In my opinion you should think twice before renting any premises from Anthony Sharpe in Leeds
If you have had any problems with Anthony Sharpe in Leeds please use the comments form below.
- Were there regular inventory inspections from Anthony Sharpe?
- Did Anthony Sharpe wait until you had vacated the premises before listing out repairs?
- Did Anthony Sharpe demand money for the repairs without giving you the opportunity to do the repairs?
- Did Anthony Sharpe send bailiffs with/without notice if you were a few weeks late with the rent?
The first problem we encountered with Anthony Sharpe was when we rented premises on Harrogate Road there was a damp wall to the rear of the building which he promised to have repaired. We expected the builders to arrive in the first month but nothing, it was months before they arrived and when they did we lost use of the rear office for a month. This was not the only issue, when the builders started packing their tools away, I asked if they were going to paint the wall that had been repaired they said, “ Mr Sharpe will sort this out”. 6 years later the wall is exactly as the builders left it and we ended up using the rear office as a storage room.
The next problem... I am sitting in at my desk with a client and there is a knock on the front door, one of my colleagues opened the door and was confronted with a bailiff demanding payment of the rent. The rent was less than 10 days overdue and Anthony Sharpe instructed bailiffs without any notification at all. I explained the situation to my client and had to apologise and call an end to my meeting and called Anthony Sharpe to explain, he replied in a patronising manner that he had every right to demand any overdue bills. The bailiff had to list all the items in the office as security against the cheque I wrote him.
This threat of the bailiff hung over us for the remainder of our tenancy
Earlier this year in the last 6 months of the tenancy we had water leaking into the toilet, on the 24/02/2011 we sent an email to Anthony Sharpe explaining the situation, there was no reply. We sent a second email on the 1/03/2011 and now we had mushrooms growing from under the carpet, again no reply. Another email from us on the 9/03/2011 and still no reply and the mushrooms were growing bigger. At this stage the employees were complaining of the smell and we had to move the furniture away from the area and close the rear of the building and the toilet area was not usable. We sent anther email on the 14/03/2011.
Finally on the 16/03/2011 we received a reply:
“I refer to your email of the 14th March and apologise for the slight delay in reverting to you. Unfortunately the builder was due to call as indicated but he did hurt his back and at the moment is laid up. Hopefully he will be back at work during the course of the next few days and you are on the list!”
So time passes, we don’t have a toilet and have to go to the coffee shop across the road, we email Anthony Sharpe again on the 19/04/2011 – this is almost 2 months later and the mushrooms are now about 5 inches of the floor and the smell is affecting our health.
We now get this reply:
“Spoken to the builder again, he will call in later this afternoon.
Any news on your rent?
Anthony”
So no apology, just can we have the money!!!
By this time we have decided enough is enough and started to look for other premises and once when we found another office we informed Anthony Sharpe on the 3/5/2011 on the 5/5/2011 we were informed that bailiffs had been instructed again.
The next issue started when a To Let board was about to be erected on the building so that a new tenant could be found, we still had 6 weeks before the end of our lease. The man who was to put up the board had a drawing of where the board was to be placed. When we moved into the premises the To Let board had been on the first floor of the building above the ground floor window and signage.
The drawing showed the as the place where the board was to be put but this had been crossed out and was now positioned on our signage. We told the man that there was no reason for the re-positioning as the board clearly stated that it was a “Ground Floor Unit To Let” and that we would not allow the sign to be place upon our sign whilst we were trading on the premises and he left with the sign.
So we received an email from Anthony Sharpe:
“Please refer to attached extract of lease”
“(19) for the period of six (6) months immediately preceding the determination of this lease to permit a notice board to be exhibited on some reasonable and conspicuous part of the premises intimating that the same are to be let or sold and during such period of six (6) months to permit an inspection at any reasonable time of day by or on behalf of any person desirous of becoming a tenant or purchaser of the premises upon an appointment being made for the purpose”
So we responded:
“Anthony,
I have no problem with the sign you want put up but you cannot cover my sign or window to do so.
You can place it above the sign area or at the side of the window near the drain pipe which will give you plenty of exposure.
If you insist on placing it on the our sign or window then we would welcome a 50% reduction in rent for the final quarter.”
His reply:
“I am in receipt of your email regarding the sign and would further comment as follows. Firstly you had no authority or permission to prevent the sign being put when the erectors called on Monday. The sign will be put in the most convenient position for fixing and to assist the re-letting of the property, particularly when relatively short notice has been given regarding you vacating. Please be assured that under no circumstances will any form of reduction be considered if the board does not conform with your request or ideas. As at today’s date I am sure you are fully aware the quarter’s rent which was due on the 25th March has yet to be received and the request for a reduction in the rent is not only out of order but completely without any justification whatsoever.
At this stage I would respectfully suggest that you refer to the terms of your lease as you have an obligation to yield up the premises at the end of the term to ensure that it is left in a tenantable condition which includes redecorating of the interior. If you have any doubt at this stage as to what your obligations are then I would strongly recommend you take legal advice as soon as possible.
Anthony Sharpe”
Our response:
“Anthony,
Please refer to the clause of the lease you sent me, we find it unreasonable for any sign to be erected that obscures our sign and window.”
Now we have another visit from the To Let board man and again we turn him away
We send another email:
“Anthony,
I have spoken to your man with the To Let sign and again explained as per my previous email, if the sign is put up, I will have it removed.
He also showed me a mock-up of how the sign would look and previously it has been placed above the window and refers to the Ground Floor Unit. I remember that that was where it was placed before we moved in, on the mock-up you have crossed out this positioned and indicated that it should be placed over our sign.
At this point I have to believe that you would not be so petty as to intentionally cause us problems in the final months at these premises.
Please do what you normally do and place the To Let sign where it has normally been placed with reference to the Ground Floor Unit”
Anthony’s reply:
“I cannot believe we are having this exchange of correspondence particularly bearing in mind that you have a little over a month left in occupancy. The board will go up where it is best suited as the previous position is not now considered to be suitable particularly bearing in mind that the offices above are occupied.
Be under no illusions whatsoever that if you even contemplate touching the board which is not your property then not will you be responsible for costs incurred but also to any damage that is caused for a replacement.
At this stage you are preventing me from doing my job on behalf of the landlord which I find totally unacceptable. Copies of the correspondence that has been exchanged is now being on to the landlords solicitors for their information and action if necessary.
Anthony Sharpe”
Our response:
“Anthony,
Again, I draw your attention to the clause you sent me... I find it unreasonable for you to obscure our sign and window as we have plans to announce that we are moving to new premises and will be using that space to do so..
Again, when we first moved in this unit, the offices above were occupied and the sign was placed above the window. The sign does identify which unit is being advertised and clearly states Ground Floor Unit so it cannot be mistaken for the first floor offices. We have over a hundred estate/letting agents in the UK on our books and I deal with To Let/For Sale boards on a regular basis. Placing the board in its original position will not affect you carrying out your job to the landlord.
Again, I reiterate, we will not allow the sign and the window to be obscured whilst we occupy the ground floor unit.”
I know, I know.... bear with me.... Anthony’s reply
“Having spoken to the landlords solicitors I would draw your attention to the following clause:-
“for the period of six (6) months immediately preceding the determination of this Lease to permit a notice board to be exhibited on some reasonable and conspicuous part of the Premises intimating that the same are to be let or sold…”.
THE BOARD IS GOING UP AND IF ANY ATTEMPT IS MADE TO REMOVE OR DISLODGE IT THEN I WILL ISSUE IMMEDIATE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU FOR WHAT IS A MOST RIDICULOUS SITUATION PARTICULARLY BEARING IN MIND THAT IN FOUR WEEKS TIME YOU ARE VACATING.L
I cannot believe how petty you are being in this situation and also how unnecessary this correspondence is.
Anthony Sharpe”
Our response:
“Anthony,
“for the period of six (6) months immediately preceding the determination of this Lease to permit a notice board to be exhibited on some reasonable and conspicuous part of the Premises intimating that the same are to be let or sold…”.
I suggest you go back to the solicitors and ask them what reasonable means, you are being unreasonable by moving the sign from where it is usually situated and placing it on my sign – you can move it to that position after the 23rd June if you wish but not before.
I WILL REMOVE THE SIGN IF IT IS PLACED ON OUR SIGN OR WINDOW!!!!!!”
...wait for it – here comes the solicitors:
“Dear Sir
We have been instructed by your Landlords to reply to the e-mail below sent to our client’s agents Anthony Sharpe & Co.
The placing of the notice board will be in a reasonable position, and will not affect your sign or window. The board is not your property and you have no right whatsoever to remove it. You will be held responsible for any damage or injury caused by your removal of such sign.
Our clients have already lost a week in placing an appropriate notice board. Our clients will not hesitate to seek damages against you as a result of any further delay.
We would respectfully suggest that you consult your own Solicitor.
Yours faithfully
John Howe & Co”
So we collate all the emails exchanged and send them to the solicitor with:
“John,
Thank you for your email, I have attached additional emails that have been going back and forth between Anthony and myself so that you can follow the events.
I repeat what I have said previously that I have no objection to the board being put up on 86a Harrogate Road. I do however object to the placement of the board on my sign or window.
In the past the board has been placed above the window in a prominent position visible for many metres in both directions, in fact the nails of the previous boards are still embedded in the wall. Furthermore the sign clearly states the it is a Ground Floor Unit so there should be no confusion as to which part of the property is to be let.
I have attached a photograph with a red cross marking the position the board is usually placed and the blue cross as to where Anthony Sharpe would like to place it.
I reiterate that I will remove any board that I feel is unreasonably placed and obscures any part of our sign and window. I will also look for compensation for any inconvenience placed upon me and my company at a rate of £150 per billable hour plus 3rd party costs and interest on any invoices raised at 5% per day above the base interest rate.”
And hey presto the sign goes up where it should have in the first place.
So you would think we pay the Rent and move out and we are finished with Anthony Sharpe... Anthony sent me an email to request a viewing for a potential tenant, when he arrives we a have moved most of the contents to the new office and I ask him if there is anything specific he wants doing to the premises before we drop off the keys. He says that all we had to do was paint the green and red walls white. So we painted the walls white and dropped the keys through his letterbox.
On the 4/07/2011 we received a solicitors letter claiming £3,000 for repairs to the property. No mention of a list of items that needed repair or an offer for us to go in to put things right just a demand.