Being sued for rejecting a tenant due to bad references

Being sued for rejecting a tenant due to bad references

10:33 AM, 21st July 2015, About 9 years ago 33

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I run a small letting agency where I own half of the properties we rent out. All in all this works well as I understand what a landlords needs are!sued

However, several weeks a go we received an application to rent a property from an individual to for one of my most valuable properties in my portfolio. The property is worth in excess of £400k and the rental is £1300pcm. When we asked his previous agent/landlord for a reference for the individual we were told they were not prepared to put it in writing, but they would verbally give us a reference over the phone.

They then proceeded to tell us that the tenants rent was currently £575pcm and they had never paid their rent on time and they did not look after their property. With this information we then told the applicant that he had been unsuccessful and would not be able to rent this property.

Yesterday I received a letter from a solicitor stating I have 14 days to pay £5000 of out of court damages to the applicant for the inconvenience I have caused him by not allowing him to rent the property.

I am astounded by this! Am I now not allowed to decide who rents my property? Should I take these threats seriously?

Lyn


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Comments

Mike W

13:53 PM, 19th August 2015, About 9 years ago

Lyn,
Based upon the facts as presented on your post and in subsequent comments, I would suggest you document what facts you have particularly times of telephone calls and details of the request to let the property and inform the police.

This sounds like fraud, which of course is a criminal offence.

http://www.sfo.gov.uk/fraud/what-is-fraud.aspx

Put simply, fraud is an act of deception intended for personal gain or to cause a loss to another party.

A few other points:
I record my telephone calls particularly in circumstances like this. I store all emails for 7 years.

Anyone can build a website. Someone can even impersonate a solicitor and a firm. Have you checked the solicitor is listed ? etc etc.

Unfortunately in todays world you can take little for granted.

Matt Wardman

15:15 PM, 19th August 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Emerald Legal" at "21/07/2015 - 11:53":

Solicitors usually write what their clients tell them.

Martin

17:47 PM, 20th August 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mike W" at "19/08/2015 - 13:53":

We know who the solicitor is: http://www.ahmadwilliams.co.uk/

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