Deposit deductions

mellymeep

Finally got somewhere with my landlord and he's sent me a list of deductions he is claiming from our deposits

1. Carpets needed cleaning and burn marks to 2nd floor bedroom= £165
2. Broken handle on small front bedroom= £20
3. Damage to bathroom washbasin (no amount recorded)
4. Washing machine damage to door= £35
5. use of blu tac leaving damage needed re-decoration= £220
6. Damage to kitchen cupboards= £35
7. Damage to fride freezer plastic trays= 25
8. Dining room chairs damaged or missing= £65

The two bolded are the one's that I would probably accept, I'm just wondering if these are reasonable amounts to claim? And if I could do any research into finding out if they are myself?

Everything else was done before we moved in, and was recorded on our damage inventory, which I'm still trying to get from the letting agency and have a really bad feeling that they've "lost." I didn't take a copy myself, so are we basically without hope of contesting the other damages?

ifonlyitwaseasier

if they have no check in inventory for you then they can't charge you for ANY of it.

mellymeep

Really? I never realised this! So even if its the agencys fault for losing the inventory he still can't charge us?

We were present at the check out, and the agents said that the house was in great condition and thanked us for our efforts in cleaning, and we should be receiving our full deposit back. Unfortunately that never happened and it's been a 3 month battle so far trying to get them to listen to me, and reply to my letters.

How would I go about notifying the landlord of this then?

ifonlyitwaseasier

ok firstly, when did you move in? as if it was after a certain date, 2007 sometime (april?), you're deposit would have had to have been in a deposit scheme,

secondly, if they really ahve lost the check in, can you get a copy of the check out, even if it's from the people who conducted it, and the you can use that against the claimed damages.

mellymeep

Yeah its in the scheme mydeposits, and I've already filed a claim to get it back through them. But I was worried that without an inventory there wouldn't be enough evidence for them.

I've just been talking to my old house mate and apparently our landlord has the check in inventory, which confuses me because if he does then he would see that half the things he is claiming for were reported as damaged before we moved in. Also at check out we were never given any paperwork either, it was just really rushed, the agent came round had a quick look round all the rooms, told us to go hand our keys in at the office and provide a forwarding address for our deposits to be returned by cheque then left.

ifonlyitwaseasier

ok then ask for a full copy of the check out inventory, have you a copy of the check in? as then you can use it as part of your arguement, although if the landlord can't provide it then you'd be better off, but if he does and you have the complete check out you can enter that the things they are claiming for are all mentioned when you checked in and he can't claim for them from you and should have claimed from the previous tenants.

hth and come back with updates

mellymeep

ok the landlord or the agency cannot provide a copy of either check in or check out inventorys, I have one that I wrote myself but I'm guessing its the signed one we need? does anyone know where this leaves us? we sent a letter back contesting the claims he is making, and trying to make an offer to pay for the carpets and the walls, but everything else we are not going to pay for.