Please help re flat deposit

EagerLearner

Thanks MixedBerries - I am truly honoured that you chose this thread to post your first message!!! We're several months down the line from where we started and the letter arrived today confirming the court date is 31st May at 14:00 - so enter it in your diary folks.

Of course I am guessing that they made it that way away because they want negotiations/forgetfullness to happen before then.

As we know that the Landlady is seeking the additional £400 odd for the letting agent fees, as well as £180ish for 'overdue' money and the court fees, I see no point in negotiating really. I mean, we *could* send a letter stating 'Given the deposit was deducted unfairly in August 06 and we are now in March 07, we propose a refund to us of £350 to close the matter immediately' type thing, but I fear she wouldn't go for it because she has gotten it into her head that we are somehow responsible for the fact that the letting agent hired a solicitor and did not win the previous case and incurred legal fees.

I suspect deeply she knew every inch of what was going on, as there is no way they would not have discussed their case with her and the fact that they wanted to hire a solicitor. This would also explain why within 48 hours of them not winning, she contacted the court. She had been *expecting* them to win and that they would get those fees back and in addition save her the hassle of going to court for her case. BUT they did not win, so she got stung and pulled the 'I knew Nothing' card.

Anyway, rant over, it's been a long day... just had dinner thankfully made by a thoughtful Mr EL and am feeling a bit headachy so off for a bath and a good book (current one is a gory crime 'The Apprentice' by Tess Gerritsen Grizzly psychopaths tend to focus me and make me realise a nasty landlady is the least of our problems ha ha )

Thanks again everyone for sticking with me - latest thoughts can be thrown into our little ether, I'm all ears!

EagerLearner

Oh and no place yet - am focusing on this tomorrow as property paper is out.

Today spent most of the day finalising E-Bay auctions for a client - I listed all her stuff amd made her £360.

Last week I got a client back £1,600 in bank charges from First Direct, plus expecting another £400ish settlement offer from Nationwide in the next few weeks.

So all good for everyone else, need to get us both on the same track too!

And get another client to feel more secure - tried Gumtree (online) but nothing and my window ad in the local shop hasn't brought a single enquiry yet. Vicious circle as need cash to generate cash, but I am not complaining, just needing to cut back on stuff to make ends meet.

EagerLearner

Hullo all, just popping in to say hi and that as of yet no other news to report. We should hear back from the Dispute people within the next couple weeks I'd say re the complaint against the letting agent.

Interestingly, the place I viewed yestersay was via a letting agents and the guy showing me it 'hadn't heard' of the new legislations. So on our 2nd viewing today (Mr EL made a quick viewing during lunch) I handed the letting agent guy some printed info and highlighted the bits he needed to read in yellow. On this flat, they just introduce tenants to the landlord. This landlord has several properties in Brighton and lives locally. Apparently they never have any probs gettinghold of him and last tenants were happy.

Trying now to get 100% sure on what happens with our deposit and also if they can get the old tenants to call us so we can ask about some aspects of the property (as the landlord hasn't seen the property in 2 years, whereas the tenants have). Expecting a call from the letting agents anytime today. Like the flat - happens to be on the road paralell to us now! Short move, plus it has a patio garden - and I need light & sun! However, £200 odd in admin fees upfront, plus £200 holding deposit, plus remaining deposit, plus months rent upfront...

Seeing another flat tomorrow, fingers crossed.

Mrs_pbradley936

EagerLearner wrote:

Anyway, rant over, it's been a long day... just had dinner thankfully made by a thoughtful Mr EL and am feeling a bit headachy so off for a bath and a good book (current one is a gory crime 'The Apprentice' by Tess Gerritsen Grizzly psychopaths tend to focus me and make me realise a nasty landlady is the least of our problems ha ha )

Thanks again everyone for sticking with me - latest thoughts can be thrown into our little ether, I'm all ears!

My husband has just read that - far too gory for me I shall stick with Phillipa Gregory.

EagerLearner

Pbradley - I never stopped to think you were a laaaydeeee Just always assumed boy based on the name (why, have no idea???)... ha ha - that'll teach me won't it, after all this time!!! :rotfl:

I have moved on from The Aprentice, now onto 'Life Support' by Tess Gerritsen also. Thought 'The Apprentice' was kind of Slience-of-The-Lambs-Like actually, which is a good thing inmy book.

Anyhoo - off to see new flat at 12:45, wish us luck - and also having to start thinking about what we need to get rid of over the next 5 weeks, ready to move at the end of next month...

jennynoo

Dear El, Hope the flat today was good.

Just had a text from my landlady saying "have been away will have reply to your letter later today via email with copy via registered post"

I think that could be a bad sign Keep checking my email every five minutes.

I have a male friend called Bradley so that could explain why you though pbradley was male. me too.:rotfl:

EagerLearner

Saw the flat - ohmigod it was tiiiiiny. The couple living there must open the wardrope to sleep in! So that's a no.

The local paper the Argus have done a piece on £40M tenants deposit money being withheld by nasty landlords and emphasising that the law is changing in early April.

If we do sign up for the patio garden flat we saw the other day (still haven't heard from the tenants), what if the landlord isn't a part of this Deposit scheme? We will be signing up in March before this new law comes in - any ideas?

clutton_2

you can sign the AST on the day you sign, but you can insist the Start Date is 7th April - and move in on that day - they will then have to be part of the new scheme.

EagerLearner

Thing is that would mean paying a months rent on 7th March at the new flat and a months rent at our current flat... Don't know how to ensure we 'grab' this new law and are protected by it - can't afford 2 months rent ;o(

clutton_2

you can just stay in your current flat till April 6th ! - landlord can't get you out without a court order after all !! make some excuse about being let down with accommodation etc etc