[KrystalChooby]

We have just rented a property from Knightwood is Worcester Park and the service we recieved was shocking!!! As soon as they got our holding deposit all communication stopped, we tried to no avail to get answers to our questions and left numerous messages which no one ever called back!
To top it all off, we have our move in date and are all excited about our new home and arrive at the property to get the keys and the agent keeps us waiting outside. (granted he was only 15min late, but after the service we recieved up until that point, 1 min was annoying!)
He gets there and i ask why he was late and kept us waiting after we had already called that day to confirm the appointment and he shouts at me saying he is not taking any grief today, he had a heavy night out last night ( it was his girlfriend hen party!!) and do i want to move in to the property today because if i give him any grief he will walk out the property and not let us move in!!
After i recover from the shock of his attitide and arrogance we proceed to do the inventory check.... The previous tenants had organised a professional clean of the property and the agent himself organised it through his team.... Well as soon as we entered the property you could see it had not been properly cleaned. The counters and windows were filthy ( black with dirt!) the carpets, definetly not shampooed and when we told him we werent happy with it, he said and i quote " you people are just being anal"
At this point i am beyond shocked and just want him out of the property!!!
Knightwood and this particular staff member really ruined what was supposed to be an exciting day for us.
Do you think this behaviour and service is acceptable from estate agents? Do we just grin and bear it?

[Larkles]

Don't accept it, I can't believe his behaviour, I would've been on the phone to their head office (if they have one) straight away with complaints, failing that I would report him to (NAEA-if he is a member) failing that a citizens complaint bureau

No one should be treated like that, no wonder your moving day was horrible instead of joyous, no wonder us estate agents get bad names

Please DONT grin and bear it, give yourselves the satisfaction that this mindless person could soon be out of a job (with your help)

[knagar]

Hi . I have to say this is totally shocking to me.
Can i just add that Kinghtwoods are letting a property for me.
Without my knowing they have taken 6 months rent in advance from my tenant and for the past 4 months have been paying us on a monthly basis.
This is not what should have been happening.

They are now 2 MONTHS overdue. Thats right Knightwoods have not paid our rent due to us for 2 months!!!

I think this company is in a lot of trouble and is possibly going down along with our rent!!

If i were you i would berak all ties with knigtwoods as i am now having to take legal action against them.

[vwo]

with reference to the above post. Yes attitude is not good when you are dealing with the public, however everyone is entitled to a bad day. There are always two sides to a story.

With regards to the 6 months rent up front. They have every right to only pay you when the monies are due as the Tenancy would state this. They would have charged one months rent as a fee possibly, the other month would be the deposit held in a rental deposit scheme, leaving four months of which you have been paid. If you are now awaiting rent it may be down to the tenant being confused thinking that one of the rents is to be used when it is in fact a deposit. Speak to the Tenant, but be careful Tenants can be just as tricky and may spin you a yarn.

[vwo]

Sorry using the word Anal is not acceptable. However a warnign fro Tenants. It is mostly down to the Landlord to make sure the property is clean, alot of the time that dont want to spend the money and expect people to liver in squaller when the Tenants are in fact paying their mortgage. A word of advice check the property a few days before you move in and pay all your monies on the day. Pay a minimal deposit.

[knagar]

vwo- sorry if i was not clear to you on certain facts.
First of all yes they did take the first months fee.
This was a fee of 5% for a tenant find service ONLY.
Our tenancy agreement with the tenant states this. It also states that the Tennant shall pay one the 3rd day of every month.

Knightwoods have been very clever about this by using a private name to transfer money to us so that we would not twig money was coming from them.

Again My agreement and charges with knightwoods was for a "tenant find service only"
they should never have requested 6 months rent from our tenant and then drip feed us on a monthly basis gaining the intrest on the money.

After speaking to them directly they even had the nerve to admit that they did not know that they had been given 6 months in advance. This is after my tenant (who i have a good relationship with) has given me proof with recipts that she paid knightwood 6 months in advance.

I am sure tenants can be tricky as you put it, but i do not feel that is so in this instance.

[knagar]

vwo- can i also add that the rental deposit was also paid seperatley to the 6 months rent.

[KrystalChooby]

vwo - i agree everyone is entitled to a bad day. But that doesnt excuse his behaviour at all! He choose to be in this industry as a career and should therefore keep his "bad days" to himself. Had his service up until that point been acceptable it wouldnt have been an issue.
We paid them as did the landlords to offer us a service which he didnt supply ( or very poorly) its not excusable and definetly doesnt deserve any sympathy because he had a heavy night out!

[saral]

We rented a property thorough Knightwood Estates from May 07 until April 08. On the day we were moving out I received a phone call from the owner of the property saying that she hadn't received any rent from us for 3 months and that for the previous 8 months I had always paid late!! In fact the opposite was true, I had always paid Knightwood Estates in full and on time. I was being asked "How can you move out when you owe me so much money"! On top of it the owner of the property had been trying to get in touch with me, but Jamie Dore had told her that I was getting divorced and going through a tough time financially and it would be better if she never contacted me!!!! So now he has ran off with 3 months rent! Who knows what else will come out! slimeball!!!!!

[railroad_flyer]

Like some of you we were letting a flat out with Knightwood estaes

They were 3 months late in rent and in February we turned up at our flat and met the tennants. They very kindly showed us they had been paying on time.

When I asked to see the garage they said that Jamie had arranged to sub lease it back when they signed the tennancy and it was full of furniture!

So we went to see Jamie and he was a little shocked and then said he needed to see his bank manager.........so later we went to see him again and we also went to his bank and his manager wasn't there! Needless to say we called him on it and a few other things such as work claimed on the flat that was never done and the furtiniture. His words were we had him by the "short and curlies"

The final parting was us moving our business to coopers and him handing us a cheque for all 3 months outstanding rent.

The cheque bounced and we have served notice to him for legal action. However it appears he has failed to comply and now dissappeared. Is he still around?

As we are in Canada we are a little disconnected from what is happening and really need to know what is happening.

My words for any tennants are to check that your deposit is in the DPS.

If there are anyother landlord in a similar position please can they get in touch, we are certain we are not the only ones now but we need to know how big the problem is before we take our next steps.......

[saral]

Well, he definatley owes my old landlord 3 months rent, 3000 pounds. he has been promising her the money but it still hasn't materialised. The shop is now shut, blinds closed and it seems like he has done a runner! No-one can get hold of him!

[FisherRose]

I have recently taken a number of calls from people looking for Knightwood Estates. I have asked them where they have obtained my details from and they have all told me that they are on Knightwood's web site. I have checked this and this is correct.

Please note that there is no connection between the two companies nor do they have my permission to use my company name in the way that they are. I have asked them (using the "Contact Us" form) to remove the information.

Approximately 10 years ago I worked for the same firm of Estate Agents (as a Financial Adviser) as Jamie Dore.

I believe it is his father who runs Knightwood Furniture and if you do a "Who Is" search on their web site address you obtain an address in Kingston that may be worth pursuing?

In the meantime I shall update this post if I come across any further information and would appreciate it if my telephone lines are kept clear for my business purposes.

Many thanks (and good luck)
Steve Fisher, Director
Fisher Rose Financial Solutions Ltd

[Full force]

I have just found out that Jamie has gone on his stag weekend, as he is getting married to his girl friend, K Whant.

Im owed money by this agent and plan to issue legal proceedings, at this moment in time I am seeking his home address to issue the necessary paper work.

If anyone has any details I would be grateful.

[FisherRose]

Nothing personal, but why haven't you (like I have) given any personal details?

You may find that if you do, people will be more willing to confer. This will, of course, help with any proceedings. A group proceeding is always cheaper, and holds more weight, than individual ones plus you may find that if you put all the bits together an answer may be found without going down this route (that we all know only enhances the pockets of the lawyers)?

Has anybody checked Companies House? OK might not be a limited company but it's a start.

Have you followed up the "Who Is" for the web site?

Does "Dad's" furniture business still exist next door and what has he got to say?

What about the voters roll? Bit of an odd name so shouldn't take long.

What do the "Estate Agency Regulators" have to say?

None of these cost anything and are public information.

If he's done what you are implying, deal with it properly. Do some homework. Get together. Don't be shy.


Sod the Stag Weekend, Sod his Marriage, where's his reality?

Steve Fisher

[jw18]

IN common with much of the interest in Jamie Dore/Knightwood we also have a property rented out through him. I have today been to his shop but there is no sign of life.the other telephone number over his office is 02083373552 which is the furniture supply side. The blinds have been closed for over 1 week so it is unlikely that he is still in business. The other local estate agents next door and opposite him say they have no idea where he is, but do say a lot of people have been around trying to find him.

[railroad_flyer]

[Bluey]

I have come across articles about rogue letting agents whose businesses go under and who do not pass on rent or refund deposits.

Very few are ever prosecuted for fraud. It tends to be put down to bad management. Their businesses tend to get wound up and then they often open under a new trading name in a new location and on they go. Dozens of rogue agents abscond with client funds each year.

Generally, trading standards and the Police have little interest in investigating a business that is doing badly - they tend to view them as a civil matter (i.e. failure to honour a contract) and recommend civil redress (taking them to court via the small claims court).

If the agent belongs to a regulatory body, such as ARLA, they may have a service that protects the funds but most agents don't belong to professional bodies.

If you're lucky, the Companies Investigation Branch (CIB) of The Insolvency Service may take an interest and ban the company director from practising.

Here's an article about Prime Property Services whose company director, was referred to the Police by Trading Standards who declined to prosecuted. This is the norm.

http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/search/display.var.1104095.0.police_probe_property_firm.php

Here's some other links

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=4938

Tenants are better protected than the landlord as unfortunately, to compound the fact that the agent has run off with the deposit, they are still liable for the return of the deposit back to the tenant. This is because the agent is irrelevant in the contract between landlord and tenant and it's up to the landlord to reimburse the tenant and sort it out with the agent.

[rob444]

Try Facebook if you are quick.
Jamie Dore is there
Kelly Whant is freinds with Anita Dore. Coincidence?

[Bluey]

[Full force]

[Full force]

[Full force]

[Full force]

just thought i would drop this link in for everyone, another source of information:

http://www.worcesterparkblog.org.uk/2008/05/night-knight.html

[railroad_flyer]

Full force please contact me as I am in the same boat as you

My email is on my profile


Kelly Whant is on facebook and it appears she is getting married to Jamie at the end of May........

She is also living in sutton with Jamie although the actual address I have not managed to obtain the address as I am out of the country the post code starts SM2 5xx

Like you I want my money back and I have already served papers. The problem is that they have been served and not payed and I am now in a situation where I have to throw more money at the problem and I am quesitoning the value........

As i said I am in Canada otherwise i would be chasing him down........

[Bluey]