Bad Property Management

DISABLED DENIED JUSTICE AND ACCESS TO LAW.

It is now January 2016. A 2 day trial against my landlord is booked on 5th/6th April this year in Eastbourne Court Under Judge Robinson  I still have no representation, or advocacy or anyone helping me.  I have to do the whole court process on my own, be expected to meet all expectations and requirements as a lay person litigant in person and a disabled with mental impairment and incapacity.

The last time I went to a lawyer he charged me the full half hour consultation of £75 for finding a form online and printing me off a copy He did not help me, did not advise me, did not help me fill it in. Just charged me £75 for a copy of a court form.

I applied over and over again to all law chambers. I thought John Horan of Cloisters chambers would help, as he suffered a stroke and had to argue his case for being allowed to continue practising law with a physical and mental incapacitating disability.

 

He saw me in London chambers in August this year. I explained my disability, mental impairment and my PTSD. On being asked to tell him what happened I carefully tried to concentrate and said it in prepared fashion, just the facts and how the history had affected me.

I realise often that within a few minutes or seconds from my personal presentation and speaking that people realise that there is something wrong, although I have already told them.

I had already informed John Horan of my disability and its difficulties and presentation. Repeating the history and experience upset me. But I did it and kept going.

At the end, Mr Horan said “If you present yourself like that in court you will have no chance and I wont represent you.”  I do not know what I had said or done, I explained the severe distress and PTSD. And yet this disability was treated as a guilty problem where I am told if I exhibit my disability and the distress then he will not represent me.

I kept to the reason and importance, disability, right to live safely, free from harm and threat, and the inability of disabled to go to court.

He said he needed to find a solicitor to give him instructions. John Horan said he would compile a letter to Law Society in Brighton, he would explain my position and await their response.

I left London happy that maybe I had at last found someone.

However, time went by and I received nothing. Not even a confirmation and letter of our interview, discussion and agreement.

I pursued John Horan about him referring me to Law Society in Brighton, to this day I have received nothing back and no response.

I do not even think he has written the referral letter to Law Society as promised, and he taped the interview.

I have been totally left again.

2 day trial in April on 5th/6th at Eastbourne Court. I am expected to produce a court bundle index to standard or professional. No one will help me.

On 23rd November a court hearing was held without my knowledge or attendance. The hearing directions were only sent to me on 3rd of December and delivered on 4th December. The directions asked met o have a full court bundle list index ready and served to court and defendant by the Sunday 7th December. I had to email urgently to court, Also the claimant and defendant were mixed up and the directions a nonsense as it asked the claimant to do something defendant needed to do and asked defendant to do something I the claimant needed to do.

Nearly 10 years of severe disrepair, ceiling falling in, bad electrics for years, threat and abuse, my self harming and trying to commit suicide. All saying I have no rights and landlords can do what they like to disabled and tenants. 10,000s of people are now evicted and made homeless every few months and deaths of disabled, homeless and vulnerable tenants including old have gone up rapidly.

There is no justice, there is no law and there is no access to law.

Article below written in 2014, still relevant and even more so.

Been evicted. Paid court costs for retaliatory eviction, Landlord took deposit. I went into debt to move. Due to all this I had to sleep on streets for several nights during my father’s death and funeral in March 2015.

There has been no access to law, to rights or the right to be safe and  safeguarded  in my home, as a person or as a female or severe disabled with high needs and high distress through this process of trying to take my landlord to court for severe disrepair and gross harassment.

Since 2007 I have been told throughout the severe disrepair, harassment and years that I HAVE NO RIGHTS!!

No one would represent me, advocate for me or stand up for my rights. No one will stand up for anyone’s rights.

There is no law or any right to law. If the police, lawyers and rights people decide not to take it forward and help you, then there is no law.

In 2007 and 2008 I was too ill and distressed. Catch 22 after harassment and assault you are told “Sorry, you are too ill to take it forward and protect and give you your rights.” So I sat tight, deteriorated and ended up with a rogue landlord which deteriorated me more. By 2008 I was so deteriorated I received full DLA for severe PTSD and impairment. I had deteriorated to non functioning. Could not do anything without getting it wrong. But no imput or support,or anything practical other than reiki, drop in art classes and endless non solutions and non explanations such as Karma, not having the right crystal (I do not have any. Just rocks which I appreciate as just pure geology) or not being in touch with my psychic fairy of good luck angel. The whole support and non support was and is just a nonsense.

NO RIGHTS AND NO JUSTICE – and NO BLOODY SENSE.

So I deteriorated and got worse.

When water and flooding happened, dangerous electrics, threats vandalism, misuse of my female vulnerable status and disabled all rights centres “Sorry, but you have no rights.” You law in England does not protect tenants from raising disrepair or abuse and harassment issues. The landlord can instantly issue an eviction notice. I was told I would have to “Put Up” with it. It was also quite clear that as soon as I said my DLA label “Severe Mental Impairment” due to abuse, sexual harassment and assault and deterioration into total dysfunctional gaga-ness that there was an instant cut off and discrimination.

Even though there was clear evidence of severe disrepair, water damage, electrics cutting out, damage to garden, history of failure of Hanlons and Oakfield to respond I was told it would very difficult, impossible and even said, they did not know anyone with a disability or mental health who had successfully taken on a landlord.

I told them examples from my past and current knowledge of disabled, women and children losing out and being treated dreadfully by landlords.

I gave them 2 examples, of two true but extreme examples to test them out.

I told them of young disabled and learning needs adults who on going independent and moving into independent living get landlords who exploit them. Even sexually exploit them. And even put them on the sex game as prostitutes. The landlords and sexual groomers often persuade the social services that they are helping the person and have their interests at heart.One girl told me how the social worker arranged a joint visit with the landlord to her, and sat on the sofa discussing her complaint about the landlord having sex with her against her will. The landlord said he did not understand and did not know the girl did not want to have sex, and now he knew. The social worker acted that this was alright now, it was just a matter of misunderstanding, and maybe the learning needs girl had not explained it properly or clearly before. “It was all cleared up now.” The landlord smiled, accompanied the social worker to the door and to her car, and of course came back, told the girl how it was totally useless going to authorities and continued as before with himself and his friends and clients using her.

I told the the disability rights groups, C.A.B and Brighton Housing Trust and lawyers.They just said “They will just have to accept it.” “Sorry.” and smiled.

There is a great interest and trade in sex use of vulnerable, disabled and learning needs. You would not believe how sick people can get. But I tell you the truth, when it comes to some’s sexuality there are no boundaries or morals.

I would hope that if an adult grown man went into a place to have sex with a prostitute and found a vulnerable learning needs or disabled person there he would refuse to go ahead with it, he would turn around. he would go and even possibly get help. Obviously they do not. Which is a horror and disgrace. But then victims and survivors of sex and paedophile rings say, that although many people say they are different no one on being brought to the room or group and activities ever turns round, goes out or goes to find help and report it to the police and authorities. It is shame, but no one gets help and no one goes for any help.

I told them of how a landlord was grooming a 12 year old girl of a single mum tenant. He took advantage that they were struggling and the mother could not leave without choosing to become homeless. And there was no money to get out or move on. This happened in the past when there was poor wages no opportunities or rights. This is why rights and benefits and access to law is important. The mother got to know and reported it to the police, authorities, DWP and social services. They all said they could not do anything, even the police as it was a civil matter, as it was a landlord and tenant dispute.

The landlord managed to have sex with the 12 year old through persuasion and threat about reporting her him to social services and having her taken away and put into care. The child consented to have sex with him.Mother found out, reported it. Again police et al said it was a civil matter, landlord and tenant dispute. But as the social services were concerned about the vulnerability of the situation they came and took the 12 year old away. Thus separating the child from the mother at the most crucial and personally devastating time in her life, when the child needed her mother most. And fulfilled the threat that mother was evicted and made homeless. But no one took the landlord on or took him to court or prosecuted him.

I told these examples to the rights people C.A.B. Brighton Housing Trust, Shelter and all lawyers.
Then smiled and nodded their heads in an empathic sagely way, and then said, they were extremely sorry for all that, but disabled and mums and children have to accept, THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS! when it comes to private landlords and tenants rights, whether severe disrepair or personal harassment and abuse.

 

I returned home in 2007, and in 2009, 2010 when water gushed through and ceiling collapsed. I was nothing but a vegetable in a corner throughout 2011. Landlord convinced council to close case. Until January 2012 when I found he had and raised it again. They said I had to resubmit it. They chased him to do fire regulations work.Landlord and council turned up to do fire regulation work, they both said they would not do the other repair of water damage, collapsed ceiling and harassment and abuse.I stood my ground and we started the Landlord Disrepair and Harassment path again.

Landlord registered my tenancy deposit to issue a Section 21 eviction notice.I challenged that as harassment and illegal eviction.

I went to every rights, advice, housing lawyer again and was told again I HAD NO RIGHTS!

Council embarrassed that they had let go of the case and failed then took to trying to see me with my landlord.I again was totally on my own, no representative or advocate. I was too ill and had too many severe mental and cognitive impairments to be able to see them on my own.Marie Connelly, female council housing officer again told me landlord could do what he liked and ceiling collapsing, damage to property, vandalism of garden and harassment and physical harm was of no importance.

The social services and GP also said that nothing was important, either safety of home, abuse and harassment, electric shocks or threats to me as female or disabled. The only thing was that I was getting stressed and worried about it and they could give me some medication and counselling to help me cope and accept my situation.

I do not think anyone should be accepting such a position, and certainly no one should be helping support or suggest anyone should accept such a position. It is important that everyone have a right to their personal safety and in their own home. That is basic. And I do not expect anyone to threaten or compromise it.

I even through my years and this last few years have met social services personnel and counsellor who tell me that they DO NOT BELIEVE IN LAW. They have been advising me contrary to law, or even advising me to act or support something contrary to law. When I have pointed this out, the stupid social worker and counsellor have told me they do not believe in law. I have told them that they may not believe in law, but they are under it never-the-less.

I tried to find help via Community Legal Advice online.They referred me to Ty Arian, all the way over in Swansea.I could not understand that as I was in Hastings Sussex, and needed a physical presence and representation that was near. They said they would take my case on and help. I explained I could not do long conversations or explanations due to PTSD and impairment such as asphasia, memory concentration, Even so they insisted on a 2 hours long explanation over the phone. I had to get a Proof of Income and send copies of all documentation to them.

It cost £60 to copy and send the documentation.

This was in late March early April. No one got back to me.Everytime I phoned I had to go through my whole history again and explanation which was very distressful. They did nothing and explained they could not act until they got the legal aid. They failed to apply for the legal aid. They asked for 3 new proofs of income. and then a 4th. That means they did not act the whole time between March to July.

I began to get seriously worried. I got the alarm signals when I told them I wanted to go forward for a Fast Track claim. The Ty Arian legal professional said “What is a Fast Track?” A Fast Track is the next step up to a small claims when there is something more than a simple money involved. It is something the most basic C.A.B. volunteer adviser knows. I became seriously worried that a qualified and registered legal firm and advocates did not know what a Fast Track was.

My landlord was getting desperate for access and to sort this. I could empathise. But I needed this to be taken to a higher level and needed physical representation due to my disability and his past harassment and abuse when he came through the door.

I asked Ty Arian to write a simple letter to my landlord to say they had picked up my case and would be acting for me. It took all my time over a phone call to them to get them to agree to that.

The next thing I got, was that Ty Arian had been in contact with my landlord and had agreed all sorts of things. No discussion with me. No explanation as to what was said. No respect that they did not know the case or that it was severe disrepair over several years with gross harassment, threat and abuse, and it needed proper justice and respect.

Ty Arian did not understand that they had breached client respect, confidentiality and had entered into communication and agreements with the defendant without any knowledge or consent or involvement of their client – me.

I was breaking down by this time. Ty Arian had again not got the legal aid and asked me for another proof of income. I told them how very ill I was getting, and that I was under threat and distress from landlord and council. They were using my disability and ill health and causing distress by totally ignoring my disability and needs.

Or as one council worker said “Think of your mother suffering burns and having her face disintegrate and be scarred for life, and you could suffer that too…” as a way of comforting me of the need for fire regulations which in the end did not work.

I told Ty Arian that I was very worried that I would return to a period of ill health, would become incapacitated again, would have the symptoms of strokes and even lose my eyesight, as I had done at one point where I could just see tunnel vision and nothing to left or right.

Ty Arian legal adviser down the phone said quite excitedly “OOH!! Its GOOD if you get more incapacitated and ill, and become more disabled and lose your sight, You will get more money!” It was at that point I gave up, and realised the only person to take it forward and try and get it to court was me.

I therefore, started the court case process. Which landlord defended. Took ages, went through every trick in the book. But we are here.

On 27th March 2014 the Knight vs Hanlon Case 2YK54159 Disrepair and Harassment as due at 12 noon Hastings County Court.

It has been changed til 13th May, same time, due to judge having looked at the case deciding it needed a full day. Not just 3 hours.

However, strangely my landlord said that it would probably be delayed and changed, and knew Judge Lusty had been moved and how 2 judges only sit. He seemed very cocky and sure. Hmm!! How does he know and how come he is so cocky it will never be heard and it will be kicked out and I will lose everything?  Bloody incredibly prophetic my landlord. It is probably a gift. But I suggest he never plays poker. It has been very difficult and strange.

Still, Through the court case. Judges ignored the fact that all lawyers had refused to represent me. Kept asking me why I did not have a lawyer.Insisted that there were good lawyers out there and insisted I go look for one. I went and again got told no one would represent me due to my disability and lack of tenancy law looking after tenants.

I had done the protocol 4 times.

Landlord tried to have the case thrown out of court saying I had not done the protocol.I sat there thinking “I have, I have.” But Judge insisted.

I went round. Found a solicitor who would do the protocol, 2 pages of letter costing me £300.

He too was curious. Daniel Crook of Kingsford solicitors. He said, he could not find anything wrong with my protocols and asked what the judge found wrong. She never said.

Landlord ignored protocol. Daniel Crook advised I ask for default and asked for £234 for him to issue a default letter. Judge ignored and ordered me to provide another protocol letter £150 to landlord.Who then ignored. Som repair was done, but the request for all documentation regarding property and repairs was ignored.

Daniel Crook of Kingsford, although being a Legal Aid certificate solicitor openly and verbally said they would write letters at several hundred pounds a time, out of my DLA but I had to understand “WE ARE NOT ACTING FOR YOU!! DUE TO MY DISABILITY!”

Also landlord sent emails to Kingsford and Daniel Crook saying how I was a difficult case, how impossible it was and referring constantly to my “mental illness” and fear of men and him. Not surprised.It is normal to feel fear of nasty horrible men, and rogue and abusive landlords. No mental illness there, Just normal. A genuine fear.

I again throughout tried to get legal advice and representation, many did not believe I was having such trouble. But again, all said they would not represent me or help, due to disability, and maybe the position and standing of my landlord. 400 properties and a major player in business and commerce. I am sure many would not take him on, but would prefer the possibility of his business instead.

Congratulations,You are welcome to it. The businesses are insolvent and in liquidation, HMRC wants paying big time. unsecured creditors are not getting their monies owed. and liquidators are severing liabilities where they can to secure costs and money and save what they can. Whatever money goes in, goes out to the liquidators and secured creditors. Contractors and accounts are not paid, employees are laid off and workers go home at end of month without their full wages, because the Hanlons cannot afford it.

So congratulations and good luck.

It has been terrible. There has been no law, or support or protection of law. There has been no rights or safety, or the support or protection of rights and safety.

And yet, I am here, by my own fair hand and grim determination against a rotten oppressor, a rogue landlord, a scam merchant, what I think is a confidence trickster and a wide boy. Not a cute wide boy. But a nasty one.One who needs removing, condemning and investigating and throwing in gaol.

Unfortunately, it is only a small claims case. But I hope the evidence and highlight on it will make others move to act.

No one should live like this, like I and others have other the last few years, and certainly no one should be allowed to get away with it.

Even more has happened. All which makes the British justice system quite peculiar, avoids and defers quick fair justice. I shall write the horrendous path and process.  All I wanted as I said in my video diary was to have a home and be safe. That has never, ever been given to me. I have not had a safe home or a safe and peaceful existence without threat to this day. We are all MAD and SENT MAD by the few and the inability and incompetence of our organisations and bodies to address it.

Good Luck. Take an Interest and Be There.

Or get this website and post around and get some interest in it.

ROGUE LANDLORDS DANIEL AND PATRICK HANLON and BAD PROPERTY MANAGERS OAKFIELD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, HASTINGS AND SOUTH EAST.

Yours

June Knight
Claimant/Tenant.