subject: Keeping Accurate Notes Is Important For Letting Agencies! [print this page] This is not only effecting large organisations but also smaller companies and individual landlord, who also get effected by this, so we all need to be vigilant as the blame culture spreads across the country, to make sure we are not amongst the next victims by keeping full and accurate records to back things up. So this is very important to landlords and tenants to make sure things are done in a legal way. Investing in property as landlord, tenant or a letting agency, the importance of keeping complete accurate and timed notes has never been as important as it is today. With more and more information on the internet, about individuals rights, which makes it easier for the unscrupulous to make a quick buck out of those trying to make a living.
A recent case in our management department in Manchester Lettings bought this home to me recently as to why these notes are so important, here is what happened;
A letter was received from a solicitor who had been instructed to act on the behalf of one of our tenants boyfriends (who was not on the tenancy). The letter was outlining an intention to commence legal action against one of our Landlords (via letting agency) for injury caused by dangerous property.
The gentleman in question was claiming he had been injured after loose plaster from a kitchen ceiling fell down on top of him during a tenancy. The solicitors letter states the incident happened on the 14th of April and head injuries & soft tissue injuries were obtained as a cause of this incident.
This is a serious complaint and could result in large penalties for the landlord, in damages if the claim was successful.
Our Property Manager checked through our recorded notes, which are name and time stamped when created, and it stated:
The note then goes on to add that Helen called the female tenant, who confirmed that nobody was hurt during the incident; just a lot of mess was created. Dated 13th April and timed at 12.02pm created by Helen Deeley (Property Management Manager) confirming that she had been informed that this gentleman had called our management office and verbally abused a colleague about the incident of the ceiling falling down and injuring someone. So any Buy to Let agencies should keep notes on everything involving the landlords, tenants or agent as this shows it is important for evidence to cover you.
