They’re all at it…
By admin | July 10th, 2009 | Category: Past Articles | 3 commentsIt was good to read on the BBC News website today that High profile estate agency Foxtons has been told by the High Court that some of the charges it imposes on landlords are unfair.
The Office of Fair Trading asked the court to to uphold the regulators decision from 2008 that the charges broke consumer regulations.
Admittedly these charges were imposed on Landlords that Foxtons were managing, but it goes to show that the ‘Property Management Industry (lettings and management’ business has certainly been lucrative to many of the big players over the years and it would appear that things are slowing starting to change in this ‘unregulated’ industry.
The full report is available at: BBC News – Business
Hi
My name is Owen Hoy and I haved lived on a development in Yeading, Middlesex since April 1999. My property is FREEHOLD and paid for in FULL, yet we are all subjected to management fees because Solitaire own a few metres of land on this development.
I have been in dispute with Solitaire for more than ten years and have not paid them a penny.
I’d therefore be very keen to hear from the person who originated and maintains this EXCELLENT website.
Please cotact me URGENTLY via email.
Kind regards
Owen M Hoy
Owen – you say you have been in dispute with Solitaire for more than 10 years, and haven’t paid them a penny – have they ever threatened (or even tried) legal proceedings against you for non-payment…??? If they have, I assume they lost, or aborted…???
If the answer is no, then I would think this signals that they know they don’t have a leg to stand on, as far as charging you is concerned. If your dispute is over 10 years old, then you would have thought they’d have tried to sue you for non-payment by now, if they had a valid case…..
What exactly is the “few metres of land” Solitaire own on your development, and how does it affect your specific property?? Is it roadway, drive, pavement etc. over which you need access to your property, or is it an insignificant piece of scruffy grass, of no consequence to anybody…???
Hi Matt
My sincere apologies for not replying earlier to your questions, but unfortunately since my last visit to this website I have been experiencing IT problems (so much for new technology aye ?).
Anyway mate – in relation to your questions, the answers are as follows:-
Solitaire have threatened me on a daily/weekly/monthly/yearly basis since the outset of my dispute, and I have dealt with so many so-called Property Managers, that I have lost count of them.
They have had their solicitors contact me to make threats, and I have received numerous letters from Debt Collection Companies threatening legal action as well. However, I do not succumb to threats as prior to May 2006, I was a career civil servant of 32 years working for the Department of Trade & Industry in Westminster, so I know my rights and what “COWBOY” companies of this kind, can and can’t do.
I would contact the “THREATENING” party immediately by phone and then followed up with a letter or email enclosing or attaching background papers relating to the dispute. To date they have always backed off, but unfortunately most other residents on this development have continued to pay due to “OUT & OUT FEAR”, and because the majority of them still have mortgages to pay.
You may not know this, but at least one of the Debt Collection Companies is in fact associated and owned by Solitaire – namely “CENTURION COLLECTIONS”. Solitaire own Estates & Management and Estates & Management in turn own Centurion – clever aye ? Well Solitaire think so anyway.
With regards to ownership of land on this development, Solitaire have about 100 metres of grassed area (close to the entrance of this development) to the right hand side of my street, namely Patching Way, and about four/five other smaller areas dotted around the site. I can’t even see this piece of land from my property. They are also suppose to clean and maintain two communal refuge areas, but never do so, resulting in vermin. In fact since 1 May 2007, I have maintained the Patching Way refuge cupboard and actually submitted my own invoice of £2,200 to Jemma Berry in December 2008, as previously she had asked that I submit it with signed declarations from other residents (at least 11 which I did), but now they are continuing to refuse payment.
On 22 May, I wrote to Andrew Billson, Director of Operations at Peverel, who immediately ignored my correspondence and referred the matter back to Solitaire. I tried to contact him by phone, but he is protected by a non-intelligent switchboard operator, but finally I got through to the office (his PA) of Lee Middleburgh and on 16 June, I emailed him via his PA, with all background papers, but surprise surprise guess what ? He again referred the papers back to Solitaire, only this time, to Janet Dzie, Associate Director at Solitaire, and she in turn, sent me a a four page threatening letter dated 25 June. I in turn responded with a detailed 6 page letter on 20 July, copied to both Lee Middleburgh and Andrew Billson, together with that of Geraldine Shortall at ARMA with whom I am now dealing.
Then on 20 July Janet Dzie replied by letter with the opening phrase ” I have considered your comments and will now address those issues not dealt with within my letter to you and dated 25 June”. Now forgive me for sounding sarcastic, but how can we move forward in a positive manner if she is ignoring all valid issues raised by me ? I could be rude at this moment in time, but for a while longer, I’ll hold back !!!
I did reply to her on 5 August but to date have not received any further response.
As you can see Matt, I won’t be beaten by an organisation who take money from residents, but provide NO SERVICE WHATSOEVER.
I look forward to hearing further from you.
Kind regards
Owen M Hoy