Grampa Posted June 8, 2015 Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 Foxtons could be facing a hefty legal bill after charging a landlord over £600 to change a light fitting. In 2013 London landlord Dr Chris Townley was billed £616 by the agency for the replacement of a light fitting carried out by a subcontractor. On Saturday, The Daily Mail reported that Leigh Day Solicitors has served the agency with a letter of claim, which is sent prior to legal proceedings. Leigh Day believes that Townley and thousands of other landlords could be entitled to compensation from Foxtons, a claim which it says could amount to over £40m. Foxtons used subcontractor Maintenance 1st to carry out the work on Dr Townley’s rental property, which had been managed by the London agency since 2011. After requesting a refund for the work – which he believed to be substandard – the landlord was put in touch with Maintenance 1st. The firm informed him that its charge for the work amounted to £412.50. Townley then challenged Foxtons on the difference in costs and found out that the agent had charged 33 per cent commission, equating to an additional fee of £137.50. The landlord then also liable for an ‘ad hoc management charge’ of 10 per cent plus VAT, which was incurred after Foxtons’ commission had taken the invoice over £500. This means that Dr Townley ended up paying £200 over the subcontractors’ original fee for the work. Solicitors Leigh Day believe that the agency was wrong for failing to declare a conflict of interests as it earns commission from subcontractors and landlords. The Daily Mail reports that Foxtons says all its charges were made clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted June 8, 2015 Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 Issue against Foxtons apart, for £412.50 electrician charge it seems an expensive light fitting replacement. Was it rewired and relocated as well, I wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortitia Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 ........or was the fitting a Delboy chandelier type thing? We need to know more on the actual light fitting methinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 One lesson we can all take is that in rental property it's a good idea to have simple, basic light fittings. There are plenty that look attractive but which are technically complex. I tend to stick with pendant or batten light fittings, lampshades, conventional bulbs (including low energy). I steer clear of anything out of the ordinary or that take unusual bulbs. I know this sounds obvious but, it's so easy to leave something in a rental property because as individuals we think it looks attractive or we may choose for our own homes. But if you are paying someone else to manage the property then simplicity is recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grampa Posted June 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 I agree RL I go for plain pendant light fittings where possible. You wouldn't believe how many calls I get from tenants who don't think it is their responsibility to change tube light and spot lights or remove a glass dome to get to the bulb/tube. They also are adamant there is a fault with the electrics when their cheap replacements from the pound shop blow again after a week or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carryon Regardless Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 .....or those that pop down to B&Q and buy 12 volt 50 watt lamps when the transformer is rated to take multiples of 20 watt, I've lost a few transformers that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 And whether plain or fancy fitting, how many hours labour charged within over £400 total? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Townley then challenged Foxtons on the difference in costs and found out that the agent had charged 33 per cent commission, equating to an additional fee of £137.50. The landlord then also liable for an ‘ad hoc management charge’ of 10 per cent plus VAT, which was incurred after Foxtons’ commission had taken the invoice over £500. I think the good Doctor Townley was complaining about the high fee being charged by Foxton's on top of the contractor's invoice more than anything else. Let's be honest here Foxton's have a poor reputation and a previous lost court case............................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 £400 charged by a contractor to change a light fitting seems entirely reasonable now that I have thought about it. Change light fitting, (perhaps supply fittings), perhaps some rewiring, circuit testing, travel time, certification, resolve a few problems, part 'p' perhaps, congestion charge, parking and all of this in London. £400 begins to look quite cheap !!! No of course I wouldn't be happy to pay £400.....but then I don't have property in London, I don't employ agents to manage it and I certainly wouldn't be having Foxtons to deal with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortitia Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 I was going to make the 'why use Foxtons' thing earlier. We don't know what the rent is on this property or is it easy to get tradesmen to the building (always a consideration in London). I went back onto pendants in SW14 after a flirtation with fancy spotlights a la Cor. After one tenant left and we found only 2 lights working it cost £48 and hours for hunting to get the correct bulbs. John Lewis do a very good selection - it's almost like they saw it coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carryon Regardless Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 This by the by, or is that bye the bye, or more appropriatly buy the buy? I always tell T's the lamps are 12 volt and 20 watt but education is such a difficult thing. If they don't know or are confused they're told to call me. I don't replace 'lamps' for T's as a matter of course but for good T's I have and will. They cost me 49p (+vat) from the trade warehouse, and that's a bubble pack of 2. Thing is that to make properties more attractive, back when I was conscientious about such things, before Part P made me (a very experienced offshore electrician) no longer qualified I would enjoy providing those little extras, much more than a few lights as well. I also used to install my own central heating systems that would of course become certified on a gas inspection. Not strictly correct but no difference to us all doing the same on a ready installed system on a buy to let acquisition. Touch gas now and you will be looking forward to a holiday at HM Stay Alert In The Shower, and I for one am too pretty for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Touch gas now and you will be looking forward to a holiday at HM Stay Alert In The Shower, and I for one am too pretty for that. Me too COR. I would have to ask for a cell with an en-suite. Regarding light fittings I keep mine dead simple. Easy to replace light bulbs, energy ones of course, of which I have a huge supply of as my late elderly Mother was, for some strange reason, receiving a pack of 6 energy light bulbs every 6 months from her energy supplier which she just stored in a wardrobe which eventually filled up. Lamp shades. light fittings etc...........check out you local charity shop as you will find loads in there and mostly good quality ones as well. I know this to be a fact as I work as a volunteer for 1 day a week in a local cancer charity shop for terminal ill patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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