Dispute with landlord - advice needed

Xiney

If the landlord wasn't there to sign off on the place you should have taken photos of it as you left it - I'm afraid there may not be much you can do in this situation other than ask for receipts for the damage.

lisasimps

I was evicted alright, the landlords mother (who had been acting as her agent) rang me last monday and told me I had 7 days to leave.

I understand that i had use of the house for two weeks, and had I signed a 2 week lease I would be happy to pay the money, but since I spent one week unpacking, and a second week packing, while having to deal with the mother effectively trespassing and ranting at me on the phone making false accusations, it doesnt sit well with me having to pay for that 'privilege'.

I'm not one for sueing either, it doesnt sit well with me, but the child in me wants to ruin the landlord agents day in the same way as she did me.

I suppose i should just leave that up to karma though

She's now making it difficult for me to get all this over and done with.

She knows I work 7am7pm (had to do late evening viewing and sign lease on weekend) but now she's only agreeing to meet and do final inspection at 5.30, then lunchtime, then 6.30.

D3PO

and I take it you dont charge anything if a customer isnt happy with the job you have done dog grooming ?

full refund if your not happy and all that, and I assume you would also offer to pay them for the hassle of driving to you and the expense of them doing that since they had a bad experience ?

and if somebody was insisting they should sue you for the bad work you would be ok with that aswell right ? ......

Just accept it and move on.

Frankly if you compare it to some of the problems people on here post there not in the same league.

stanley1980

Xiney wrote: »

If the landlord wasn't there to sign off on the place you should have taken photos of it as you left it - I'm afraid there may not be much you can do in this situation other than ask for receipts for the damage.

Yep it's a fair point I should've taken photos at the time. I suppose as there are two other people living there i thought it'd be safe enough. I've just rang the Citizen's Advice Bureau and spoke to a very helpful woman who told me to get in touch with Threshold and the PRTB. Which I'll be doing. I'd still really appreciate any advice on this.

pooch90

D3PO wrote: »

and I take it you dont charge anything if a customer isnt happy with the job you have done dog grooming ?

full refund if your not happy and all that, and I assume you would also offer to pay them for the hassle of driving to you and the expense of them doing that since they had a bad experience ?

and if somebody was insisting they should sue you for the bad work you would be ok with that aswell right ? ......

Just accept it and move on.

Frankly if you compare it to some of the problems people on here post there not in the same league.

Why should he just accept it? The lady is a nutjob who should not be left near tenants and she has made his/her life difficult for no good reason.
Moving is a stressful and expensive affair and given this woman's behaviour, he/she should go to the PRTB and do her for what ever he can get.

I have sympathy for good landlords with bad tenants but this is clearly not such a case.

lisasimps

D3PO wrote: »

and I take it you dont charge anything if a customer isnt happy with the job you have done dog grooming ?

full refund if your not happy and all that, and I assume you would also offer to pay them for the hassle of driving to you and the expense of them doing that since they had a bad experience ?

and if somebody was insisting they should sue you for the bad work you would be ok with that aswell right ? ......

Just accept it and move on.

Frankly if you compare it to some of the problems people on here post there not in the same league.

eh, not like with like at all!!!

If a dog came in for grooming, and I made them pay for the dog in advance, and then I did 1/52 of the job (aka took the lead off the dog) and then rang the dog owner and gave them a torrent of abuse, insisted they come back out of their way to collect their dog, and then made it difficult for them to get their money back, I most definitely would expect them to be p*ssed off and demand their money back...........

But fact is I dont treat people like that!!!


Plus I never said i'm going to sue, Im too busy with work to even think about it, but its maddening to be treated so badly and then just have to accept it.

But maybe you're happy to be treated like sh*t.

goat2

stanley1980 wrote: »

Can someone please offer me some advice!!

I've been renting a room in a house for the last year or so on a month to month basis without a lease which suited me as my job was uncertain. I shared the house with a couple who moved in recently (which was the main reason I decided to move out and get my own place). I've had several run ins with my landlord who is extremely underhand, smarmy and basically deceitful- too many incidences to go into but you'll have to take my word for it!

Anyway, I gave the landlord a month's notice when he announced a student was moving in (who turned out a young 18 year old lad) doing his leaving cert. and with an obviously dodgy background- sorry but it's true! His family live 15km away but for some reason he was out of the family home and he admitted to me he'd been kicked out of school. I'm 30 and the other couple are in their mid-30's it's a quiet, clean suburban house and definitely not the place for an 18 year old schoolboy who's never been away form home before. I noted my concerns to the landlord at the time who told me I was being predjidice- fair enough you might say until my concerns were soon proved right. Anyway, as I was moving out at the end of the month I kept my head down and said nothing. Havng moved into a new place a couple of days before the end the month I went round to pick up the rest of my stuff and clean the room thoroughly- very concious not to give the landlord any excuse to withhold my month's deposit.

A couple of days later the landlord rang me telling me I wouldn't be getting back my deposit as the bedroom door was damaged, the tv remote was missing, the ensuite bathroom was filthy and there were cigarettes on the floor! Obviously this was not how i'd left the room and I pointed out that I don't even smoke! The couple had been away on holdays and the young guy admitted that he'd had 9 friends around but denies anyone went into my room. The landlord must know what happened but is saying he won't return my deposit as there's no evidence! This is not out of character with other things he's done.

Anyway, I'm absolutley livid. I still have the key and am waiting for the landlord to get back to me as he says he wants to speak to the couple- even though they were away when the damage happened. He's just hoping I'll go away. I went to the house yesterday and had a blazing row with the landlord and young guy who was still drunk from the night before! I really had to restrain myself from doing something I'd regret later but amstill so angry-

Please can someone give me some advice on what to do. I just want my deposit back and to never have to see these people again.

have you had letters addressed to you at that house, there is your proof. what method of payment did you give, was there a rent book, did you have the esb or gas bill in your name, you had better come with something sent that address in your name

convert

goat2 wrote: »

have you had letters addressed to you at that house, there is your proof. what method of payment did you give, was there a rent book, did you have the esb or gas bill in your name, you had better come with something sent that address in your name

I don't understand how that info will help in Stanley's dispute with their landlord? The new tenant thrashed a room they'd cleaned, and unfortunately they don't have photos to prove that it was in good condition when they left.

goat2

convert wrote: »

I don't understand how that info will help in Stanley's dispute with their landlord? The new tenant thrashed a room they'd cleaned, and unfortunately they don't have photos to prove that it was in good condition when they left.

if the young lad does not admit that his gang ruined the room, you have little hope,

convert

goat2 wrote: »

did the landlord say that this person cannot prove that they stayed in the house, that is what i gathered from this, i am sorry, i got it wrong then if that is not the case

Nope, this is what they said:

stanley1980 wrote: »

A couple of days later the landlord rang me telling me I wouldn't be getting back my deposit as the bedroom door was damaged, the tv remote was missing, the ensuite bathroom was filthy and there were cigarettes on the floor! Obviously this was not how i'd left the room and I pointed out that I don't even smoke! The couple had been away on holdays and the young guy admitted that he'd had 9 friends around but denies anyone went into my room. The landlord must know what happened but is saying he won't return my deposit as there's no evidence!
This is not out of character with other things he's done.

January

goat2 wrote: »

did the landlord say that this person cannot prove that they stayed in the house, that is what i gathered from this, i am sorry, i got it wrong then if that is not the case

No he's saying there's no evidence to prove that he didn't cause the damage to the room before he left.

lisasimps

mods maybe this should be split into two threads?


Just an update on last nights madness anyway.

I agreed to meet the landlords mother last night anyway at half 6. I knew i'd be running late so I sent my mum and sister out to get there before me with my key to take photo's of the house.

They called me and said the landlord had just kicked them out of the house (which I suppose was still technically mine until I handed back the keys?) and they were waiting in the car for me. The landlord said to them she will inspect the house with me on my own. My sister told her that her and my mum would be present too, and the landlord said no. They just left it at that and got into the car to wait for me. (The landlords husband was there too and was just staying quiet)

I arrived and my sister and mum got out of the car and we went to the door. The landlord opened the door and I said hi and walked in. My sister mum came to walk in too and the landlord tried to shut the door. I took a hold of the outside door handle and the landlord was forcefully trying to pull my hand back inside. She was insisting that I come in on my own (cue shouting) and I kept waiting for a break in her rant to say i have been advised by threshold not to be alone in the property with you. The landlord was then shouting I don't give a sh*t about threshold, my solicitor told me you have to come in on your own (what solicitor would ever advise that ). She was becoming histerical so I went outside with my mum and sister. We could hear the landlord saying 'For christ sake let them in' so I said through the doog "Mr. Landlord, ive been advised to have people with me when we do the inspection and I dont feel comfortable going in on my own"

She eventually opened up the door again and started ranting that I've been texting her every 20 minutes (lie. I have only ever responded to her texts with one text back) and that I have been having Threshold give her threatening phone calls :eek:

She then said "My husband is a member of An Garda Siochana" to which he immediately responded with "No I'm not" she said it again, and again he told us he wasn't. He was nice and friendly so I decided to only speak to him. She was still shouting, and after her inspection the only thing she had to say was "GET YOUR FILTHY DOG HAIR OUT OF MY EXPENSIVE HOOVER" Madness like! After all that the only complaint she had was that we hadn't emptied the hoover bag!! She said that its disgusting and that you dont hoover dog hair you sweep it (em, no you dont! Hair flys away and sweeping just moves it, but thats beside the point!!).

The husband gave me back€1100 minus €20 for the gas bill (perhaps a bit excessive for two weeks when I was away from the house for the majority of it, but i'm not complaining).

Then as we were leaving there was a whole lot more 'get your filth out of my house etc'. She also said that all of this is going to be in the paper next week.

All this was over around 7pm. She then rang me at 7.30 (i obv didnt answer) and she left me a voicemail saying that she's going to ring my sister's work tomorrow because she had no right to be in the property.

Then she rang again at half 10 last night, no voicemail this time.

Osgoodisgood

Xiney wrote: »

D3P0, I wager if the OP brought a case to the prtb she'd get her €200 back and more. She was unlawfully evicted and harrassed by the landlord's agent. They tend to take that sort of thing rather seriously.

The only "unlawful" part of the eviction was in not giving 4 weeks notice. The landlord can decide to terminate the agreement without reason or explanation in the first 6 months of a tenancy.

I would, in her position (since I don't have a van of my own) be looking for reimbursement of movibg costs at the very least.

Really? the tenancy didn't work out and despite the owners mother apparently being a pain in the butt that can happen. The moving costs are the tenant's responsibility and it is surprising to find that you consider a PRTB case to be an appropriate measure.

Osgoodisgood

OP,

The woman is either a miserable old hag, or nuts, or possibly both.
You are far better off away from this environment and I'm glad you got your money back.

If she steps over the line in the future you should contact the gardai. If she doesn't, just forget about her. Enjoy your life.

OS119

lisasimps wrote: »

...All this was over around 7pm. She then rang me at 7.30 (i obv didnt answer) and she left me a voicemail saying that she's going to ring my sister's work tomorrow because she had no right to be in the property.

Then she rang again at half 10 last night, no voicemail this time....

OP, this is indicative - this woman is a thorough-going nutjob and needs stamping on. go to AGS and make a complaint about harrassment - you know that this isn't going to stop just because you've handed over the keys, and that'll not be long before she's making a nuicence of herself at your business, at your sisters work (WTF?), and possibly in the media - as she said she would.

get in first, because you know that if she's prepared to lie about her hubby being AGS, prepared to yell anfd holler in the street, prepared to honk off to to your sisters employer about her being in the house (again, words just fail me...) then she'll be prepared to make up **** and go to the Garda.

and personally, as a landlord, i think the LL owes you an apology and compensation for the actions of her agent.

lisasimps

i was kind of hoping that after yesterday that'l be the end of it. If she does contact my sisters work then I'll get on to the guards, but in the meantime I think ill email the daughter and ask her to tell her mom to leave me alone.

Rasmus

OP you've shown remarkable restraint IMO! By now I would have called the Gardai and reported the situation. Good luck and I hope that she doesn't keep hassling you and that she doesn't further involve your sister.

Xiney

Osgoodisgood wrote: »

The only "unlawful" part of the eviction was in not giving 4 weeks notice. The landlord can decide to terminate the agreement without reason or explanation in the first 6 months of a tenancy.



Really? the tenancy didn't work out and despite the owners mother apparently being a pain in the butt that can happen. The moving costs are the tenant's responsibility and it is surprising to find that you consider a PRTB case to be an appropriate measure.

not giving 4 weeks notice is enough - the reason doesn't matter, it was still illegal and the harassment on top of that?

Moving costs are the tenant's responsibility at the end of a normally finished tenancy, but as I said, if it was ME who'd needed to move out after two weeks AGAIN because of the actions of the landlord's agent and mother, I would be going through the PRTB for money to pay for it at the very least. Since this also involves the unlawful eviction of a tenant there may be more money to pay.


OP, I suggest you send a letter to the landlord (daughter) with chronological detail of all the texts & phone calls etc. that her mother has subjected you to. If nothing else, she deserves to know that her mother should not be handling this property for her.

faceman

Rasmus wrote: »

OP you've shown remarkable restraint IMO! By now I would have called the Gardai and reported the situation. Good luck and I hope that she doesn't keep hassling you and that she doesn't further involve your sister.

Nothing has happened in the OP's story that would justify a call to the gardai.

conundrum

Nothing has happened in the OP's story that would justify a call to the gardai.

Threatening behaviour. It sure sounded threatening to me!!

Also claiming to be (or that another person is) a member of the gardi when they are not is an offence, particularly in the form of a threat (in fact even if it were true, if said as a threat it would most likely be an offence).

lisasimps

I sent an email to the daughter this morning. Havent heard back, but havent heard anything form the mother either, nor has my sister at work so hopefully that's the end of it now.

If anything else happens I'm going to contact the guards, not to get the mother into trouble, but i'll ask them to give her a call to tell her to leave me alone. Also, it means that if anything DID happen, they'll know the history of whats happened!

Thanks everyone for all your advice!

convert

Sounds like a really messy situation to have experienced, OP.

Have you compiled a list of every single thing that happened with the mother, including times, dates, and what was said, especially the incident where she told you that her husband was a guard.

If not, you need to sit down and do it now, before you forget, so that if something happens further down the line you have all of this done and can produce it very quickly.

However, hopefully it won't come to that and the daughter has made her mother see sense, and you won't be hearing anything more.

Btw, slightly OT, but you can have your mobile provider block the mother's number so she can't ring you.

lisasimps

convert wrote: »

Btw, slightly OT, but you can have your mobile provider block the mother's number so she can't ring you.

To be honest i'd rather know if she was still trying to contact me, at least that way i'll know when she has a new 'project'!

I've everything roughly documented, and scrolling through this topic will remind me of everything, but i'll def scribble it all down again tonight!

RasTa

Is this house up on daft then? I'd like to go for a viewing, could be fun.

ballsymchugh

RasTa wrote: »

Is this house up on daft then? I'd like to go for a viewing, could be fun.

i was going to ask the same thing. maybe we should all make inquiries!!

lisasimps

ha ha i would LOVE that!!! As soon as she starts bad mouthing me ye can say that ye're friends of the family!!

Its not up yet, but am I allowed post it when it is up?

ballsymchugh

you didn't deal with someone called 'billy' by any chance??

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055976759

goat2

lisasimps wrote: »

i was kind of hoping that after yesterday that'l be the end of it. If she does contact my sisters work then I'll get on to the guards, but in the meantime I think ill email the daughter and ask her to tell her mom to leave me alone.

do not make any contact, they will say you are harassing them with e mails, leave it at thet, and be glad you got away from that awful situation with your mind and pocket intact, good luck

djimi

lisasimps wrote: »

i was kind of hoping that after yesterday that'l be the end of it. If she does contact my sisters work then I'll get on to the guards, but in the meantime I think ill email the daughter and ask her to tell her mom to leave me alone.

Hang about, so everything that happened last night happened with the mother, not the daughter (who I take is the actual landlord)? Good lord if that had been me I would be flat refusing to deal with anyone but youre actual landlord given the abuse that you have had to endure from the mother.

Ill be honest, I think it was time to involve the gardai a long time ago given the mothers behaviour. If she tries to contact your sisters place of work for anything I seriously hope you persue her for harrassment because that is plainly what it is.

Its a shocking story and I hope for your sake that its over now. If any of that family try to contact you again Id just call the guards without a moments hesitation.

Xiney

lisasimps wrote: »

ha ha i would LOVE that!!! As soon as she starts bad mouthing me ye can say that ye're friends of the family!!

Its not up yet, but am I allowed post it when it is up?

Not publicly, but pms are fair game.