New twist in letting agency’s £90,000 EPC court drama
Huge claim by firm's famous former tenant and sex therapist ‘Lady Pea’ has been thrown out by a judge.
When ‘Lady Pea’ Patricia Ramshaw was evicted from her period rental home, she got a £90,000 court order against Norfolk letting agency Starkings & Watson claiming that the property did not have a valid energy performance certificate.
But that judgement has now been overturned. As reported in The Neg last month ‘Lady Pea’, a former actor and sex therapist, had been involved in a long running spat with her aristocratic landlords, the Cator family, over her eviction.
Court action
It resulted in her taking court action against the property’s letting agency Starkings & Watson, claiming that when she rented it, the property did not have a valid energy performance certificate and that she suffered a debt as a result of the rental not being handled correctly.
Despite the firm strongly disputing the claim, The Property Ombudsman upheld it and a Court found that Starkings & Watson had failed to respond in time and made a court order of £90,000.
As expected, the courts confirmed they had in fact received all the necessary and associated paperwork and immediately started the process of setting the case aside.”
Starkings & Watson has since proved it had in fact responded on time, and the judge will now be setting the case aside.
Afterwards Christopher Starkings of Starkings & Watson, told the Eastern Daily Press: “As expected, the courts confirmed they had in fact received all the necessary and associated paperwork and immediately started the process of setting the case aside.
“The matter is now in the hands of our legal representatives.”
Right of reply
Patricia Ramshaw has contacted The Neg and pointed out that she contests the findings of this latest legal hearing and its decision, claiming that the ombudsman’s initial ruling supports her position on this. Also, although the judgement on her legal claim against the lettings agency has been set aside the claim goes on. Also, she has a second claim in progress against the landlord.
Pic credits: Starkings & Watson/Amazon
