Landlord reviews for
Mark Williams in Battersea
Average Landlord Rating: 1
★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Number of times reviewed: 1
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Mark Williams, Battersea
Reviewed 6 February 2022
★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Completely unscrupulous. Upon moving in, tried arguing that a broken shower - a sanitation fixture and the landlord's obligation under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 - would be repaired free but future repairs would be considered a 'fault of the user' and chargeable.
Continually tried to threaten us with private cleaning fees of the communal areas throughout the entirety of the tenancy - this is illegal under The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006. Also tried to argue that a professional clean was required whenever another tenant moved out of their room. This is also illegal as the tenancy agreements are per room and so another tenant's leaving should have nothing to do with the continuing housemates.
Excessive and often intimidating communication over email. Would throw a hissy fit if someone didn't reply to an email that was sent - despite everyone in the house being working professionals and being too busy with their lives to constantly placate an overbearing and heavy-handed landlord.
Minor repairs such as replacement of fuses were conducted (I think this was the only one necessary during my tenancy) and thankfully there were no other major issues whilst I was there - I dread to think of his reticence in carrying out more involved repairs.
At the end of the tenancy, the shower issue reared its ugly head again as it was an existing fault when I moved in and he tried to deduct from my deposit which I flatly refused to do - given that it is his obligation by law.
I requested the return of my deposit which he refused to and began ignoring emails. I then went to the deposit scheme arbitration service, which he refused to submit evidence to and wanted to take the issue to court. It was only when I provided him with a legal template requesting the return of my deposit and further compensation - as he failed to insure my deposit within 30 days of my paying it (he has also done this with other tenants although I am not able to provide any other information regarding this so as not to prejudice any further claim that is likely to be made against him), that he returned my money to me.
A separate issue of not allowing personal items to be temporarily stored in the communal areas. I had purchased an expensive hoover that I temporarily leant to one of the existing tenants for safekeeping and collection the next day. This was not there when I returned to collect it the next day. Upon launching an initial complaint with the police, he quoted vacuous terms of the tenancy agreement and refused to deny that he had taken my property, instead insisting it was a 'civil matter' and playing mind games over email, asking me 'what makes you so sure that I have the item you allege is missing'. Any decent and moral person would either immediately deny or admit to their mistake.
I cannot stress enough how much you should avoid dealing with this man. I had some of the most anxiety-inducing and worrisome 6 months of recent memory living in this property. If you see him or other properties in the Battersea/Clapham Junction area, I cannot stress highly enough to avoid.
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Continually tried to threaten us with private cleaning fees of the communal areas throughout the entirety of the tenancy - this is illegal under The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006. Also tried to argue that a professional clean was required whenever another tenant moved out of their room. This is also illegal as the tenancy agreements are per room and so another tenant's leaving should have nothing to do with the continuing housemates.
Excessive and often intimidating communication over email. Would throw a hissy fit if someone didn't reply to an email that was sent - despite everyone in the house being working professionals and being too busy with their lives to constantly placate an overbearing and heavy-handed landlord.
Minor repairs such as replacement of fuses were conducted (I think this was the only one necessary during my tenancy) and thankfully there were no other major issues whilst I was there - I dread to think of his reticence in carrying out more involved repairs.
At the end of the tenancy, the shower issue reared its ugly head again as it was an existing fault when I moved in and he tried to deduct from my deposit which I flatly refused to do - given that it is his obligation by law.
I requested the return of my deposit which he refused to and began ignoring emails. I then went to the deposit scheme arbitration service, which he refused to submit evidence to and wanted to take the issue to court. It was only when I provided him with a legal template requesting the return of my deposit and further compensation - as he failed to insure my deposit within 30 days of my paying it (he has also done this with other tenants although I am not able to provide any other information regarding this so as not to prejudice any further claim that is likely to be made against him), that he returned my money to me.
A separate issue of not allowing personal items to be temporarily stored in the communal areas. I had purchased an expensive hoover that I temporarily leant to one of the existing tenants for safekeeping and collection the next day. This was not there when I returned to collect it the next day. Upon launching an initial complaint with the police, he quoted vacuous terms of the tenancy agreement and refused to deny that he had taken my property, instead insisting it was a 'civil matter' and playing mind games over email, asking me 'what makes you so sure that I have the item you allege is missing'. Any decent and moral person would either immediately deny or admit to their mistake.
I cannot stress enough how much you should avoid dealing with this man. I had some of the most anxiety-inducing and worrisome 6 months of recent memory living in this property. If you see him or other properties in the Battersea/Clapham Junction area, I cannot stress highly enough to avoid.
