Student sent apology from halls provider Liberty Quays

Liberty Quays has issued an apology to a disgruntled resident following reports of allegations regarding false charges

(written by Kieran Watkins for The Medwire)

As reported in the Medwire last weekend, Business IT student Alex Zarach had been charged for administration payments from Liberty Quays after they claimed he had made missed his rent payments.
However, in letters obtained by the Medwire, Alex and management from the halls, owned by Liberty Living, had already agreed weeks before the installment was due, that Alex would delay his payments to coincide with his student loan payment.

Both parties had signed the form to agree this was the case, with Alex paying the first instalment on September 24, 2012.

Liberty Quays staff however posted a letter to Alex a few days after the payment was made, claiming Alex had not paid his rent and that there would be a £30 administration fee for sending the letter.
Pointing out that it had already been agreed with previous management – signed by Duty Manager Alison Lidster – that he would pay the first instalment later, staff admitted the mistake but refused to drop the administration charges, sending him another letter claiming for an extra £10.
Following complaints made by Alex’s family and lawyer, Liberty Living has since emailed an apology to Alex, apologising for the mistakes made by staff at Liberty Quays and dropping all charges.
In an email sent from Mark Moulding at Liberty Living, Mr Moulding said:
“I would like to apologize once more for sending you the letter and would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that you that Liberty Quays have not applied any late payment fees to your account.”

Fresh allegations of bogus fines made against Liberty Quays

Further allegations of false charges have been brought to the student halls from a current resisdent (written by Kieran Watkins, for the Medwire)

A Liberty Quays resident today told how he was threatened with additional fines for unpaid rent, despite having previously agreed to delay the payments.
In an exclusive interview with the Medwire, student Alex Zarach, 18, told us Liberty Living had sent him “threatening” letters.
The halls provider at Liberty Quays in Gillingham sent him letters claiming for unpaid rent – despite having previously agreed to delaying payments to coincide with his student loan payment.
Alex, a first-year business IT student, moved into Liberty Quays during September, having agreed with former manager Stephanie Triggs and current Duty Manager Alison Lidster that he would pay his instalments later than scheduled.
In a letter sent from Ms Lidster to Alex, which The Medwire has obtained, both parties agreed and signed in writing that the rent would be delayed until Alex’s student loan came in on September 24, 2012.
The letter from Ms Lidster states “we hereby agree to you paying said rent instalments”, following evidence provided by Alex to Liberty Quays from the student loan company.
Believing the payments had been processed, Alex said: “I moved in to Liberty Quays and all was fine.”
“Nothing was mentioned of the payment,” he added.
However, arriving back from lectures to his room one day, Alex noticed a letter that had been pushed through his door.
The letter was sent by General Manager Mark Moulding, dated September 28, four days after Alex paid his first instalment.
The letter claimed that the “rent instalment due on 15th September 2012 in the sum of £1981.20 is now overdue,” despite having already previously agreed with Liberty that the rent would be paid a week later.
The letter also confirmed that Liberty Living would charge him £30.00 for sending the letter, which would cover their administration fees.
“I was shocked! I had never been informed about the £30 charge, and was angry and upset that they had decided to charge me despite the fact I had paid everything on time.”
Despite demands from Liberty Quays for more money to pay for more letters, Alex is standing by his refusal to pay up.
“These letters were sent for no reason at all”, he explained. “I had already paid the fees, it was a mistake on their part to send me a letter telling me I was overdue on the rent.”
Alex has also mentioned that his family lawyer branded the claims as “harassment”, and would be looking into the case.
Having spoken to a receptionist at Liberty Quays himself, who he described as “rude” and “disinterested”, Alex said they confirmed that his rent payment had indeed been processed, but that they would still be charging for him for the letters.
Liberty Living declined to comment on the issues raised.