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BBC Programme- property management firm operating in Forest Hill
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roz


Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #1
03-05-2011 11:02 PM

I'm posting the extract below (from another website) as the property management company who were the subject of this programme ( about libel cases) are currently managing at least one,possibly more, fairly large blocks of flats in Forest Hill .
I think its possible to watch the episode again ( its just finished) on BBCiplayer. The issue was that Tristan Rogers (a leaseholder who lived in another part of London unconnected with Forest Hill but in a block managed by this company) complained about some claims for surveys for which they were charged even though they did not take place. The company pursued him with a vengeance, almost to financial ruin. Fortunately they backed down but after stressing him out. However the tactics these people used were pretty shocking and anyone dealing with them ought to be aware. A friend has sent me this information as they live in one of their blocks and have had cause for concern which has just been increased following this programme which has just aired.

Clearly I can't name this firm on here but the programme (if you looked closely at your TV screen) practically identified them by offering up a few clues. Good to be aware of what some people are capable of I think!

The BBC documentary series "See You in Court" (airing on BBC1 tonight at 10:40pm) provides a fascinating insight into what happened when the website 'London SE1' became caught up in a legal fight between some property developers and Londoner Tristan Rogers, who had posted comments about their dodgy practices in a forum on the site.

As well as suing Rogers, the firm went after the website itself with a barrage of increasingly severe threats, as editor James Hatts reveals on the show:

"I had an e-mail written in quite strong terms, demanding removal of various comments about their company. When I requested that they explained in a bit more detail why they were unhappy, I then had a telephone call where they took an extremely belligerent and rude approach, seeking to intimidate and seeking to have anything unflattering about his company removed from the web."

This was just the start of it - Helen Morris takes up the story:

"Certainly in relation to the website the threats got even heavier to the website, what happened is that they put up an explanation for their readers saying 'we've taken this post down because we've been threatened with legal proceedings.' The response in relation to that was to to say, 'we're going to put you into liquidation if that doesn't come down by Friday, or Monday we're gonna come round your house.'"

(The company later stated that they had simply meant they would come to the house to discuss the dispute.)

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Londondrz


Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
Post: #2
04-05-2011 05:52 AM

Very good programme which highlights the flaws in the English libel laws.

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roz


Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #3
04-05-2011 06:13 AM

Its excellent but scary as its so easy tactically to bully people and shut them up even though what they are saying is clearly true. This firm tried to extract money that way from this person Tristan Rogers just to be vindictive and to pocket some cash. If something is true then its not libel.
My friend whose property they manage has been challenging this firm and some of the charges they have been trying to levy but is now extremely worried. They took over the building with promises of reducing costs but instead the costs have gone up.

I could provide more detail but for reasons which will probably be obvious! The BBC however were really clever in revealing their identity in a roundabout way.

Last nights programme is definitely on BBC iplayer.

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