Wivenhoe: Hot Lets leaves its clients in the cold (From Gazette)

Wivenhoe: Hot Lets leaves its clients in the cold

9:20am Friday 11th April 2008 in News By Tom Parkes

A letting agency has closed suddenly - having failed to pass on rent payments or return hundreds of pounds of deposit cash paid by tenants.

The Church Street office of Hot Lets was locked and in darkness yesterday and appeared to have been emptied of most of its contents.

There was no reply when the Gazette called at the home of boss Nicola Hamblion, in Wivenhoe.

Among the firm's out-of-pocket clients is Colchester man Roger Napier, who employed Hot Lets to manage a property he owns and to collect rent from his tenants.

The retired detective sergeant with Colchester police - and father of Essex cricketer Graham Napier - revealed he had seen no money from the company in three months.

"I went in there to pursue them for it, but they always said the accountants weren't there and passed the buck," he said.

"In the end, I had to contact my tenants and say don't give them any more'."

Michael Dawes, a married dad-of-two who rented his home in Colchester through Hot Lets, said he planned to move out and was anxious to recover his £800 deposit.

"They moved from their office in the High Street about six weeks ago without telling me," he said. "I managed to find them in Church Street, but now that office has shut.

"I have stopped paying them rent but I don't know how to go on from here. I don't even know who my landlord is."

• Tenants or landlords who are owed money by Hot Lets can visit the Citizens' Advice Bureau at Colchester Cornerstone in Sir Isaac's Walk or call 08444 77 08 08.