Fergus Wilson’s response to “Hero or Villain”

Fergus Wilson’s response to “Hero or Villain”

10:17 AM, 26th July 2018, About 6 years ago 93

Text Size

Please see the response from Fergus Wilson to the article “Kent Landlord – Hero or Villain“:

“Hi, I have noted the Property118 article this morning.

Property 118 talks about Zealots. We call them Petty Little Hitlers (PLH).

A Council Officer can never be wrong. He is always right and when he is not right he is never wrong!

Ashford Council brought a case against me for no hot water for not acting quickly enough! The Council then had to withdraw the prosecution for not acting quick enough itself! It was out of time!

The Council then said we will set up a procedure to help if you cannot find a Gas Safety Engineer! Well what a great idea!

However, the reality is this. No one Answers the telephone. It turned out all three in the Chain of Command were on holiday at the same time!

So this is all about an Organizational Deficiency at the Council! It is nothing at all to do with Single Mums or Pregnant ladies!

I certainly never mentioned them and it is a total figment of the imagination of Journalists who do not apply the standards of journalism they should abide by and amend to the point where they focus on something that is untrue.

What the real issue is at the moment is the serious shortage of Gas Safety Engineers!

Joe Public things the term plumber and Gas Safety Engineer are interchangeable terms. They are not! Plumbers are in short supply but Gas Safety Engineers are in even shorter supply!

The Council says it has the answer and is there to help!

I am afraid it is Hot Air!

Fergus Wilson”

Click Here to read the original article Kent Landlord – Hero or Villain


Share This Article


Comments

Mick Roberts

8:55 AM, 6th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 06/08/2018 - 08:53
U han't seen the new Lamborghini.

Luke P

8:57 AM, 6th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 06/08/2018 - 08:55
Oh yeah...they have a crossover out, don't they. Hmm...if I wasn't so obvious to the council gestapo in a bright neon green spaceship-on-wheels, I might have considered it!

Monty Bodkin

9:48 AM, 6th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Michael Barnes at 05/08/2018 - 12:14
But where is the evidence for these made-up rules?

Taken from Nottingham councils landlord licensing application;

Are there any people aged less than 5 years living within the property at present?

So if councils don't have special rules for young children, why are they asking?
What are these special rules and why aren't they openly available? (I suspect they are hidden in the 'HHSR guide for jobsworths')
If landlords must have a gas safe engineer permanently on emergency standby when letting to tenants with young children, what extra premium on the rent should they charge?
If they can't comply, should they be doing a Fergus and not taking on such tenants in the first place?

Neil Patterson

9:49 AM, 6th August 2018, About 6 years ago

FERGUS WILSON
When the Kent Online carried the news that within one hour I had increased rents across the board in a broadbrush sweep it was mist correctly reported it was very correctly reported.
However, Plagiarism, as so often, takes place and the end product is somewhat distorted.
The facts are on the Monday it was widely predicted that BOE Base rate would increase by 0.25% on the Thursday. I therefore put contingency plans into place that day (Monday) so that if the Bank of England Monitory Committee raised Base Rate I would be in a position to act immediately and pass on the rise.
Within minutes I penned a few lines to the Kentish Express which covers Ashford where I have most houses. I have no flats in Ashford.
It was reported on Kent Online shortly afterwards and was picked by right across the world in New Zealand and Australia.
I was, of course, not consulted by Mark Carney the Governor of the BOE. Had he done so then I would have advised him to leave the Base Rate static at 0.5%.
The increase does the average man in the street no good at all.
Most Home Owners have a mortgage and like renters they are hit in the same way.
All landlords will pass on the interest rise in the same way mortgage companies will.

Chris @ Possession Friend

11:41 AM, 6th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 06/08/2018 - 09:48
Any Nottingham Landlord applying for Licensing should ASK the Council for the Reason and implication of that question.
The legality of what L.A's are doing with Licensing needs very close monitoring.

Mick Roberts

7:52 AM, 7th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 06/08/2018 - 08:57
Ha ha yes, same here. And then some of me thinks Screw 'em, worked for it, went without for years, but they don't see it like that.

Aah Monty good point, I thought they'd just be looking out a bit more for young kids & disabled etc., but yeah well spotted, this could be their next move.

I can't comply with my new boilers who are tied to waiting for the manufacturer to come out. Boilers out of warranty, I've normally got someone there within a few hours.
Aah well time will tell, & as Housing Aid Nottingham Homeless will tell u, the benefit cap stopped Landlords taking on women with 3 kids.
And this boiler one day fine policy may stop us taking on women with kids under 5. Not nice statement, but not nice fine rules.

Chris @ Possession Friend

11:15 AM, 7th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 07/08/2018 - 07:52Business ( HAS ) to respond to the environment within which it operates. If government change that environment without any cognisance of the impacts, then they, MHCLG, can only hold themselves to blame ( much as they try and pass that off onto Landlords )
With all the problems of Housing allowance rates being frozen, and then U.C. - it seems ( understandably ) that only a fifth of landlords are prepared to offer tenancies to those in receipt of such. I don't recall any of the same fuss associated with Licensing conditions, which if we're honest - upon legal challenge, would be 'Hyndburn conditions' - where in the legislation does it say that boiler repairs must be carried within x time if you ; haven't got a partner ( cos lets be honest, the single mum thing is sexist ) have sprogs of a certain age or any other spurious conditions !
One of the landlords subject to these concocted licensing schemes should make a formal complaint to the Council, then followed up with a complaint to Local Govt Ombudsman. [ and publicised by Press@property118 ]
( Mick, would you like me to write if for you ? if so, email me )

Mick Roberts

14:06 PM, 7th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Chris, I've started my Ombudsman complaint.
I think I've forwarded u the other stuff.
U have to get referral from the council first to say they've had enough of u and can't help u any more, go see Ombudsman.
As we know, ombudsman limited budgets nowadays and seem less inclined to take cases on, that 10 years ago they'd have dived at the chance.

Alison King

14:34 PM, 7th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 07/08/2018 - 14:06
I'm thinking of doing a course in boiler repair. They always break down over Christmas or Easter and no-one will come out even if you you have paid for a 24 hour emergency policy so I have concluded they are useless. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Mick Roberts

16:05 PM, 7th August 2018, About 6 years ago

Ha ha no they all the same. They take your £1000+ for boiler & 5 year warranty & when u ring 'em, they say up to 7 days. Diabolical.
I have found Baxi has the worst delays.
Vaillant the quickest.
However, if you choose Baxi preferred I think it's called or if the plumber is on Baxi list, u get to go on your boiler file, if ring Baxi before 3pm, they will come out next day.

Leave Comments

In order to post comments you will need to Sign In or Sign Up for a FREE Membership

or

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Landlord Tax Planning Book Now