obviously have no proof from them that my money DIDN'T arrive in their bank account.  And on it goes.  As of today they are still claiming April's payment was never received but that May and June payments arrived fine and on time.

eddddy

Presumably, the letting agent collects your rent payment, deducts their fee and passes the remainder to your landlord (that's how things usually work), so...

Depending on what your actual landlord is like, you could try writing to the landlord directly saying something like...



"Due to some kind of administrative problem at ABC lettings, they seem unable to trace my rent payment for April. Therefore I suspect that they haven't transferred the net rent payment to you.

I attach a copy of the trace details from my bank, which confirms that the payment reached ABC lettings account.

If you haven't received the rent payment for April, perhaps you want to chase ABC lettings in order to resolve this.

Alternatively, if you have received my rent payment for April, could you please let me know."

Artemis23

sourpuss2021 said:

Sounds like you have a great alibi for if you don’t want to pay July’s!

Erm......

Artemis23

eddddy said:

Presumably, the letting agent collects your rent payment, deducts their fee and passes the remainder to your landlord (that's how things usually work), so...

Depending on what your actual landlord is like, you could try writing to the landlord directly saying something like...



"Due to some kind of administrative problem at ABC lettings, they seem unable to trace my rent payment for April. Therefore I suspect that they haven't transferred the net rent payment to you.

I attach a copy of the trace details from my bank, which confirms that the payment reached ABC lettings account.

If you haven't received the rent payment for April, perhaps you want to chase ABC lettings in order to resolve this.

Alternatively, if you have received my rent payment for April, could you please let me know."

The landlord is a large corporation that owns the entire building of 200 flats and various other similar buildings around the UK.  So it's not an individual.  But I guess i could try to track down someone high up there to write to and send proof to?

theartfullodger

i assume you mean you pay rent to  agent. Doesn't mean they are your landlord.

who/what is named as landlord on your tenancy agreement?  Agent or owner of the property?  (There are alternative positions)


Looking forward to your reply 

Best wishes.

Artemis23

theartfullodger said:

i assume you mean you pay rent to  agent. Doesn't mean they are your landlord.

who/what is named as landlord on your tenancy agreement?  Agent or owner of the property?  (There are alternative positions)


Looking forward to your reply 

Best wishes.

So, on my tenancy agreement it gives the landlord as a "nominee" and then lists the names of two different "funds" (hedge funds).  And then it lists a well-known merchant bank as being their address.  But then it lists the name and address of the letting agent as the official address for the serving of notices.  

My rent is paid to the letting agent's bank account, in their name.   The letting agent is the managing agent.  They administrate rent increases, draw up the tenancy, do inspections, and manage the entire block of flats. 

However, around a year ago this entire building was sold to an entirely different corporation, whose name does not appear on my tenancy agreement.  The new corporation has kept the same letting agent on as managing agents for the building. 

So the landlord listed on my tenancy agreement is no longer my landlord.  But when the sale happened I was advised to continue paying rent to the same bank account I've always paid rent to.

housebuyer143

Artemis23 said:

eddddy said:

Presumably, the letting agent collects your rent payment, deducts their fee and passes the remainder to your landlord (that's how things usually work), so...

Depending on what your actual landlord is like, you could try writing to the landlord directly saying something like...



"Due to some kind of administrative problem at ABC lettings, they seem unable to trace my rent payment for April. Therefore I suspect that they haven't transferred the net rent payment to you.

I attach a copy of the trace details from my bank, which confirms that the payment reached ABC lettings account.

If you haven't received the rent payment for April, perhaps you want to chase ABC lettings in order to resolve this.

Alternatively, if you have received my rent payment for April, could you please let me know."

The landlord is a large corporation that owns the entire building of 200 flats and various other similar buildings around the UK.  So it's not an individual.  But I guess i could try to track down someone high up there to write to and send proof to?

I wouldn't waste your time. He probably has no idea you are even having this dispute with the agent and probably doesn't care if he did. Landlords like this pay the agent so they don't have to deal with tenants so probably wouldn't appreciate it.

Formal complaint time I would say as it's been going on so long. 

kinger101

theartfullodger said:

just as there are e.g. some stupid agents

This almost implies there might be some that aren't stupid.  

K_S

Formal email complaint to the estate agent, followed by escalating it to The Property Ombudsman (or the Property Redress Scheme, whichever system they are mandatorily registered with) if they refuse to accept that you aren't in arrears. There's no point with continuing this informal to and fro with the agent.

I wouldn't ignore it myself.

Artemis23

housebuyer143 said:

Artemis23 said:

eddddy said:

Presumably, the letting agent collects your rent payment, deducts their fee and passes the remainder to your landlord (that's how things usually work), so...

Depending on what your actual landlord is like, you could try writing to the landlord directly saying something like...



"Due to some kind of administrative problem at ABC lettings, they seem unable to trace my rent payment for April. Therefore I suspect that they haven't transferred the net rent payment to you.

I attach a copy of the trace details from my bank, which confirms that the payment reached ABC lettings account.

If you haven't received the rent payment for April, perhaps you want to chase ABC lettings in order to resolve this.

Alternatively, if you have received my rent payment for April, could you please let me know."

The landlord is a large corporation that owns the entire building of 200 flats and various other similar buildings around the UK.  So it's not an individual.  But I guess i could try to track down someone high up there to write to and send proof to?

I wouldn't waste your time. He probably has no idea you are even having this dispute with the agent and probably doesn't care if he did. Landlords like this pay the agent so they don't have to deal with tenants so probably wouldn't appreciate it.

Formal complaint time I would say as it's been going on so long. 

True.  There actually is no individual landlord.  It's a large company that owns goodness knows how many hundreds or thousands of flats.   They definitely don't deal with individual tenants. 

I've  had enough of this.  I've really taken care of the flat (they even commented on this during an inspection), always paid on time, never been any trouble.  And this is how I end up getting treated.   It's so tricky for private tenants because we're always having to live in fear of not having our lease renewed if we dare to stand up for ourselves.  It's for this same reason that tenants often put up with shockingly damp or unsafe flats.