Landlords need to be more realistic

IveSeenTheLight

kellybigboobs wrote: »

I have rented (I am on a low income but have always worked) privately for nearly 15 years and have NEVER had the deposit the same day as the check out. Have you ever requested this? I believe if a landlord requires a deposit before handing the keys then the deposit should be available upon handing back the keys assuming there are no issues I even had one agent charge me £25 to re-hang some curtains which I'd taken down to wash well you should have re-hung them so you returned the property as you received it. I would not have chanrged you but simply put, if you return the property as received then there is no reason for any money withhold (not that they were washed when I moved in...)and had packed by accident.She wouldn't let me visit the old property to hang the curtains myself but said if they weren't returned then I'd be charged to replace them!She also charged me to have the carpets cleaned when I'd already paid out £100 to have it done. sounds like a bad LL, did you keep a receipt to proove it had been done. If so then there should have been no right of claim by the LL

It's all very well for nice landlords that don't use agencies (my sis has one) but most people are not so fortunate.I have just forked out £375 for credit checks, deposit security and holding fee on a property only to have a CCJ revealed on my file. never heard of a holding fee and doubt they have a right to your deposit It is NOT my CCJ.I have yet to get to the bottom of the matter (only discovered the problem 15 minutes before the court closed,was put on hold for 10 minutes then connected to an answer machine telling me they were closed til tomorrow:rolleyes: ) but in answer to the person that said they didn't know you could have an outstanding CCJ against without knowing about it,neither did I,but I certainly do now!It may well transpire that I have forked out all that money for nothing when I am a perfect tenant.I pay my rent on time and look after the homes I rent well but a LL will not be able to know that if all they are looking for is black marks I didn't even know I had,and can assure you I am not responsible for either!If the house falls through I then have until the 12th of Jan to find somewhere for myself and my 2 children to live,and absolutely no spare cash to make it happen. too much about the ccj, but am I correct in you saying there was one against your name but not yours. I don't see how you could blame this on a LL

This is the 4th time I will have moved in 3 and a half years.Not by choice I can assure you.The first time was 2 years ago after my marriage ended,then we had to move 9 months ago as the landlady decided to move back from abroad due to financial difficulties.And the same thing has happened in the new property too.If I am fortunate enough to secure the house I have spent £375 on to look at once:eek: I have asked for a 12 month contract but there is no garrantee the LL will agree or not ask for a 6 month get out clause.There is only security for LLs in my experience. if you have a 12 month lease then they cannot ask to break it within that 12 months

I would happily enrol on a tenants register.I would be number 1 on the list:rotfl:good on you, then I'm sure you would back it. Like I said, good for tenants and good for landlords. For your previous LL above, you could record their activities. Only good for everybody

So long a post, I've commented above

Gorgeous_George

!!!!!!? wrote: »

Strange, quite a few here (including a lot of LLs) cheering on the various measures to let people who fall behind on their mortgage stay in their house without the bank jumping in to repossess. Never a thought for the banks who are owed the money or the taxpayer who will end up subsidising it.....

Why shouldn't hard-pressed renters enjoy the same ability to default on their monthly payments for up to six months?

I guess it's different when it's your income stream, eh landlords?

I guess that your post is a little tongue-in-cheek.

FWIW, I think it is reasonable to allow homeowners a little time to sort themselves out if an unexpected event occurs such as redundancy. Not so for planned events such as child birth. Three months should be long enough. The debt builds up during the 'payment holiday' as it accrues costs and interest.

Maybe I would allow my tenants to have a 'payment holiday' if I could charge my mortgage rate +2% and a few hundred pounds for 'arrangement fees'. Naturally, I would need some kind of security - perhaps the tenant's first born child. I'm not a vegetarian and LLs have to eat too.

GG

kellybigboobs

IveSeenTheLight - yes I have asked for the deposit in exchange for the keys but this is simply not how agencies work!Perhaps if you rented through an agency you would be aware of this?As for the curtains and carpets,it was trying to do the decent thing that landed me with more fees.The inventory stated that I should have the carpets professionally cleaned prior to moving out which I did.I gave her the receipt but she claimed the job was inadequate (which is balls to put it politely - the entire house was cleaner when I left it than when I moved in),and as I said,the curtains were only taken down to wash,not cos I wanted the pleasure of being charged for being clean and considerate.The agent actually told me it was illegal for her to let me into the property to do it myself.Btw,I waited 4 weeks for her to finally send me a CHEQUE for half the deposit I paid when the house was left better than received!
As for the CCJ,I only stumbled on this thread when searching for info on CCJs,as when I checked my credit report it said I had none but now apparently I have,and it was mentioned by somebody way back on page one,I forget who by,but they had a cottage to rent.I'm terribly sorry if I bored you,really I am.I was not previously aware (ie,in the last 9 months - the last time I was referenced,and passed) of any black marks on my credit history so would appreciate it if you didn't imply otherwise!I did not suggest at time that my current problem was anything to do with LLs!
Re: the holding deposit,again this is pretty standard if you find a property but the dates don't match for moving in - my lease runs out 12th jan,the house is available next week - and I certainly wouldn't be using an agency,or paying so much money,if I didn't have to.
As I say,I'm sure there are many lovely LLs out there.Unfortunately,I have never met one.I live in Bmth,and unless you are a student sharing a house,it is nearly impossible to find a decent house rented privately without an agency.Believe me,after 14 years of renting around the area,I am well aware of the 'normal' procedure.The agent I paid my deposit to is a major national estate and letting agent,and I doubt they are acting illegally,and it was the letting agent that told me about a 'break' clause in a 12 month contract.Perhaps you should set up your own letting agency,you seem so well qualified?

justpeyton4now

lostinrates wrote: »

I wonder if ther is an incresing availablitly of housing for pet owners now things ar sticking on the markt. Have to say, I'd be less likely to want pet owners if I were planning to sell at th end of the AST.

Not sure about where you live, but here in Lancashire it's very difficult to get rentals with a pet, unless you rent a house. Even that's not a guarantee. DH and I have been looking for a flat that will fit our budget and the ones that are within our price range are no pets allowed.

IveSeenTheLight

KellyBigBoobs - I'm sorry for your predicament, but its not me you need to state your case to and I'm not about to be drawn into an argument with you. I was merely trying to offer some advice.

Regarding returned deposit on the day - Ask consumer advice on your rights for this. As I stated if a tenant of mine asked for this I would accomodate as I ensure they only get the keys after the deposit and rent is paid upfornt so naturally assume it is the tenants rights to get the deposit returned when the keys are. I get my properties professionally inventorised so that there is an independant body to ascertain fair wear and tear for charges to be made. Fortunately, the tenants I have had have not resulted in the need to withold any deposit.

Carpets cleaned - It sounds like you followed the tenancy instructions and have prood by way of receipt, therefore you should have advised the LL / agent that you were not happy with their response and warn them you were prepared to take this to court.

Curtains - In the professional inventories I have copies of, it clearly states that items shoudl be returned to the rooms / areas they were upon the start of the tenancy. It also states that this is to be done prior to the check-out inspection else charges could be occured. Unfortunate as it is, you should have re-hung them prior to the check out then there would not be a problem. Why should the LL / agent allow you access to a property you no longer rent and havemoved out from?

CCJ - Sorry if you thought i implied anything, I assure you I was not. I merely was pointing out that any record on your credit file has nothing to do with the landlord whether the record is correct or not

Deposit witholding and issues - You'll be thankful of the TDS that applies to England and Wales now.

Break clause - I can assure you it is not standard policy for a break clause in a 12 month AST lease, however there is also nothing to stop one being put in. What have you signed up for? Does it mention a break clause in the tenancy agreement?

Me setting up a leasing agency - I sense a bit of sarcasm here but I'm not interested in this. Its not my area of expertise. I only gave you my views as a landlord. I use agencies to find tenants only, not to manage the properties. I have found that I provide a much better service myself or by the people I have represent me.

Good luck withyour rental. I really do hope it works out for you.

Fred1_2

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

Regarding returned deposit on the day - Ask consumer advice on your rights for this. As I stated if a tenant of mine asked for this I would accomodate as I ensure they only get the keys after the deposit and rent is paid upfornt so naturally assume it is the tenants rights to get the deposit returned when the keys are.

I'm afraid this isn't possible with the Deposit Protection Scheme. we're now in the barking mad situation where a landlord and tenant can agree on what should happen to the deposit on check out, but the DPS can take 2 to 4 weeks to return it. I can't understand why the deposit can't stay lodged with the DPS but just be assigned to a new tenancy. I suggested this to the DPS, but no, they must wait for the repayment request. The repayment requests are processed in weekly batches. They pay the tenant the money who must then pay their new landlord who then has to give it back to the DPS. Absolutely crazy!

lostinrates

justpeyton4now wrote: »

Not sure about where you live, but here in Lancashire it's very difficult to get rentals with a pet, unless you rent a house. Even that's not a guarantee. DH and I have been looking for a flat that will fit our budget and the ones that are within our price range are no pets allowed.

]

We are in the south, and would be looking for a house

kellybigboobs

ISTL - I understand you were trying to be helpful.However,my situation is not at all uncommon.There is no security for renters in this country.LLs have tenants over a barrel.If they want to kick you out with just 2 months notice,they can.If they want to put your rent up,they can.If they want to withhold your deposit,they can.Yes I could take them to court but that would cost me more than I would receive - and they know it!

I have 2 children,am recently divorced,and would dearly love to find a decent private LL and a home that I feel I can actually make my own.I doubt it will happen.Though I do have reason to believe I will get a good 2 years out of my new LL.

The CCJ I mentioned,was,as I suspected,a mistake on the part of the issuer,and is being set aside now.Hopefully the letter will reach the requisite court official and be dealt with swiftly so that I do not lose out on my investment,new home and good credit history.I am strangely grateful that the agency uncovered the problem,otherwise I would still be living in ignorance.

Re:curtains,cleaning and carpets,etc - from now on,I will not bother to wash any of them!Incidently,if the agent is allowed to hold my deposit for a month whilst 'repairs' are made,then why may I not keep the curtains whislt 'cleaning' is done?!As I said,the curtains were dirty when I moved into the property,but I kept them clean,and thought washing them and re-hanging them (in ALL rooms btw!) was the right thing to do.Ironically,I found another front door key from the property that I was expected to return to the agents office (which was not at all local to me) at my own expense,even though it was not inventoried.Basically I had a key to the property,clean curtains from the property and was still not allowed to re-hang them myself.My point about the curtains is simply that it was a genuine mistake,I try to do the right thing and it would be nice if LLs/agents did the same.Maybe YOU do,but most don't!

Whilst I was being a little sarky when I suggested you open a letting agency,I can assure you I would be top of the list for your services,if they are as good as you assert:D

IveSeenTheLight

Fred1 wrote: »

I'm afraid this isn't possible with the Deposit Protection Scheme. we're now in the barking mad situation where a landlord and tenant can agree on what should happen to the deposit on check out, but the DPS can take 2 to 4 weeks to return it. I can't understand why the deposit can't stay lodged with the DPS but just be assigned to a new tenancy. I suggested this to the DPS, but no, they must wait for the repayment request. The repayment requests are processed in weekly batches. They pay the tenant the money who must then pay their new landlord who then has to give it back to the DPS. Absolutely crazy!

I guess with any system there wil be pro's and con's.
You have highlighted a con and to my understanding a decent option to get round that con.
I guess many tenants would see the TDS on a whole as a possitive thing. You certainly see many posts in here to check if the deposit is with a TDS and to sue the LL if it is not, or would I be wrong in that assumption?

NDG, time for a poll on whether tenants believe the TDS is a good thing

I keep the tenants deposit in a seperate bank account, therefore it is easy to transact between the tenant and myself.
I do have an independany inventory carried out by a professional body to determine the state of the property upon return.

just22

I have to say, as a general rule, I do agree that I would be happier with my neighbours if the owners lived there. I live in a 6 flat stairwell, and when I moved in was the only owner living there. Since the other landlords didn't live their, upkeep of the stairwell, garden, entry system etc meant notihng to them, and the tenants living in their flats weren't too keen on paying for the upkeep of these things. Possibly as a result of this, most of the tenants moved on at least once a year, so I never really got to know anyone to lived here, by the time I had a name for them, they had moved out. The only exception is my immediate neighbour who's kids break the front door, have loud parties and make the stairwell stink of weed. (they also may be art of the reason that eveyrone leaves)

About a year ago, two of the landlords sold, and now the new owners live in their flats. Suddenly I'm not the only one who cares about all this stuff, although my next door neighbour is still renting and her kids and friends don't seem to care that breaking the entry door by bodyblowing it rather than buzzing actually costs money! I'm pretty sure if their mother was paying for it every time they did it, they wouldn't get away with it anymore.

I don't think this is a particularly snobbish view, it's just that people who have more invested in their home and the area around it are more likely to put the effort in.