sample letter of notice for a tenant..and some questions!

wdb2009

I was hoping you helpful people could give me some advice!

I have lost my tenancy agreement (sorry, misfiled it somewhere) I am on an assured shorthold tenancy (Scotland) and once the six months was up 9which was a year and a half ago) i'm assuming it runs on a monthly basis. My rent period is 1st of the month to 1st of the month, so if i give notice in writing by Thursday 1st April (I've already paid april's rent by standing order- always pay early!!) I assume that I can move out at the end of april OK.

Does anyone know what i should put in my letter...is there a standard template??

Now onto the akward stuff:

Ive lived in the property for 2 years and my landlady seems to have been OK. On the whole she has left me alone and never even been round to inspect the property.

The other day I was taliking to a girl at work in another department and it turns out she rented the same house (and had same landlady) a couple of yars before me!

She said that when she came to move out this woman was a nightmare and went through the house with a fine tooth comb and deducted loads of money from her bond. Now I know this girl is a tidy, responsible person and im worried that the landlady will do the same with me.

I've been a good tenant I think, paid my rent on time and tried to look after the property.

For a start: the garden is a mess due to the bad weather recently...the grass is quite long and I've obviously not been able to cut it....would it be a reason for ded

The grout/silicone around the bath has gone a tiny bit black...would I be expected to replace that?

gazfocus

Did you sign an inventory when you moved in outlining the condition of the property, etc? If not, the landlady cannot deduct money from your deposit.

As for the silicone around the bath - it's quite cheap to sort that out so why not do it before the inspection takes place?

wdb2009

Thanks....I have looked and looked and can't find the tenancy agreement!! Stupid me, I put some boxes into long term storage down South and can't get to them in the next few weeks so I suspect that the tenancy agreement is in there, with a load of other docs, i wasnt expecting to move so soon, its just work circumstances that are forcing the issue.

I recall there was a basic inventory but it didnt mention condition. I am probably being over-paranoid as I have kept the place clean and treated it with respect. But according to the last two previous tenants 9the one before me, and also this girl I was talking to at work) the landlady is incredibly picky and unreasonable...considering i have paid her 12k in rent so far on a council house that she bought under "right to buy"!! then promptly moved out....

I know that its her right to charge what she wants in rent, and Im happy to pay it as the house was nice, but after 2 years surely a small bit of wear and tear is allowed. Is there a "rule of thumb" guide anywhere??

I might have a shot at replacing the silcone around the bath but worried that I might make a mess of it and make it worse....and dont really want to pay a tradesman.

clutton_2

if you dont pay tradesmen to make reparations she will probably charge you a lot more than they would......

Fire_Fox

wdb2009 wrote: »

I know that its her right to charge what she wants in rent, and Im happy to pay it as the house was nice, but after 2 years surely a small bit of wear and tear is allowed. Is there a "rule of thumb" guide anywhere??

I might have a shot at replacing the silcone around the bath but worried that I might make a mess of it and make it worse....and dont really want to pay a tradesman.

Fair wear and tear is indeed allowable, but what a tenant considers to be wear and tear does not always marry up with the legal definition. Wear and tear is carpets thinning in doorways, paint yellowing through the passage of time - any scuffs, dirt, mould, staining is accidental damage and chargeable to the tenant.

Have you tried bleaching the silicone or Dettox mould and mildew remover? Is it lifted and leaking at all? If so you should have reported that to the landlady and given her the opportunity to replace it. If you do not sort out the garden you will rightly end up paying a tradesman out of your deposit! Don't you have any friends or relatives who have handyman skills? Invite them over for a DVD, pizza and beers - your shout - and ask for their help (before they get hammered!). :beer:

BitterAndTwisted

The silicon round the bath can be cleaned if it's discoloured. Use some scouring powder and a toothbrush.

If the inventory has no comments in it to describe the condition of the property and its contents then no deductions can be made but you should get the garden sorted before you leave.

Wear and tear is one thing but damage is another so you should do everything in your power to ensure the property is in exactly the same condition as at the start of the tenancy, then your landlady will have no chance to complain.

tbs624

gazfocus wrote: »

Did you sign an inventory when you moved in outlining the condition of the property, etc? If not, the landlady cannot deduct money from your deposit.

That may be your opinion gazfocus, but its not the case.

As you are in Scotland, wdb2009, there is obviously no tenancy deposit scheme to use, so if you disagreed with any proposed deductions you would have the option of pursuing a small claim via the Sheriff Court.

You don't necessarily have to replace grout which has become mouldy/blackened. HG mould remover or even a j-cloth moistened with some dilute baby sterilising fluid and left over it may do a sufficiently good job.

You need to check your SAT because your tenancy may not necessarily have become periodic. If your tenancy is subject to the doctrine of Tacit Relocation, you may have unwittingly committed yourself to a further Fixed Term

wdb2009

Thanks, i found my tenancy agreement last night...I must have been more organised than usual!

The inventory is basically half a side of A4- no mention of condition.

I hope to get the garden sorted out next week if the weather clears up!

I know I am making out that the property is in poor condition- this is not true but after 2 years things are looking a little shabbier than they were when i moved in.

Ive tried to keep the carpets in good condition by using rugs in the high wear areas...I guess I'm just being a little paranoid.

I'll just try and tidy up as much as possible, get the carpest cleaned and hope for the best..I e mailled the landlord last night and they are coming round to check the place next week!

Owain_Moneysaver

I suggest inviting the landlady round to discuss if you need to do anything before vacating, if she says that everything is fine having seen the house with you then she doesn't have much ground for deducting from the deposit. And it gives you a chance to do any cleaning required yourself, which will be cheaper for you.