Tenancy relating to Miss A Purkiss and Miss K Cartwright (nee Mrs K Britten)

Property address: 15 Great Lane, Bugbrooke

Tenancy commencement date: 12th July 2013 rent £650 per calendar month (£21.36 daily)

Duration of tenancy: 1 year and 1 month ending on 12th August 2014

Letters dated 10th June 2013 and the 18th June 2013 to Miss Purkiss and Miss Cartwright confirms agreement to rent and a commencement date of 8th July 2013. Date confirmed to landlord.

Either the landlord misinterpreted the dates or maybe his contractor did as the letter of confirmation that was consistent with the letters sent and referred to above, was sent some 3 weeks ahead of intended commencement date.

The landlord does not recall the situation as it was over 16 months ago and therefore could not provide greater clarity. It appears that there was a 4 day delay from the intended moving in date to that when you actually did. The letters to Miss Purkiss and Miss Cartwright dated the 10th June and the 18th June 2013 both confirmed that the tenancy was to commence on the 8th July 2013. The landlord had copies of this correspondence and therefore how or why he was working to a different schedule or his contractor was, we are unable to comment on.

The tenancy was scheduled to end initially on the 8th of any month after the expiry of the initial fixed term which explains why you would receive a standard letter stating that the end of the contract was the 8th of August 2014. The landlord was happy for you the vacate either on the 8th or the 12th as you did and rent would have been charged accordingly. The letter you received confirming vacation of the 8th of August 2014, dated the 10th July 2014 was superseded by a letter dated the 16th July 2014 confirming vacation of the 12th of August 2014.

The keys provided on the 12th July 2013 and duly signed for by both yourself and Miss Purkiss were the ‘Tenants Set’, being same keys that the previous tenant had returned to us. These keys were utilised at the final inspection of the previous tenancy and subsequently on inspections during your tenancy by ourselves and contractors. No locks were or have been changed and neither did the previous tenant report a problem. I am unable to understand why the keys would not work. Perhaps it may have been down to user error? Notwithstanding, it is inconvenient to have to return to collect another set of keys. We would not intentionally put anyone to inconvenience and neither would the landlord.

On 31st October 2013 we were alerted to the fact that the boiler was periodically cutting out and after reference to the landlord the landlord asked us to instruct his contractor to carry out an inspection. The contractor established that the thermostat was intermittently faulty. The contractor confirmed later that the replacement thermostat could be sourced and the landlord instructed us to proceed with the repair. The contractor informed the landlord that the repair took less than 5 days from establishing the fault and the likely solution, to sourcing the replacement part and then fitting, this is well within the parameters of what can reasonably be expected when carrying out a repair of this nature. You might be able to verify this with Skaino who are the building contractors of The Jesus Army, some of who I am sure you will know.

On the 12th December 2013 we were made aware by you or Miss Purkiss that an element to the oven had failed and consequently a company was instructed to carry out the replacement. It is surprising that, for you to return home to find that the old element had been replaced with a new one, that this did not signify to you that the repair had taken place. Similarly, I do not understand why you would wait a week to enquire whether the repair had been carried out when obviously an old element was replaced with a new one.

During February 2014 there was considerable adverse whether throughout the UK resulting in numerous fences being blown down and I am informed by the landlord that there was a problem in sourcing replacement fence panels as there was a national shortage. TBS may well be able to confirm what the landlord has informed me. The landlord informs me that he dealt with the fencing issue as soon as he possibly could, having new fencing fitted as soon as it was available. The landlord questions how much difference this made to the property as it only has a front garden and the fence was only 4 feet high in any event. The issue of privacy is moot as the garden is one where the property adjoins his other cottage which overlooks the garden of number 15. There is a shared right of way and there is no rear garden whatsoever.

The procedure that we adopt for viewing appointments is one that has been observed by ourselves for as long as I can remember and certainly the last 20 years. This is that we provide tenants with 24 hours notice of any viewing. This is to ensure that the tenant is not inconvenienced and neither is the person viewing or our employee who accompanies. I am unable to comment as to why you were unaware when we have a tried and tested procedure.

I do not believe that this can be considered as a breach of contract. We try at all times to work in cooperation and amicably with tenants.

My viewing clerk, who has worked for me for almost 15 years understands that she must leave a property as she finds it. This is in relation to locks engaged, lights on and doors ajar. This is a rare occurrence, if it was she that left the light on . If you feel certain that my colleague is responsible for it then please let me know what length of time the lights were left on and I will ensure that you are reimbursed. The running costs of an average 60 watt bulb is 0.007 p (one seventh of one pence) per hour.

Your comments would seem to convey that we have purposefully tried to offend you and have stopped at nothing to aggravate you when nothing could be further from the truth. An email from you earlier would have provided us with the opportunity to apprise you of what had created the situations in question. This opportunity was unavailable. My personal values and those of this company are to ‘do right by everyone’ in accordance with my beliefs. As such I actively encourage positive comment on how we can improve communication.

It would be a shame for what appears to have been a couple of minor misunderstandings to tarnish the relationship that we have had with yourself during a tenancy that lasted over a year and with members of your community. Similarly, the landlord, who owns a number of properties in Bugbrooke and the surrounding area shares my feeling of disappointment in regard to the post that was made.