Any tips for a full deposit return?

GrammarGirl

Hi all,

Myself and two housemates are due to move out of our place next weekend. I've rented a few places before but none have really been as professional as our current LA, and this time I'm conscious they will be thorough with the inventory and final checks. We want to do all we can to get our full deposit back (of course, we'd never leave the place in a state as we want our LL to be happy and the next tenants to have as little grief as possible when moving in). So, any tips on things our LA will look for, other than the obvious cleanliness?

We won't be leaving anything behind, everything will be thoroughly cleaned, nothing is broken. Things I'm concerned about - grouting in bathroom is a bit grubby but no amount of cleaning will shift it and there are a few marks on the walls (nothing major).

Thanks in advance!

NewFoundGlory_2

It sounds like you should be fine - nothing is broken and you have cleaned everything...I'm thinking he will probably see your two issues as fair wear and tear

GrammarGirl

That's what I'm hoping for! In my truly honest opinion, I cannot see anything that would warrant any money being taken, but I don't know if they could catch us out on anything.

There are a few holes in my bedroom wall where pictures have been hanging, but I'll be filling and painting them tomorrow. Can't think of anything else!

Blacksheep1979

Did they take an inventory when you moved in? Also do you have any photographic proof of any damage anywhere when you moved in?

theartfullodger

Take 'photos and notes of the condition of EVERYTHING, preferably with a witness. Then when the LL says something is damaged you have some evidence it ain't.

Cheers!

Lodger (A landlord)

Fire_Fox

GrammarGirl wrote: »

Hi all,

We won't be leaving anything behind, everything will be thoroughly cleaned, nothing is broken. Things I'm concerned about - grouting in bathroom is a bit grubby but no amount of cleaning will shift it and there are a few marks on the walls (nothing major).

Thanks in advance!

You can buy grout pens from DIY sheds - an hours work and the tiling will look brand new!

Harry_Powell

Is your deposit held in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme or Deposit Protection Scheme? If it is, then in order for your landlord to keep the deposit, he has to supply the deposit scheme with details of the damage caused and the reasons for keeping back some of the deposit. As part of the process, you will be allowed to appeal.

If he is not in the scheme, and you paid your deposit after 6th April 2007, then he's in trouble if he doesn't return your deposit in full.

To be fair, I've rented a lot of places and have found that if you play fair with the landlord, they play fair with you, especially if they have been professional throughout the tenure.

More information about Deposit Schemes: http://www.findaproperty.com/displaystory.aspx?edid=00&salerent=0&storyid=8754

bownyboy

Well I've just had the pleasure of checking out of my flat today (well actually it was my girlfriend) and the landlord decided to use a 3rd party inventory clerk (but they didn't on check in)

Its a 1 year old new build and we spent 3 half days cleaning the place (unfurnished) from top to bottom.

I cannot believe what the LL and Inventory Clerk were picking up on:

1 - money spider spotted in bathroom
2 - small cobweb in 2nd bedroom (it must have come during the night!)
3 - Grouting on bathroom wetroom not white (we scrubbed it with bleach etc, but due to flooding of wetroom everytime we used it, it never dried out properly)
4 - 1cm cleaning smear mark on cooker (from when you use a cleaning product and it dries white)
5 - 2 0.5cm light spots on cream carpet (tbh we never noticed them as its a flek / cream carpet throughout)
6 - we used paint (supplied by LL) to make good a few holes in the wall, aparently we should have repaint the WHOLE wall
7 - small amount of dust found on 1m of skirting in 2nd bedroom
8 - some 'bits' on the floor in living room near the back by edge of carpet (ie: some dust)
9 - 3cm hair spotted in plug hole of bathroom

LL says they will have to get professional cleaners in to redo the entire flat.

I am gobsmaked and GF said as much to inventory clerk and before signing check out form she registered our protest at all the points.

Am fuming and am well up for a fight on this one.

:mad:

N79

bownyboy wrote: »

Well I've just had the pleasure of checking out of my flat today (well actually it was my girlfriend) and the landlord decided to use a 3rd party inventory clerk (but they didn't on check in)

Its a 1 year old new build and we spent 3 half days cleaning the place (unfurnished) from top to bottom.

I cannot believe what the LL and Inventory Clerk were picking up on:

1 - money spider spotted in bathroom
2 - small cobweb in 2nd bedroom (it must have come during the night!)
3 - Grouting on bathroom wetroom not white (we scrubbed it with bleach etc, but due to flooding of wetroom everytime we used it, it never dried out properly)
4 - 1cm cleaning smear mark on cooker (from when you use a cleaning product and it dries white)
5 - 2 0.5cm light spots on cream carpet (tbh we never noticed them as its a flek / cream carpet throughout)
6 - we used paint (supplied by LL) to make good a few holes in the wall, aparently we should have repaint the WHOLE wall
7 - small amount of dust found on 1m of skirting in 2nd bedroom
8 - some 'bits' on the floor in living room near the back by edge of carpet (ie: some dust)
9 - 3cm hair spotted in plug hole of bathroom

LL says they will have to get professional cleaners in to redo the entire flat.

I am gobsmaked and GF said as much to inventory clerk and before signing check out form she registered our protest at all the points.

Am fuming and am well up for a fight on this one.

:mad:

Well without an equally detailed checkin inventory a LL has no hope of proving any of these deductions except for point 6.

Harry_Powell

That sounds more like an army barracks inspection than a LL inventory check. Google information on the small claims court to get your money back, it's simple and cheap and just the mention of it will put off a larndlord.

A bit of dust and cobwebs aren't sufficient reason for them to retain your deposit. They should at the very least allow you to put the things right. The rest just sounds like fair wear and tear.

Geenie

Google fair wear and tear regulations. No place is going to look the same after a years use, whether it is let or owned, and LL's who insist that a place is given back in the same pristine, new build condition should get another job, as they are not living in the real world or being fair.