How to prevent landlord to try to get my deposit?

QQQ

Having a very negative experience with my previous letting agent who ripped my deposit off with a silent help of TDS now I need to be very careful.

I understand every little scratch and spot should be noticed in the inventory at checkin day but it cannot be done 100% and actually it was done by my partner who is quite shy and also have some vision inpairment. I had to travel that time.

Now it is time to give a notice to a new letting agency (the landlord has recently changed the letting agency). The property is quite old and its condition is not good.

Could you give me any advices how to fight for my deposit if I will have to.
I guess it could be better to send a written request to agency to perform a property inspection ten working days before vacation so I will be able to fix a problem (if any) myself at reasonable costs. What else can I do?

sooz

QQQ wrote: »

Having a very negative experience with my previous letting agent who ripped my deposit off with a silent help of TDS now I need to be very careful.

I understand every little scratch and spot should be noticed in the inventory at checkin day but it cannot be done 100% and actually it was done by my partner who is quite shy and also have some vision inpairment. I had to travel that time.

Why are you blaming your partner & the agency? You, presumably, chose to sign & agree to the inventory. If you did not agree to it, why did you sign it?

Once the inventory is compiled, you normally have one week to sign & return it, & this is the time to take a long look around your new property, & check every little scratch & spot. If you don't, how will the check out clerk know that you did not make those marks?

QQQ

sooz wrote: »

Why are you blaming your partner & the agency? You, presumably, chose to sign & agree to the inventory. If you did not agree to it, why did you sign it?

Once the inventory is compiled, you normally have one week to sign & return it, & this is the time to take a long look around your new property, & check every little scratch & spot. If you don't, how will the check out clerk know that you did not make those marks?

This is true. And next time I will do exactly what you recommend.

The question is no how to do it right from the beginning but how to minimize problems now.

Lavendyr

QQQ wrote: »

This is true. And next time I will do exactly what you recommend.

The question is no how to do it right from the beginning but how to minimize problems now.

Ultimately, what the inventory says is what the state of the property was when you moved in, and that is something you have (or your partner has) agreed to.

Therefore, all you can do is make sure the house is left in as good a condition as possible. Check your copy of the inventory and make sure that every item specifically listed on it is as stated on the inventory. Don't miss out small things - make sure all light bulbs are fitted and working, for instance. Make sure that you are present at check-out (not your partner, you) and if possible, ensure that the check-out is done by an independent third party (not the landlord or letting agent - any decent letting agent will contract to a third party inventory company for independence).

If they find any deductions, request a full breakdown of all costs including quotations. Offer to make good anything they find at your own expense rather than them withholding your deposit (as it may work out cheaper this way).

However, I don't believe your letting agent will agree to do a check-out inspection 10 days before you vacate (and if I were a letting agent - which I'm not, I'm a tenant - I would not accept it), because in that ten days you could do a lot of damage before leaving (I'm not saying you would, but you have to think of their position as well). What you could do is ask, informally, for the landlord to perform an inspection 10 days before leaving, and ask them to write down any items they would like to see fixed by the time of the check-out inspection - but they don't have to agree to that.

Hope that helps as some thoughts from a fellow tenant.

Geenie

Check out though what is reasonable wear and tear by law, as no property can be expected to be as pristine when first let after people have lived in it.