LL wants us to put £1000 of CH oil in tank before move out

G_M

Fire_Fox wrote: »

OK to recap because I am lost ...
September 2008 2500L oil delivered
Winter 2008/09 Parents heat house regularly
May 2009 You move in
September 2009 500L oil delivered
October 2009 Heating broken for one month
December 2009 500L oil delivered
January 2009 tank is empty.

500L of oil lasts four to six weeks with regular use of the heating, is oil only used for central heating? So the landlord is suggesting you used five times as much oil between May and September as you used between September and December? That's even more idiotic than I thought it was. :rotfl:

Just a comment: It must be a huge house, and/or very draughty and/or a very inefficient boiler. I fill my tank once a year (2000 litres). In winter I'm a pretty heavy user as at home most of the day and oil heats the house and the water (though in summer I tend to use the emmersion heater for water).

So 2500 litres between Sept 08 and May 09 seems very heavy use.

However Firefox's comments are valid.

clutton_2

re heavy useage - you may have missed that there is a leak in the pipe which LL has not repaired properly .....

drc

This has probably been mentioned already but if this guy is a professional LL then doesn't he have to notify his mortgage company (if he has a mortgage) that he is now letting the property? And wouldn't there be tax to pay from the rental income? Just a thought. Good luck with everything!

Kaleidoscope1972

just an update..
yes in answer to the question posed..it is a huge,detached 4 bed victorian farm house with no double glazing!

today we have received an email from the letting agent confirming that LL intends to retain the full deposit in payment for the 2500 litres of oil he claims was in the tank when we moved in.
LA informs us that they have passed the initial paperwork over to the arbitors, which we are not sure about as we feel that we should be taking the case to the arbitors not the LA?

DVardysShadow

Kaleidoscope1972 wrote: »

today we have received an email from the letting agent confirming that LL intends to retain the full deposit in payment for the 2500 litres of oil he claims was in the tank when we moved in.
LA informs us that they have passed the initial paperwork over to the arbitors, which we are not sure about as we feel that we should be taking the case to the arbitors not the LA?

LA is just pre-empting what would happen. I'm just speculating, but I think there is no way they actually want to have their name on a letter withholding your deposit as their final position. At the same time, they cannot undermine the LL by conceding your position.

In your position, I would be writing to the Deposit Scheme to raise the dispute myself, rather than let them infer my case from what the LA hadsent.

Kaleidoscope1972

thanks..we are going to send the paperwork ourselves and will spend the weekend putting it together...
we have obviously been very unlucky in landing an unscrupulous LL.
he knew I was having a problematic pregnancy yet he has chosen to put us through this..I have spent the week in hospital as Im an insulin dependant diabetic and the stress played havoc with my blood sugars..which is dangerous to me and my unborn baby

The LA themselves have said they are rather disgusted as its rare that a LL will ask for the whole of the deposit and said its very obvious to them that he just sees our deposit as easy money.

clutton_2

you dont have to use ARbitration you know... you can refuse to use it, which means that one or other of you has to take the other to small claims court - where are least you will get an opportunity to challenge him in person....

when is the baby due - i guess that is the major factor in your decision making...

Kaleidoscope1972

clutton wrote: »

you dont have to use ARbitration you know... you can refuse to use it, which means that one or other of you has to take the other to small claims court - where are least you will get an opportunity to challenge him in person....

when is the baby due - i guess that is the major factor in your decision making...

Baby is due in April :j

clutton_2

In that case i would go to arbitration and get it over and done with...as it will take a few weeks.. court will take a few months.... . good luck

Kaleidoscope1972

thanks..we just want it sorted before the baby comes..the LA seems confident our deposit will be returned