by losingtheplot
Mon Mar 01, 2010 8:12 pm
Hi everyone,
I've been searching through the site trying to find anything similar as apart from my idiosy in giving out my ID (which is my main problem i need advice with) the situation is very weird and need help.
I'm a long term tenant, get on great with my landlord and his family. My landlord is away for a while on his winter break, a few people have moved out and he asked me to advertise for him to try and get the flats re-filled. He's done loads of things for me in the past so I don't mind doing it.
The deal is I advertise, do the show arounds as I live here anyway and take one month rent to hold a flat or one month rent for the tenant to get the key in their hand.
Moved first guy in no problems, he's now living here, everything hunky dory. A few flats left to fill... had quite a few really dodgy people visiting over time but then arranged a viewing with two polish girls, apparently mature students locally (yes I know don't say it)
We got on great, they wanted to take a one bed flat each and put down £200 deposit each in cash to move in in one months time (coming up soon)
I showed them different forms of ID including passport, provisional drivers license that has never been used and household bill that they would need to contact to organise their bill set up. I hated doing this and went against everything I believe in, but at the same time, I would expect the same from someone if I was handing over cash to a stranger who doesn't even own the property.
While we were signing agreements, they took photos of my passport and other ID. I also took a photo of their ID cards, one polish card and another which is a university card. The photos I have are not clear enough to be able to make out the details properly so I'm hoping this is the case for them too, though they would have wrote mine down no doubt.
From that point on, they were very friendly but 'strange' emailing or texting every day with numerous questions, mainly things they wanted doing in the building and generally being very finicky or at least one of them is.
We have completed everything that we signed in the provisional agreement that we said would be done. One girl asked if she could move in a few days earlier than agreed as she is having a sofa and fridge delivered. I said thats fine. The other girls contacts me quite snotty making out that I'm trying to change the move in date etc and that wasnt what was agreed.
Alarm bells are going off gradually at this point. They then want to change their cat to a dog, we only agreed on a cat (and thats at a push) and the dog will apparently cost £450 they then wanted curtain rails put up before they move in, which I told them is the tenants responsibility. They contacted me a week later about this saying something about me buying the curtain rails and giving them a receipt so they could pay me back. Which I totally ignored.
They then found me on face book, which I don't use, I have a basic account with no photo on it. They added themselves as friends, saying that their gorgeous neighbour needs a profile pic on there (more alarm bells going off)
The whole time they've been questioning me about the landlord and needing proof that he owns the building etc. they know he's still abroad right now. They then said when the time comes to sign the lease they won't sign unless the landlord appears in person, showing ID and proof that he owns the building.
At this point I stop contact and put them straight through to him. This is when it all kicks off and the girls turn nasty with me. My landlord is very abrupt and doesnt suffer fools gladly and I know he will have annoyed the girls in some shape or form so I was putting off having them deal with him. They wouldn't talk on the phone with him, only email.
My landlord has sent a copy of all emails sent and received between them.
The girls are now saying that I have deliberately tried to deceive them, and forged my landlords signature (they also sent my landlord a copy of my ID to prove their case which i've heard is a criminal offence to do without my permission) my landlord can clearly see that there is his name and my name, no copy even attempted.
The girls also told him that they have recorded me talking and show that they didn't force me to give my ID. Which is true, i just wasnt happy about doing it.
The girls also know I'm ill and seen my walking frame outside of my door. My landlord has told them repeatedly to bear this in mind when contacting me and to deal with him direct from now on.
'They' showed no signs of any illness when I met them and yesterday they have suddenly become disabled students and are severely ill and my behaviour is having a negative affect on their condition... when all I have done is reply and be polite, friendly and helpful when they have contacted me on a daily basis via text and email. (So more alarm bells going off)
The girls then decided to back out after holding the flats for 3 weeks saying that I am changing everything that was agreed the landlord agreed just to get rid of them even though they aren't entitled to their money back.
From that point the girls have become threatening, threatening both me and the landlord (which they keep acussing me of actually being his girlfriend and not just a family friend) as he told them I was a trusted family friend of several years and also a tenant.
The girls are threatening us with the police if we don't give them their money back which the landlord has already agreed to and that we have taken part in criminal offences etc. They text me last night saying if i dont do a bank transfer to their bank account by 4.30pm today they will be contacting the police as I am keeping their money without permission and they need that money as they are 'disabled students'
My landlord told me to give them nothing as he will pay them so we dont both pay them without knowing.
The girls wanted the money asap and kept threatening with the police so we decided to involve the police first.
The landlord arranged for himself and the girls to meet at our local police station this afternoon in which he would give them their money provided they show all of their ID and sign a statement saying that they will stop contacting me and return the copies of my ID (which would be pointless now anyway)
The girls have ignored any emails with regard to meeting at the police station and didn't turn up. Half an hour later they are behaving as though nothing has happened reminding me that the bank closes at 5pm to pay them. I stopped contact with them a couple of days ago.
They could have had their money this afternoon but instead decide to keep threatening us both to send the money in a bank transfer to their accounts. My landlord has now left a cheque at the police station for them to collect whenever they want...
The girls were happy to receive cash back but they can only have that when they sign statements that stops them keeping the copies of my ID etc. and done in a way that there is proof of the handover back to them.
So as it stands they still haven't received their money back, won't go to the police to collect it and still have copies of my ID and will no doubt start the threats again tomorrow.
The whole thing has been extremely weird and i'm not worried about them threatening me with the police with regard to having their money, I'm seriously worried about the ID problem and what to do about it in preparation for whatever they use it for.
Sorry this is so long, just had to try and explain as much as possible to grab some info from people if they have any ideas.
thanks.
I've been searching through the site trying to find anything similar as apart from my idiosy in giving out my ID (which is my main problem i need advice with) the situation is very weird and need help.
I'm a long term tenant, get on great with my landlord and his family. My landlord is away for a while on his winter break, a few people have moved out and he asked me to advertise for him to try and get the flats re-filled. He's done loads of things for me in the past so I don't mind doing it.
The deal is I advertise, do the show arounds as I live here anyway and take one month rent to hold a flat or one month rent for the tenant to get the key in their hand.
Moved first guy in no problems, he's now living here, everything hunky dory. A few flats left to fill... had quite a few really dodgy people visiting over time but then arranged a viewing with two polish girls, apparently mature students locally (yes I know don't say it)
We got on great, they wanted to take a one bed flat each and put down £200 deposit each in cash to move in in one months time (coming up soon)
I showed them different forms of ID including passport, provisional drivers license that has never been used and household bill that they would need to contact to organise their bill set up. I hated doing this and went against everything I believe in, but at the same time, I would expect the same from someone if I was handing over cash to a stranger who doesn't even own the property.
While we were signing agreements, they took photos of my passport and other ID. I also took a photo of their ID cards, one polish card and another which is a university card. The photos I have are not clear enough to be able to make out the details properly so I'm hoping this is the case for them too, though they would have wrote mine down no doubt.
From that point on, they were very friendly but 'strange' emailing or texting every day with numerous questions, mainly things they wanted doing in the building and generally being very finicky or at least one of them is.
We have completed everything that we signed in the provisional agreement that we said would be done. One girl asked if she could move in a few days earlier than agreed as she is having a sofa and fridge delivered. I said thats fine. The other girls contacts me quite snotty making out that I'm trying to change the move in date etc and that wasnt what was agreed.
Alarm bells are going off gradually at this point. They then want to change their cat to a dog, we only agreed on a cat (and thats at a push) and the dog will apparently cost £450 they then wanted curtain rails put up before they move in, which I told them is the tenants responsibility. They contacted me a week later about this saying something about me buying the curtain rails and giving them a receipt so they could pay me back. Which I totally ignored.
They then found me on face book, which I don't use, I have a basic account with no photo on it. They added themselves as friends, saying that their gorgeous neighbour needs a profile pic on there (more alarm bells going off)
The whole time they've been questioning me about the landlord and needing proof that he owns the building etc. they know he's still abroad right now. They then said when the time comes to sign the lease they won't sign unless the landlord appears in person, showing ID and proof that he owns the building.
At this point I stop contact and put them straight through to him. This is when it all kicks off and the girls turn nasty with me. My landlord is very abrupt and doesnt suffer fools gladly and I know he will have annoyed the girls in some shape or form so I was putting off having them deal with him. They wouldn't talk on the phone with him, only email.
My landlord has sent a copy of all emails sent and received between them.
The girls are now saying that I have deliberately tried to deceive them, and forged my landlords signature (they also sent my landlord a copy of my ID to prove their case which i've heard is a criminal offence to do without my permission) my landlord can clearly see that there is his name and my name, no copy even attempted.
The girls also told him that they have recorded me talking and show that they didn't force me to give my ID. Which is true, i just wasnt happy about doing it.
The girls also know I'm ill and seen my walking frame outside of my door. My landlord has told them repeatedly to bear this in mind when contacting me and to deal with him direct from now on.
'They' showed no signs of any illness when I met them and yesterday they have suddenly become disabled students and are severely ill and my behaviour is having a negative affect on their condition... when all I have done is reply and be polite, friendly and helpful when they have contacted me on a daily basis via text and email. (So more alarm bells going off)
The girls then decided to back out after holding the flats for 3 weeks saying that I am changing everything that was agreed the landlord agreed just to get rid of them even though they aren't entitled to their money back.
From that point the girls have become threatening, threatening both me and the landlord (which they keep acussing me of actually being his girlfriend and not just a family friend) as he told them I was a trusted family friend of several years and also a tenant.
The girls are threatening us with the police if we don't give them their money back which the landlord has already agreed to and that we have taken part in criminal offences etc. They text me last night saying if i dont do a bank transfer to their bank account by 4.30pm today they will be contacting the police as I am keeping their money without permission and they need that money as they are 'disabled students'
My landlord told me to give them nothing as he will pay them so we dont both pay them without knowing.
The girls wanted the money asap and kept threatening with the police so we decided to involve the police first.
The landlord arranged for himself and the girls to meet at our local police station this afternoon in which he would give them their money provided they show all of their ID and sign a statement saying that they will stop contacting me and return the copies of my ID (which would be pointless now anyway)
The girls have ignored any emails with regard to meeting at the police station and didn't turn up. Half an hour later they are behaving as though nothing has happened reminding me that the bank closes at 5pm to pay them. I stopped contact with them a couple of days ago.
They could have had their money this afternoon but instead decide to keep threatening us both to send the money in a bank transfer to their accounts. My landlord has now left a cheque at the police station for them to collect whenever they want...
The girls were happy to receive cash back but they can only have that when they sign statements that stops them keeping the copies of my ID etc. and done in a way that there is proof of the handover back to them.
So as it stands they still haven't received their money back, won't go to the police to collect it and still have copies of my ID and will no doubt start the threats again tomorrow.
The whole thing has been extremely weird and i'm not worried about them threatening me with the police with regard to having their money, I'm seriously worried about the ID problem and what to do about it in preparation for whatever they use it for.
Sorry this is so long, just had to try and explain as much as possible to grab some info from people if they have any ideas.
thanks.
