Hi, I'm Shelly. I am setting up this page to help a dear friend of mine, Lyn. We met at work over 20 years ago now and have remained great friends. In all these years, I have never known her to ask anyone for help, and yet she is one of Earth's kindest souls who helps everyone that crosses her path and is in need, the best way she can.

Originally a Londoner and having worked her whole life, she decided to retire to a coastal town in Essex. She planned on it being her final move, her forever home, and has had many years loving her home!

14 years ago, Lyn bought the ground floor and the freehold of a detached house that had been converted into two separate flats. She has a copy of the original deeds, which state how the house was divided originally by two brothers, with everything from the ceiling down being Lyn's and everything from the ceiling up being the responsibility of the owner of the flat upstairs.

When Lyn moved in, the upstairs had long-standing tenants in situ, and the couple were great neighbours to Lyn.

Lyn's Flat is part of a large detached house. The front and rear gardens, large driveway and detached garage belong to the ground-floor flat, which is Lyn's. It is also within a short walking distance to the local town centre and the beach.

In 2019, after the passing of both neighbours upstairs, the owner sold up, and the flat upstairs was bought by a property investor, which is when things took a turn for the worse. He told Lyn, on his first visit to his newly purchased flat upstairs, that he wanted to get her flat too, that the plot had potential as a whole. He asked Lyn about the neighbour's fence, which had blown down in a recent storm and had yet to be repaired. Lyn advised she had contacted the owners about this but was yet to get a reply, and he remarked how he would make them or sue them in court.

Over the last 6 years, he has bullied and harassed Lyn in attempts to force her out of her home. He has made false claims about works needing to be carried out on the property and has been demanding money from Lyn to pay for them.

He has sent workmen to her home, who have reported to Lyn that they have authorisation from the owner to be on site to price up jobs for changes to the exterior of the property, which he has no right to do as he is not the freeholder.

He refuses to pay the £50 per annum maintenance or service charge and nominal ground rent. He has broken all lease clauses and covenants and has done nothing to maintain his property, which is now uninhabitable and full of damp and mould, which he continues to let to a family with a young child. He has also attempted to put a charge on her property with the land registry, which they declared he had no rights to do. He has made repeated applications to the court to stall for time and demand huge amounts of money from Lyn that he has no rights to.

Over the last 6 years, for any exterior jobs that have needed to be carried out as a joint cost, he has not paid his share towards the costs Lyn has paid out.

Every legal person Lyn has spoken to has said they cannot understand why this is still ongoing and that he has no case. Every time it nears an end, he makes a further application to the court, insists on another property survey because he hasn't agreed with the decisions of the court-appointed surveyor, etc. His tactics are endless.

Lyn is still having to pay for legal fees; she has exhausted any retirement savings she had built up over her working years and is now having to pay for them out of her state pension.

This man's bullying intimidation has affected her physical and mental health. He has left a woman who has been strong and independent her whole life, feeling vulnerable. She no longer feels at peace in her forever home.

Lyn has recently contacted Age UK, who put her in touch with a new solicitor who says they can help. However, the price quoted are:

These costs would have to be paid up front and would be just to take the case; this is not even taking into account the ongoing legal costs that would come after.

Lyn really needs to have some help with raising funds to carry on the fight.

If you are in a position to offer advice or guidance or know someone that can offer some legal aid, please get in touch!

Lyn really needs some help to beat this bully and find some peace in her retirement years.

Thank you for taking the time to read.