Rental Deposit question.......

lukemed1

How does it work?

if at the end of your lease the managing agents find something wrong with the property, e.g carpets need replacing etc, do they give the landlord your deposit and thats the end of the matter or do you have to pay all replacement costs?

thanks for any help

Luke

toby3000

I believe they can't charge you for normal wear and tear- so, for example, if they repaint because it's a bit scruffy I don't think they can charge you for. I also think that they have to provide receipts.

I don't know if they could try to chase you for extra costs... maybe in theory they could, but realisically they wouldn't bother

kippen_noedel

Take plenty of photographs, move furniture, photograph the carpets, cupboard contents etc, etc.

Upload to a website such as photobucket, give the landlord a link to the page or just put on cd and give them a copy. Obviously keep a copy yourself . I do it the other way around and give tenants a copy. Saves any arguments.

theartfullodger

Depends when the tenancy started (and if you renewed at some point with a new agreement after you moved in, when that new agreement started).

After 6th April 2007 (IN Engerland & Wales) deposits must be protected (see..
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/index.htm
)
- if not, fines for Landlord which can be 3xdeposit given to the tenant (!). You should be given info as to where the deposit went etc.

Under the new scheme there are rules about when deposit must be given back and what happens if LL & tenant disagree.

Before 5th April 2007 your back to the old arguing games..

Let us know when the tenancy started .

Cheers!

Lodger

lukemed1

theartfullodger wrote: »

Depends when the tenancy started (and if you renewed at some point with a new agreement after you moved in, when that new agreement started).

After 6th April 2007 (IN Engerland & Wales) deposits must be protected (see..
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/index.htm
)
- if not, fines for Landlord which can be 3xdeposit given to the tenant (!). You should be given info as to where the deposit went etc.

Under the new scheme there are rules about when deposit must be given back and what happens if LL & tenant disagree.

Before 5th April 2007 your back to the old arguing games..

Let us know when the tenancy started .

Cheers!

Lodger

Hi it started in October 2007, the carpets have got coffee stains, hair dye etc on them and will need replacing, there were stains on it when we moved in to be honest, but we've done the hair dye and coffee ones purely by accident, so will Landlord just keep our deposit?

cheers

Luke

lukemed1

Anyone offer any advice??

x__Indigo_x

hire a carpet cleaner , i hired one from somefield rugdoctor or something it was cost 30 ish with solution for one day and the carpets came up great we had mud, dust , coffee,make up etc on ours and we worried about the landlord saying he would have to replace the whole carpet [ thus loss of our deposit]


off topic: i have a burn mark on the carpet....will the landlord charge us for the whoel room to be recarpeted? should i try place some furniture over it in hope he doesnt notice? *wrong* eeek!

tbs624

Luke - the condition of the carpet at the start of the tenancy and it's expected overall "life" have to be taken into consideration . the LL cannot seek" betterment" at your expense. That said, the fact that there were stains at the start does not mean that you can get away with adding to them, particularly with non-removable stains such as hair dye - tenants do sometimes behave in a way that they would not if the carpet were their own.

Negotiate, negotiate: your LL has to discuss the deductions with you/put the details in writing to you and you can challenge his decision if you think that you have grounds to do so. Is your tenancy deposit scheme-registered (assuming property is in Eng/Wales and your deposit was paid after 6 April 2007) and have you been given the scheme's "prescribed information"?

lukemed1

my mrs has accidentally thrown the deposit scheme info away, do we have to claim for it back or do the letting agents sort it out?

cheers

Luke

theartfullodger

Ask agent/LL for another copy or... call each of the three deposit schemes and find out where the deposit is & ask for the info from the deposit scheme that has it...

They are listed here....
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/DG_066391

Cheers!

Lodger

Blacksheep1979

Come on, if you've been careless and damaged the carpet then don't you think it's right that you pay something towards it?