More legal action from PHILIP JAMES RENTALS Didsbury - Pro Bono Lawyer needed to represent "Nut of a client"

It looks certain we are going back to court. Last night I received a letter from PJP Solicitor, Claire Myers @ Kuits in Manchester. She was once again, requesting removal of this blog and repeating PJP allegations that it is libellous etc.

Needless to say, this blog will remain unless ordered by a court, or I receive my deposit back in full, as Philip James promised the Judge in court.

The solicitors letter is in PDF so I can't be bothered to convert it for publication. Basically, it is using the same tired old "you have wronged my client etc, and unless you apologise blah blah" you can work it out from the replies below.

My replies: (1)
Your letter was too long for me to understand and I can't concentrate that long, I'm semi - senile these days. Anyway, I will do my best to respond.

I think PJP are upset about my blog, well they can pay me my £30 quid back before I worry about that.

Now please don't start wittering on, like them with spiel about a cleaning charge. 

In court (on tape) they told the Judge they would repay my deposit in FULL - No mention of £30 to His Honour. Have you listened to the tape? It's right at the very end, not hard to find. I call it perjury, but what do I know? I'm just an uneducated nobody.

As for copyright of photo's, well I know nothing about copyright either, but if they don't want me (or anyone else) publishing them ask them to stop sending them to my e-mail address. Bet they didn't tell you that either.

Finally, I have no recollection of publishing anything since the court case, the one where they lied to the Judge, but I have given the log in details to my teenage son and all his mates, they put it on Facebook and twitter, and I also gave it to nearly everyone who contacted me with complaints about PJP.

I expect the log in to the blog has gone viral, and who knows who has published what, when and why.

I doubt I could access it to edit/remove it even if I so wished.

But I promise to have a go for the £30 they took off me for "cleaning" otherwise, let the law take it's course and the chips fall where they may.

I hope that clarifies my response, but please don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

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Reply 2:

I am writing again after a good nights sleep. I was a little tired last night when I got your e mail and feel I may have come across as grumpy. Please accept my apologies.

After further consideration of your letter and reading it a bit more, I feel I need to make further observations to you and your clients. 

I have checked, and the e mails sent to my personal in box from Philip James marketing, containing the photo's they are complaining of, it states nowhere, are they subject to copyright.

I don't know if that helps, but I will show it to the Judge (and or/jury) if and when we get to that stage.

As far as I am concerned, I have NEVER made a single untrue statement or allegation regarding PJP. I have total and complete belief in what I personally wrote. As explained in my earlier letter, other people may have, and continue to, contribute to the blog.

I will never make any attempt to remove my blog, or to apologise for any content I personally added to it. 

I need to be crystal clear on this, UNLESS ordered to do so by a Court, or my £30 is returned, whatever bull shot reason your client is using to justify taking my money. 

Ms Fortune(Nesbitt) stated in e mail that she thought I was unhinged, and I actually agreed. I can become fixated on a cause I believe in. It has got me in trouble in the past, and no doubt will continue to do so. Such is life. 

We can run away from conflict, or not, we all have a choice. Personally, I will fight for my rights, my 30 quid and anything or anybody I believe has wronged me or my family. As a lawyer, you would probably advise against that.

Whether or not we end up in Court, is really down to your clients. I will fight them every step of the way so long as I have a breath in my body, whether it is the High Court in London (as you mentioned) I haven't been to London in ages, or at the Dog and Duck.

I rather hope there is a jury, as they will be "my peers" that is, unless I really am unhinged as suggested by Ms Fortune (Nesbitt) in that case I doubt all twelve jurors will be equally afflicted.

Finally Claire, just to reassure you I am not some sort of nutty stalker, as suggested by Messrs Nesbitt, Fortune and Beswick when they made allegations to the police that I was "stalking" them, I shall not be in contact with you again, unless in response to correspondence initiated by you.

I hope you have a pleasant day, and try not to work too hard, the weather man has just promised it will be warmer towards the back of the week, and I know they are often wrong, but it gives us something to look forward to doesn't it?

Kind regards

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The ball is now back with PJP and their lawyers.

For those of you who have only just stumbled across this entry , here is a quick overview.


I rented a house off PJP and gave them £750 deposit and a whole host of charges and fees.


When I gave notice, they really came the oracle. They tried claiming tiny clauses, rip off "admin charges" unexplained cleaning charges, I could go on.


Amnyway, it became obvious to me they weren't going to give me my £750 without making huge deductions, or without a fight. So I gave fight then, and will do now!!


Eventually after months of bluff, bluster, unfounded and ridicolous allegations to the police of "stalking them" threatening me with prison for writing and publishing this blog, we got to court.


As a small concession, the Judge allowed them to keep my deposit as they claimed they had not received proof I had paid my council tax. But, and this is recorded, he told them and they agreed, once they got that bill, they were to return my deposit IN FULL.


They got the bill, later the same day, but they just couldn't help themselves!!


They whipped £30 quid off it claiming a "cleaning charge" total bull shot!!


I want that £30, I will fight for it, they took it without my permission, in fact against my express instruction, and more importantly, in total contrast to what they agreed in court with the Judge.


In my view, they have amongst other things, committed perjury, but that is only my opinion. Whether that is a legal definition I really don't know.


But if you make an agreement in court and then do not adhere to it, it is wrong and you should expect punishment.


All I want is my £30 back.


Now if they want to go to the High Court in London, take out an injunction, assemble a jury, hire a team of lawyers and all the other stuff in the solicitors letter, I say please, get on with it!!


Stop mithering me, I am busy, I just want my £30 back, they promised both me and the Judge.


In the meanwhile, if you are considering dealing with this firm, read this blog carefully.

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Finally, if there is a lawyer out there who fancies a bit of a jolly to London with a nut of a client (pro bono) please get in touch, it should be a hell of a ride.

In fact, even a good law student would help, I am not sure if you are still allowed a Mckenzie friend, but we could figure something out.


There has got to be a legal guy/gal out there who can see a commercial advantage in this. Google - John Grisham, Rainmaker and away you go. Contact via comments (they will not be published) without consent!!

  

The complaints keep coming in about Philip james Didsbury

The complaints keep coming in about Philip james Didsbury

Even over the holidays we have been amazed by the number of people who have contacted us. Because of the sheer volume we are dedicating more staff and resources to assist you all. We are in the process of designing two brand new websites: trottersville.co.uk and philipjamesrentals.co.uk.

We aim to get these live as soon as possible, but in the meanwhile, please keep coming back here and using the "comments" section to get in touch. Some of your complaints have been forwarded direct to the relevant authorities.
For those of you with problems with Philip James, we hope to be having a "surgery" with our solicitor shortly.

Stay safe and take care 

 

 re-published as this listing receives 101 hits a month

Considering a rental from Philip James Lettings Didsbury?? BEWARE!!

Considering a rental from Philip James Lettings Didsbury?? BEWARE!!

You should always choose your letting agent with care. My experience with this company has been horrendous. Trying to extort money for "admin" (£150) this was to ring someone to clean a cupboard, although they haven't replied to my letter.

I have now had to issue a County Court summons to try and get my deposit back. They keep relying on tiny clauses in the contract to delay repaying me any money.

Their staff in Didsbury - namely Danielle Beswick and her angry sidekick Nadine Fortune appear to be in control of the illegal withholding of deposits.

The directors seem unwilling or unable to intervene.


This story will continue until we reach trial, or they repay my stolen money.

There is so much more and leaflets are being prepared with the full details. In the meantime, choose you rental with great care.

Students in Manchester are particularly vulnerable to poor practice. If you have had a similar experience with this firm please post comments or contact me.

Here is some advice from shelter:

What if there is a dispute about getting my deposit back?

Your landlord or agent is only entitled to keep all or part of your deposit if they can show that they have lost out financially because of your actions, for example, if you have caused damage to the property or you owe rent. Ask your landlord or agent for a breakdown of the specific costs that they are taking out of your deposit. Your landlord or agent cannot keep your deposit to cover putting right normal wear and tear. There are rules on what costs can be deducted from your deposit.
if you cannot agree, the dispute will usually go to the county court.

re-posted as this is the most viewed post with 163 viewings a month!  I also love the new photo showing what 2 students think of Philip James: PANTS!!

Guilty letting agent ordered to pay over £300,000 or go to jail

conned clients – many of whom were students

Tuesday 14th February 2012

A letting agent in one of the most notorious cases of recent times will have to pay over £300,000 after swindling tenants and landlords.

Zulfiqar Hussain, 44, operated Charles Lawson Lettings in Cowley Road, East Oxford, and conned clients – many of whom were students – out of thousands of pounds between 2007 and 2009.

He walked free from court after being given a nine-month jail term, suspended for two years, at Oxford Crown Court. However, if he does not repay his victims in full within six months, he could face three years in jail. He must also complete 40 hours of unpaid work.

In total, he was ordered to £309,303 – £8,167 in compensation, £51,136 costs and a further £250,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

According to the local newspaper, the money is likely to be taken from the sale of Hussain’s £1.2m property portfolio.

Prosecuting on behalf of Oxfordshire Trading Standards, which had received 60 complaints, Robert Courts said Hussain failed to ring-fence tenants’ deposits, let properties without the authority of their owners and did not pass on rent.

He said the majority of victims were students who put down large deposits and paid administration fees, but found that the firm had gone out of business before they could move in.

Hussain also illegally took money out of the business for his own use. The initial charge put this amount at £157,000, but this figure was reduced to ‘not less than £33,000’ on the agreement of both the prosecution and defence.

Hussain last September admitted seven counts of engaging in an unfair commercial practice and one charge of money laundering.

Ecky Tiwana, defending, said his client was very remorseful. He had tried to expand too quickly and got into financial difficulty when the recession struck. He said it was agreed that Hussain had benefited by £250,000 through illegal practices.

Recorder Peter Lodder told Hussain: “You chose to use other people’s money. In my judgement that means these offences merit a custodial sentence. However, I accept you did not set out to behave in a fraudulent fashion and I think it’s significant that all who have lost out through what you did will be reimbursed.”

Hussain was director of two firms in Oxford, Charles Lawson which became Charles Lawson Lettings which was wound up in January 2010, and James C Penny which went into liquidation in 2010 owing £400,000.

It was the offices of Charles Lawson Lettings and James C Penny which were the subject of early morning raids by police and trading standards as the investigation got under way in November 2009.

 Other firms which are still operating are James C Penny (Lettings) and James C Penny (Estate Agents), which are NAEA members.

Penny & Sinclair has no connection with any of the above, and also continues to trade.

Philip James Rental hell for students??

Don't let them view this one if it's raining, put it in the "sunny day" book.

Students protest at usual delay in returning deposit!!