Rogue letting agent closes owing clients up to £500,000

Rogue letting agent closes owing clients up to £500,000

15:08 PM, 7th July 2011, About 13 years ago 19

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Police are looking for Hothomes UK's owners

Police are seeking a letting agent who has disappeared owing landlords and tenants hundreds of thousands in rents and deposits.

Hothomes UK, based in Plymouth, is believed to manage around 2,000 rented homes and losses could mount up to £500,000 or more.

One landlord claims he is owed £4,630 in rents collected but not paid by the business. Others have received cheques that bounced and tenant deposits have been collected but not protected.

Disgruntled landlords and tenants have flooded police and trading standards officers with complaints about couple Jacqueline and Tony Burridge, who ran the business.

They have also besieged their home with visits, phone calls and emails in a bid to collect unpaid debts.

Now, West Country Landlords Association has stepped in to try and mediate and solution by co-ordinating complaints.

Chairman Manny Pisani said: “We are interested in what’s going on here. We are concerned about the keys to the properties which they hold, rents which may not have been passed on to landlords, and deposits.”

Other businesses near the Hothomes UK office tipped off landlords that the Burridge family was moving out files and equipment last week.

The office is empty bar some desks and chairs – with a sign on the window warning the business is under investigation for alleged fraud.

Landlords seeking redress from Hothomes UK have also started a GumTree forum listing their grievances with the company and swapping information to try and track down the Burridge family.

Hothomes UK is one of a number of property-related businesses listed at Companies House with the Burridges as directors.

Hothomes UK does not appear to protect client money under any authorised scheme. The firm has no listed web site, just a message saying that they have unexpectedly closed without any forwarding or contact details.

The company also acted as estate agents, with around 40 properties listed on some online portals.


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Comments

16:05 PM, 15th July 2011, About 13 years ago

oh and can i just say that KAYLEIGH BURRIDGE did work for HOT HOMES UK as did her boyfried ANDREW KANE, JEFF MAUNDER, TONI BURRIDGE and others. not only did they scam people out of money but they had somebody living above the flat illegally, the upstairs area was meant for storage etc, however they let somebody rent the property and created a tenant agreement using their home address of 3 collingwood villas

16:12 PM, 15th July 2011, About 13 years ago

hahaha, Toni you owe people loads of money, from EPC Worx and Hot Homes, you are nothing but a family of Cons, you were using the name Thomas Burridge to do EPC's, your son Daniel Burridge was carrying out EPC's when he was not even qualified, he had to tell people he was Thomas because other wise Stroma or elmhurst would have found out that you are nothing but a con

16:36 PM, 15th July 2011, About 13 years ago

Jade, you should tell the police all this. It will help with their investigations. 08452777 444 Log no. 523 8/7/11

16:39 PM, 15th July 2011, About 13 years ago

thanks Luther i will contact them

14:15 PM, 18th July 2011, About 13 years ago

@Jade

Jade thanks for your comments. tony and his family are going down (and deservedly so) - jade if you have any information that you think may help the police and the victims of this bastard, then please can you contact DS Rothney below.

peoples lives have been severley affected by this family so the more info we have (and their is already a ton of it) the better, so this family can never do this again

DETECTIVE SERGEANT 4343 SCOTT ROTHNEY, C.I.D.
CHARLES CROSS POLICE STATION
HAMPTON STREET
PLYMOUTH
PL4 7HGTELEPHONE 01752-720412
OR 07730-926823

15:31 PM, 16th October 2011, About 13 years ago

Anyone out there that can help? I've been through the Small Claims Court and got a Bailiff's Warrant issued two weeks ago against Tony BURRIDGE (apparently now known as GRIXY). When they turned up at the Collingwood address Jacqueline GRIXY (?) said she was his ex-wife and that he'd NEVER lived there. So the lies continue! I still can't get the bailiff's warrant issued as althought Tony BURRIDGE/GRIXY is on bail, nobody seems to know where he's living. If anyone knows his current address and his latest surname (!!!) I'd appreciate it if you could let me know. Then I can get the bailiffs banging on his door. If anyone can let me know I'll keep you all updated on what's going on.
The police are continuing to delve into this complex case of embezzlement and fraud, so don't give up. This family WILL end up in court!

11:50 AM, 19th December 2011, About 12 years ago

What name do you go by these days? Just for everyones iformation he has changed his name to Tony Grixie

** Moderators comment **

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8:24 AM, 20th December 2011, About 12 years ago

Any one know how the criminal enquiry is progressing? When can we see the Burridge clan in the dock?

9:10 AM, 22nd January 2012, About 12 years ago

Has anyone heard from the police as to how this enquiry is progressing? My wife is a victim, and although she has given the police a statement of complaint, she hasn't heard diddly-squat for months. I always thought the police were supposed to keep victims informed as part of the "Victim's Charter". Doesn't inspire you with much confidence, does it?

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