Help needed,think I've cocked up! Landlord keeping deposit

Wafoo

Need a bit of help on our problem,
Wife and I moved out of our rented property beginning of September and still haven't had our deposit back.
All of our inspections said the property was in exemplary condition throughout the tenancy and my wife kept the garden pristine.
On leaving we spent a week scrubbing the house and the estate agent told us when she inspected it everything was fine.
However the landlord inspected after and picked fault with everything,stains on laminated floor,marks on wall,garden overgrown.
Our problem was we had a cat,tenancy said no pets but our neighbour couldn't keep her and it was either us or the cats home,and she was our cat before we moved in,I know we shouldn't have but my wife is soft like that.
Now the landlord is saying he is going to keep all the deposit and not return any,it's £600,I expect to lose some for having a cat but the whole £600 seems steep,we try to contact him but no answer,is there any route to go down?

poppysarah

What did the inventory say? and do you have evidence of the good state it was in when you left (you have word of EA - can you get it in writing) ...
what scheme was it in?

Wafoo

it was the older scheme we were in their 4 and a half years,we have written letters from LA saying property was kept in perfect condition

mchale

As poppysarah has said, ask for copy of the inventory signed by you & also any photos of property prior to you moving in, also have a look on shelter website, also as you have letters from LA, a threat of small claims court might change LL mind.

Debt_Free_Chick

The LL can't "fine" you for breaking the tenancy agreement. He can only recover his actual losses for any damage and you should ask to see the quotes for rectifying the damage. He can't deduct for normal wear & tear either.

What exactly is the LL saying?

Wafoo

Just a quick update,got everything back except £20,went through the Tenancy disagreement thingy,absolutely brilliant,hope the po-faced ex landlady choked on her £20!

lynzpower

Out of interest, what was the 20.00 actually kept for!

I bet you are well chuffed

clutton_2

did it take you 7 months ? did you have to take the LL to court in the end ?

sp1987

Wafoo wrote: »

Just a quick update,got everything back except £20,went through the Tenancy disagreement thingy,absolutely brilliant,hope the po-faced ex landlady choked on her £20!

Brilliant isn't it?

We had to take our old landlord to dispute resolution for £50 of £700 which they disputed (then stalled at giving us the other £650 back even though they said they didn't want it, still stalling about the last £100 bit now as they 'forgot' (we moved out in March!). I ensured I sent in enough words to have floored a small forest had it not been emailed. It may only have been £50 but when you leave a property you got in below average condition in above average condition and they moan about a half clean cooker that we received very, very dirty (I can't work miracles! It only showed up because the rest was so clean it stood out) it really needed to be disputed. It didn't help that the agent who collected our keys commented that 'oh properties from this landlord/agent are often dirty' (and they were being paid by them, don't mince your words lol). I guess if they try and take £50 from everyone that's a good money spinner annually. Plus I think their deposit protection fees go up if they lose many disputes, so they hopefully will pay more than £50 for being so dishonest long term.

I think the decision maker had trouble making 6 pages out of paraphrasing 'but you admit they sent you numerous letters telling you it was dirty and full of rubbish, you didn't even attend the property with them or conduct an inventory...why are you complaining about a cooker in a flat that was described by everyone as unclean/untidy? You told them they were able to dispose of the bags of rubbish in the property on arrival themselves (that was good of you!), now claim they didn't exist and it was clean? Uh?'

Wafoo

It was to remove a garden bench we left for the next tenants,they said we could,no didn't have to go to court,all settled by the tenant dispue people,brilliant

clutton_2

""Plus I think their deposit protection fees go up if they lose many disputes, so they hopefully will pay more than £50 for being so dishonest long term. ""

where on earth have you got this idea from ??? first i've heard of it... which Scheme were you in....