Gary Ata: Sheffield landlord faces more legal action after Printworks flat owner complains
A Sheffield flat owner is set to take legal action in a bid to oust the managers of an apartment block after a string of problems.
Sean Conlon says he has paid into a pot to hire a Sheffield law firm to replace Noble Design and Build as managing agents at Printworks on Hodgson Street in the city centre.
It comes after he took the firm to court claiming £940 paid in rent by his tenant was not passed on to him as it should have been after the managing agents had taken their cut.
A number of owners of flats in the block rent them out as an investment and employ Noble Design and Build as managing agents.
Despite a ruling in his favour after the court case, Mr Conlon claims he is yet to receive the missing rent and has had to instruct bailiffs to recover it.
He also claims to be frustrated at being unable to obtain details of the service charge, insurance policy, inventory or electricity meter reading for his property since signing up with the firm three years ago.
He also claims calls go unanswered.
He says the building is not clean and is in a poor state.
Mr Conlon said: “It’s so frustrating and annoying that we pay a company to manage our property but they clearly have a different agenda rather than helping the owners.”
He says he also tried to sell the flat but has been unable to.
Noble Design and Build is run by Jade Ata and her father Gunes, known as Gary. It owns and manages six apartment blocks in Sheffield.
Mr Ata and the company have been prosecuted three times, faced dozens of complaints and, in July, he was fined £97,000 in connection with his Sheffield properties. Ms Ata said they had appealed the fine.
She also insisted Mr Conlon’s court claim over unpaid rent at Printworks was “not found in his favour.” She said they had been unable to respond to the claim because he had given the court the wrong address.
She added: “He absolutely cannot be instructing bailiffs considering we are in the process of getting the judgement overturned.“
She said the firm does not have dedicated account managers but owners have access to a portal which shows all block-related information including insurances, budgets, service charge and accounts.
Mr Conlan had never requested a meter reading and providing inventory sheets was not standard practice unless the landlord had a specific dispute over the condition of the property, she added.
The building is cleaned for 15 hours a week internally and caretakers are on site daily, she added. Viewing staff are also in the building daily and night porters assist with upkeep.
A photo taken by Mr Conlon showing a grass covered roof with litter on it was shared with the managing agents. The firm said the grass is not visible from the outside and the roof is cleaned quarterly unless someone reports issues earlier.
Another photo of a water stained carpet was also shared with the firm. They said repairs are left for a few days to ensure leaks have stopped before cleaning commences.
Ms Ata said: “If the property was that poorly maintained the occupancy level would be affected which, with the units under our management, some 87.58 per cent of the building, that is absolutely not the case.”
She said: “The leaseholders have not reached out with any management or block-related issues for some time.
“I would be lying if I said there are never any, and have never been, any issues as it is a large building occupied with approximately 190 - 200 tenants, issues always arise, but unless they are not dealt with then this is not unreasonable.”
She added: “If there was an issue with the block or the management, the building would be unoccupied, the local authorities would be involved and there would be a lot of leaseholders kicking and screaming, none of which is happening.”
Mr Conlon has been unable to sell his property due to the excessive price he was demanding and the market being “saturated,” she claimed.
She added: “It just seems Noble is an easy target for him to blame for him not getting and securing his sale.”
Mr Conlon’s flat has opnly been empty for four days over a three year period, which proved the standard of their management, she added.
In July, Mr Ata was fined £97,000 over the ‘serious and deliberate’ failure to manage St Mary’s flats on London Road.
In 2023 owners of Kelham Works flats in Kelham Island successfully managed to replace Noble as managing agents after a three-year legal battle. It followed disputes over rent, charges, lack of transparency, upkeep and complaints from tenants, “all leading to a lack of trust and confidence.”
The claims were disputed by Mr Ata, who has been prosecuted by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and Sheffield City Council, twice, and has faced action from the Health and Safety Executive, Information Commissioner and Employment Tribunal Service.
Mr Ata also owns the Old Town Hall in Sheffield. It remains derelict, with no plans currently in place for what it might be turned into.