Letting Agent not protected tenants deposits (M&W Lettings)

[Javert]

Bentilly, please go to Action Fraud, phone 0300 123 2040. They are collecting this type of information. Good luck.

 

if you do call Action Fraud - please get and post the reference number so all cases can be linked together.

[raydetinu]

Bringing St Leonard's into the 21st century one house at a time

Location St Leonards, East Sussex, United Kingdom (Tonbridge, United Kingdom) Industry Real Estate Jon Clements's Overview

 

Current

• Director at M&W Sales and Lettings ltd
  

Past

• Physical commodity Trading 07930 460338 at Arlington Commodities Ltd
  
• Sales Trader European Equities. at BTIG
  
• VP and Senior Trader, European Equity Trading at AllianceBernstein
  

 

• European Equity trader at Credit Suisse
  

see less

 

see all

Education

• University of Brighton
  

M & W lettings has only been in existence since May 2013

JC and LS are the sole directors.

Edited August 30, 2014 by ims21

[agencynightmare]

As far as I know, they are an LLB Partnership. They are not just business partners either.

[Javert]

Just feeding in further info re: website.

 

Paddock Wood office = mandwresidentiallettings.co.uk

St Leonards office = mandwsalesandlettings.co.uk

 

JC is based (see Team) in St Leonards and is still a director of Paddock Wood according to Companies House listing. LS is based in Paddock Wood. Both look similar on the websites but seem to have different listings/registered details at Companies House.

 

There were two agencies originally but the St Leonards one has recently been renamed and registered M&W Sales and Lettings.

[agencynightmare]

I thought I saw somewhere that Jon Clements had register a business with companys house, in St Leonards, as M&W Property Consultants. He is listed as sole Director and Company Secretary.

[Javert]

there are actually three companies listed M&W SALES AND LETTINGS LLP, M&W SALES AND LETTINGS (ST LEONARDS) LTD, & M&W PROPERTY CONSULTANTS LTD but only two websites I have seen which I list on my previous post

[agencynightmare]

Are you able to find company house details on all 3 companies?

[stu007]

M&W Property Consultants Ltd - 08522837 - Active

 

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/08522837/MW-PROPERTY-CONSULTANTS-LTD/directors-secretaries

 

M&W Sales & Lettings LLP - OC385074 - Active

 

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/OC385074/MW-SALES-AND-LETTINGS-LLP/directors-secretaries

 

Arlington Commodities Ltd - 08195986 - Dissolved

 

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/08195986/ARLINGTON-COMMODITIES-LTD/directors-secretaries

 

Look at the Directors Names

[agencynightmare]

http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/lucy-sly-arla-qualified-2003/3a/75a/794

 

Do you think Men and Women Solutions is the M&W

[agencynightmare]

Also, had seen LS worked for Ward Partners, but not on her LI profile.

[Javert]

Maybe worth checking with Wards to see what they have to say?

[raydetinu]

The clues in the name Sly ( by nature )!!!!

[agencynightmare]

Ha ha, I know! When we first started dealing with them it was with JC, so only found out her surname at a later date.

[agencynightmare]

Does anyone know how to find out if a company is VAT registered? I know one LL who battled for a refund from M&W and the withheld the VAT element. It occurs to me that I've never seen a VAT number, have just gone through documents from them and there is no number listed on their letterheads.

[Javert]

Check on their website as they should display the VAT number I think. I can't see how they can charge VAT on the deposit as this isn't income - her charge may incur VAT if she is registered? Check these out for information:

 

accountingweb.co.uk/anyanswers/it-possible-find-out-if-company-vat-registered

 

hmrc.gov.uk/vat/sectors/consumers/basics.htm

[Javert]

Relevant parts on the HMRC link above :

 

VAT on bills and receipts

 

Most retail prices on bills and receipts include VAT - it is not shown separately. However, some may also show the VAT element as a separate line.

This doesn't mean you're being charged extra - it just shows how much tax is included in the price.

Non-retail invoices from VAT-registered suppliers - for example from builders, or painters and decorators who are VAT registered - must show a separate amount for VAT.

They must also show the nine-digit VAT Registration Number of the business.

 

How to check if a VAT number is valid

 

You can check whether a UK VAT number is valid by following the link below:

 

Check a UK VAT registration number

[Javert]

If you suspect a VAT fraud

 

If you suspect that a firm is avoiding paying VAT, or charging VAT when they aren't VAT registered, you can report them to HMRC

by calling the free Customs Hotline. You don't have to give your name or any personal details.

[raydetinu]

IIRC the turnover has to be more than £100k/year to be registered or liable for VAT.

Anyway that really is not the issue; Trading standards and Police should be informed of their fraud and business activities.

Also all the properties they deal with must have an EPC to go with them and that is also regulated by Trading Standards.

[GroanUP]

I have looked at an invoice that I received from M&W some months ago on which they charged VAT. The invoice does not state their VAT number which it is legally required to do if it is VAT registered. So either they are not registered for VAT but fraudulently adding VAT or they have merely omitted to include the VAT number which is a technical breach and a lot less serious.

 

I supplied them with an EPC on my property but have notified Trading Standards because of a number of issues I have had with M&W not dissimilar to those mentioned by others on this site.

[Javert]

I understand that at least one of their registered companies is registered for VAT and it seems to still be valid so they should have been charging, and passing the VAT onto HMRC and also providing any relevant VAT refunds.

[agencynightmare]

If we assume they are VAT registered, and assume the company that is registered was the one that charged for VAT, then all is fine.

 

Can we get the correct name of the company that is registered and the name on the invoice you received GroanUp to see if they match.

 

Further question, if they charged a fee of XXXX = VAT and there was a refund on that fee, would they be legally in the clear if they withheld the VAT element refund?

 

Would they not also need to refund the amount of VAT they charged, because that is a % of the fee, then claim this back on their next VAT submission?

 

As consumers, this is a real bit of money, as a VAT registered business, it's a paper exercise unless the company buys in goods, which they presumably don't in large quantities.

[GroanUP]

The invoice which was dated January this year and was issued by M&W Property Consultants Limited. I was mistaken and I have just noticed the following VAT number 161 5137 31 on the invoice.

 

The correspondence from mydeposit refers to M&W Residential Lettings and the unsigned terms and conditions that M&W issued refers only to M&W and not to a company. Another reason I think why those terms and conditions are invalid.

[raydetinu]

Perhaps you should get DOM to look into this? or watchdog etc.

worth a call maybe.

[GroanUP]

What is DOM?

[raydetinu]

don't get done get DOM tv prog!

Dominic Little.