End of tenancy deposit dispute

scubasteve_5

Hi all

Just a quick question. Having recently moved out of a rented property, I have started the awful process of trying to get as much of my deposit back as possible. I am starting to work through our disputes but needed advice on some points.

My letting agent has charged for cleaning to the property, the bill came to £75. I disputed this and the cleaning bill has been halved to £37.50.

The letting agent has now said that it will be £37.50, plus VAT. However I have seen the invoice from the cleaning company and it does not have any VAT stated on it. I think therefore - if the letting agents have not had to pay VAT why should I have to pay it?

I have since noticed the letting agent is adding VAT on to everything that I am being charged for - can they do this?

I realise this is more a tax/economics style question, than a letting question, but any help would be appreciated.

olly300

If the letting agent is VAT registered then they have to add VAT on to every service they provide for you or the landlord, whether the original provider of the service adds this on or not. It's the law.

I suggest you check your original paperwork and any letters from them to see if there is a VAT number on it. Any company with a VAT number should display it on their stationary.

Tassotti

How much was the invoice from the cleaning company?

scubasteve_5

Thanks for the quick reply. Olly300, is the letting agent providing a service though? The cleaning company that did the work was a separate company. In my opinion (and I could be wrong on this) all the letting agent is doing is telling me how much the cleaner charged for the service. The cleaning company doesn't seem to be VAT registered, and on the invoice no VAT was stated. It just seems that the VAT is being paid for twice.

'Tassotti' - the invoice from the cleaning company was £75, it was one of those standardised invoices that you write on. On the form where there was a place to put 'VAT', there was a line drawn through

Thanks for the help, it is very much appreciated

Tassotti

Was the place dirty when you left? and why?

Why was the bill for cleaning £75 and they only wanted £37 ish?

Do you admit that you left the place more filthy that when you got it (most tenants do)

When you moved in, was it clean?

Was this deposit protected?

It would be interesting to see how these deposit schemes deal with this, and what there actual use is.

Incisor

olly300 wrote: »

If the letting agent is VAT registered then they have to add VAT on to every service they provide for you or the landlord, whether the original provider of the service adds this on or not. It's the law.

I suggest you check your original paperwork and any letters from them to see if there is a VAT number on it. Any company with a VAT number should display it on their stationary.

An interesting point. In this case the Agent is not providing a service to the ex-tenant. The ex tenant is paying the Landlord's out of pocket expenses. The cleaning [I would think] should rightly be charged to the LL client account directly and not as a service provided by the LA. I am not a VAT expert.

Notlob

Afaik, vat can only be applied if the agent is charging you for the cleaning, the fact that the original invoice did not apply vat is irrelevant. It does though sound odd as I would have expected the agent to merely pass on the cleaning bill, vat free, to you but deduct from your deposit.

Notlob