'Ruthless' rent demands to dead student's parents
The recent news that the parents of a Co Armagh born student, who died suddenly while at University in Liverpool, may have to fight a court case over rent demands from their daughter's estate agent, has been greeted with scorn.
Shauna McCann died just two months ago while in her second year of study to become a special needs teacher. Her parents, who have been caused "undue stress and worry" over the matter, have received numerous requests from Brownlow Property Management for the remaining rent which stands at £866 from March to June of this year . The estate agents have defended themselves saying they do not feel their pursuit of the rent is in any way "callous or unsympathetic", stating there is still a contract there to be fulfilled.
However MLA for Newry and Armagh, Mickey Brady, condemned the demand as "ruthless" and displaying an "all about money, nothing about grief attitude". The Liverpool Daily Post reported that Liverpool Hope's Students' Union are said to be contacting the University to "find a solution and to spare the family any further suffering at this time". They have labelled the demand as "insensitive". At present the University has said they are not involved in the dispute.
Landlords and estate agents have rarely been held in high esteem by students - this incident has done little to negate this image.
What are your views?
Shauna McCann died just two months ago while in her second year of study to become a special needs teacher. Her parents, who have been caused "undue stress and worry" over the matter, have received numerous requests from Brownlow Property Management for the remaining rent which stands at £866 from March to June of this year . The estate agents have defended themselves saying they do not feel their pursuit of the rent is in any way "callous or unsympathetic", stating there is still a contract there to be fulfilled.
However MLA for Newry and Armagh, Mickey Brady, condemned the demand as "ruthless" and displaying an "all about money, nothing about grief attitude". The Liverpool Daily Post reported that Liverpool Hope's Students' Union are said to be contacting the University to "find a solution and to spare the family any further suffering at this time". They have labelled the demand as "insensitive". At present the University has said they are not involved in the dispute.
Landlords and estate agents have rarely been held in high esteem by students - this incident has done little to negate this image.
What are your views?
posted by Gown Team at
4:46 pm
28 Comments:
absolutely disgraceful behavior by the landlords here - how can they possibly deny what they are doing is insensitive?
Where was this story copied and pasted from?
An act of lazy journalism.?
This is completely rediculous - just shows that the pricks that we have for landlords here exist across the pond as well.
I know there's a legal reason for it, but at the end of the day it's 800 quid and no-one is living there so they can rent it out again - if the house is in decent condition it won't be empty for long.
Dear John...
This article was compiled based on info from various sources.
It's a pity you missed the point completely, failing to give a comment on the actual article.
Daniel,
Following further research it was found that there is a clause in the contract prohibiting the room from being rented without the permission of the three remaining housemates. The estate agents are using this as a further defence to their demand of rent.
It is understood the flatmates have been contacted about this but have made no reply as yet.
"JohnFinley" = "Moderate Nationalist"
nope....I am not John finley. I am sick of this. I'm a tall blonde student who studies English. deal with it.
In regard to the issue in hand, I think it's a disgrace. Nowadays it's all money money money. Nobody can ever have enough. Asif the landlord/estate agent in question couldn't overlook the late students remaining rent. It seems the obvious and respectful thing to do. The student is dead for Christ sake. I'd be pretty sure that said landlord has a whole littany of properties full of students. He wouldn't be short of money. He should be ashamed of himself.
If you studied English you think you would have a better range of vocabulary than you display here. Swearing, Tut Tut Tut!
perhaps moderate nationalist might consider the possibility that the landlord has a mortgage to pay on their investment at a time when property values are going up (with mortgages) and everybody is desparately trying to remain solvent. peoples debts do not die with them, they are taken out of their estate. this is just an equitable. the most distastful thing is that the parents went to the press about it, over some lawful debts they have!
Isn't it strange that when Ciarnan (I can save the world) Helferty is at the NUS conference the number of comments quite coincidentally decreases!!
yeah your right - it is absolutely disgraceful that parents who are tring to grieve can't just put up the £800 and be silent.
The landlord should be named and shamd as a heartless bastard.
Thanks for the update but surely the responsibility still lies with the landlord finding a replacement tenant and if the other flatmates don't like this, let them pick up the bill, plain and simple.
Why do people bother wasting time by posting comments claiming to have uncovered domeone else - good to see you don't use your real names though
Who exactly is at the conference representing QUB?
You saddo!!! You keep track of the amount of comments on this blog and correlate them with Ciarnan Helferty's wherabouts!! Hilarious!
I can say 'Christ' if I want to.
Have the number of comments decreased? Seriously, point out when he actually does something wrong instead of continually being petulant shit stir -ers ?
Anonymous = Moderate Nationalist
Notice 1 minute seperates each comment; sheer coincidence or same person?
It is a bit rich Moderate Nationalist calling anyone a "Saddo" considering he is posing as a "tall, blonde" "female English student". on the other hand who knows what goes on behind closed doors!
Moderate Nationalist, I never said that you could not say "Christ". I merely suggested that an English Student would have a better range of vocabulary at their disposal than needing to swear.
Funny how you lot can turn anything, even something as tragic as this, into another flame and bait war of comments.
GG no re thx.
aaaaaaaaaaaaargggggggh.
What's your views on her friends setting up a facebook page in order to encourage other people our age to write to the landlord?
Personally I don't like the whole internet thing on networking sites when there's a serious issue in hand.
I particularly dislike the continuation of bebo pages when someone has died. Even though people are intending to be respectful by keeping them going I think that it's actually really disrespectful and even cringeworthy.
views?
I think I know who moderate nationalist might be...Does anyone here want to meet in Clements and discuss it?
I have no friends.
Helferty should be ashamed of his antics.
I wonder how he, Mr. Roger and the DUA boys and girls got on at the NUS conference.
Re: Socks and Pants
Well, the internet action thing seems to work in many cases...if it gets people complaining to the landlord, well...who knows? Public opinion can do mighty things, especially if it hits national news.
Moderate Nationalist = Anonymous
Tell us Moderate nationalist why do you ask how the others at the NUS conference got on but know how Helferty got on? Does this show that you were at the NUS conference yourself?????
The greed displayed on behalf of the landlord has been lost by a certain political party jumping on the bandwagon of a family's grief. I think the family also could have found better ways to deal with the situation other than going to the Irish News......................
there aren't really any others way to handle the situation - the only way you can get a politican in this place on your side is to shame them into acting or make them part of a bandwagon - both of which need the press.
would be interesting to know if there has been any progress, chances are it will probably be dropped in exchange for the family shutting up about it
What about a few new articles???
Apologies Ciara (and everyone else who has missed us!),
The last issue of the year is due out this week so all our time has been spent on that.
We will update the blog as soon as we get a chance.
I THINK PEOLPLE ARE LOSING TRUCK EVERYDAY. HOWEVER EVERYONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING. SOMEONE'S LIFE AND ABOVE ALL THEIR CUSTOMER WAS REALLY OF MORE VALUE THAN THE STRESS THEY ARE BRINGING TO THE PARENTS. CANT THE AGENTS BE A LITTLE BIT SYMPATHETIC AND SAVE THEY PARENTS FROM SUCH A DEBT?
MAY GOD FORGIVE THIS WORLD!!!!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home