Tweet
I have a question regarding a statement made by an individual at a Management Company meeting held for the residents of the estate for which the management company is responsible.
Brief background: Myself and 4 other residents sent a letter to the Management Company (the directors of which are residents themselves) outlining various concerns we had about the lack of communication we were receiving about their activities.
In the letter there was a paragraph which stated that a resident (unnamed in the letter) had been reported by a local villager, from outside of the estate, as being seen doing some work on the public open space which is the responsibility of the Management Company. In conversation this resident proceeded to tell the villager that he was acting for a Gardening Club which was being set up by the Management Company. This news regarding the setting up of a gardening club came as a surprise to myself and the other 4 of my neighbours so we asked about this in our letter to the Management Company quoting what the resident had said to the villager.
Now just to clarify, in the letter to the Management Company no names had been mentioned with regard to who the resident was who made the comment to a villager, nor who the villager was who he had made the comment too, nor was it stated which of the 5 individuals party to the letter to the Management Company it was that had been told about the conversation by the villager.
At the meeting the resident who had had the conversation with the villager somehow had obtained a copy of the letter sent to the Management Company on which he had highlighted the comment regarding the gardening club. He immediately attributed the comment to me, then launched an abusive attack telling everyone that no such conversation about a gardening club had ever taken place with any villager and that he had spoken with the villager in question who had flatly denied they had ever spoken to me regarding a gardening club. He went on to say that I should be ashamed of myself for making up such stories (ie for lying).
My immediate reaction was surprise and bewilderment at how he had got his hands on a copy of the letter, how he had concluded that it was me that had contributed the information, how he had assumed that the resident referred to was him and how he concluded which villager he should approach to ask about the statement. So I responded by saying, yes it was me who had contributed the comment and that all I could suggest is that I would talk to the villager who had reported the conversation to me and ask why he was now denying it.
The following day I spoke to the villager (a reputable local parish councillor) who had originally told me about the conversation. He stated that after the original conversation with the resident he had not had any further discussions with him about the original conversation or any comments made in any letter. He then went further by giving me a signed letter confirming that his original conversation with the resident had taken place and that my account of the resident telling him about a gardening club was correct.
So my initial question question is, could the resident's outburst stating publicly that my comment was a shameful fabrication be considered defamation, especially considering a number of the residents attending the meeting do not know me well and could now believe that I am a liar - particularly as it could be viewed that the resident appeared to have support the of the directors of the management company who must have given him a copy of the letter in the first place.
My next preferred course of action is to present the resident with a copy of the villagers letter and ask him to submit a public apology for the Management Company to distribute with the minutes of the meeting.
However if he refuses to do so, do I have sufficient grounds to instruct a solicitor.
Any views would be appreciated
Brief background: Myself and 4 other residents sent a letter to the Management Company (the directors of which are residents themselves) outlining various concerns we had about the lack of communication we were receiving about their activities.
In the letter there was a paragraph which stated that a resident (unnamed in the letter) had been reported by a local villager, from outside of the estate, as being seen doing some work on the public open space which is the responsibility of the Management Company. In conversation this resident proceeded to tell the villager that he was acting for a Gardening Club which was being set up by the Management Company. This news regarding the setting up of a gardening club came as a surprise to myself and the other 4 of my neighbours so we asked about this in our letter to the Management Company quoting what the resident had said to the villager.
Now just to clarify, in the letter to the Management Company no names had been mentioned with regard to who the resident was who made the comment to a villager, nor who the villager was who he had made the comment too, nor was it stated which of the 5 individuals party to the letter to the Management Company it was that had been told about the conversation by the villager.
At the meeting the resident who had had the conversation with the villager somehow had obtained a copy of the letter sent to the Management Company on which he had highlighted the comment regarding the gardening club. He immediately attributed the comment to me, then launched an abusive attack telling everyone that no such conversation about a gardening club had ever taken place with any villager and that he had spoken with the villager in question who had flatly denied they had ever spoken to me regarding a gardening club. He went on to say that I should be ashamed of myself for making up such stories (ie for lying).
My immediate reaction was surprise and bewilderment at how he had got his hands on a copy of the letter, how he had concluded that it was me that had contributed the information, how he had assumed that the resident referred to was him and how he concluded which villager he should approach to ask about the statement. So I responded by saying, yes it was me who had contributed the comment and that all I could suggest is that I would talk to the villager who had reported the conversation to me and ask why he was now denying it.
The following day I spoke to the villager (a reputable local parish councillor) who had originally told me about the conversation. He stated that after the original conversation with the resident he had not had any further discussions with him about the original conversation or any comments made in any letter. He then went further by giving me a signed letter confirming that his original conversation with the resident had taken place and that my account of the resident telling him about a gardening club was correct.
So my initial question question is, could the resident's outburst stating publicly that my comment was a shameful fabrication be considered defamation, especially considering a number of the residents attending the meeting do not know me well and could now believe that I am a liar - particularly as it could be viewed that the resident appeared to have support the of the directors of the management company who must have given him a copy of the letter in the first place.
My next preferred course of action is to present the resident with a copy of the villagers letter and ask him to submit a public apology for the Management Company to distribute with the minutes of the meeting.
However if he refuses to do so, do I have sufficient grounds to instruct a solicitor.
Any views would be appreciated
Comment