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Law lecturer landlord to sue over managing agent’s repair bill (9 June 2015)

Date: 09/06/2015
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Law lecturer landlord to sue over managing agent’s repair bill

A landlord in the private sector is preparing to sue his agents who manage the property he rents out, after he discovered he had been charged £616 for a contractor replacing a light fitting at the property, when the work only cost £412.50.

Law lecturer Dr Chris Townley – who lectures at King’s College London – said that the original installation of the light fitting had been “shoddy” and he had asked that the work be repeated.

He contacted the subcontractor to demand that the job be redone – and found the discrepancy between the cost of the work and what he had been charged.

Dr Townley’s managing agent Foxtons has admitted adding £137.50 in commission to the cost of the work and an ad hoc administration charge of 10%.

Foxtons also charged VAT because the final invoice was more than £500, the Evening Standard reports.

However, Dr Townley claims that the commission added was not contained in the landlord’s contract with Foxtons.

He is now seeking to reclaim the money that he and other private sector landlords have lost.

Dr Townley and his legal team estimate that their legal action may cost Foxtons up to £42 million.

A spokesman for Foxtons said that as legal action was pending, the company was “not in a position to comment”.

“We are satisfied our fees are laid out...and approvals are obtained from our landlords before works commence,” the spokesman added.

Dr Townley, 44, said the agent had “tried to rip off the wrong guy” over the property it manages for him in Forest Hill, southeast London.

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