 Letting Agency asking for legal costs
My girlfriend and her mother moved into a two bedroom flat above a parade shops on the high street 3 years and a half years ago.
Due to financial difficulties they agreed to refurbish an almost derelict two bedroom flat in exchange for a cheaper rent, it was in a terrible condition which required proffesional cleaning, new flooring, re- painting and some carpentary and publing work.
To cut a long story short, the flat has no central heating or any heating for that matter , Last year we requested the agency to fit heaters, they point blank refused, even thought at the start of our tenancy they said the would be willing to install central heating, subject to the rent being raised.
After having waited for 2 months with no reply from the agency and having received a very unproffesional , aggresive and rude service we decided to stop the rent payments until they took action, 3 further months passed and no action was taken and all of our correspondance and calls were ignored by the agency.
After the fifth month we finally had a call from the agency threatening to take us to court unless we paid the rent arreas, We paid the arreas and decided to forget about trying to get the agency to install heaters as by this stage is was apparent they were a rogue agency not operating within the law and taking advantage of the fact their was not Man of the house and saw my mother in law as an easy target to intimidate, a push over basically.
They contacted us again today, out of the blue, this time demanding we pay their legal costs - they claim around a £1000 ( what legal costs?!!) it never went to court and no letter from solicitors where sent - we paid the rent arears and moved on.
I have only now got involved as they have become very agressive making more threats of taking us to court, with no grounds using underhand and bully tactics.
Could someone please advise me on what legal action I can take against them, which governing body to report them to, and any other regulatory body could get involved and act on our behalf as we do have the funds to seek legal council
Should I call speak to the police or citizens advice?
Many thanks
Paul Luis Pastor | 
