Trying to get a deposit back after renting...

clutton_2

""even though there are probably plenty of genuine, fair landlords out there, I do feel that they are out-weighed by the landlords that will try and get as much money out of you as they can. "

you have absolutely no statistical evidence to back this up - DPS on the other hand say only 6% of all deposits held by them go to ARbitration.. so 94% of landlords and tenants end their association amicably......

but lets not let a good story get in the way of the truth ........

hbk619

6% can be bothered to go to arbitration, doesn't mean 94% end happily. Ours most certainly did not but the threat of court was enough to sort Choices out, although I certainly would not recommend or use them again.

tbs624

clutton wrote: »

vaporate said "" landlords and estate agents are always ripping ppl off. They are scum, nothing new. "

i find this sooo offensive, and so will other landlords who post here... SOME landlord rip people off - in the same way that SOME tenants are bad tenants...

Agreed - bad apples on both sides but Vaporate is entitled to his/her opinion. I personally have yet to encounter a decent EA but that's a side issue;)

clutton wrote: »

can we stop demonising us as a profession please ?

Someone may be a "professional" as opposed to "amateur" LL in the broad sense of the terms, but LLing is not "a profession". It's unregulated and it's a business, a trade, an occupation.....

clutton wrote: »

DPS say that only 6% of tenancies end in the Arbitration Service...

This has been quoted on here several times and it would be nice to have a source for the figure.

clg86

clutton wrote: »

but lets not let a good story get in the way of the truth ........

I'm sorry if my asking for advice has offended you in some way, but I am one of many on this forum who have struggled to get a deposit returned to them by landlords who have tried their luck with charging over the odds for various things.

This is not a good story, this is me asking for peoples advice, and happily voicing my opinion about landlords and how in MY opinion, the majority of them will try and rip you off.

The only evidence I have and need is that several of my friends and family have rented a property, and not one of them got their deposit back without hassle. This is where my evidence comes from.

<sebb>

clg86 wrote: »

The only evidence I have and need is that several of my friends and family have rented a property, and not one of them got their deposit back without hassle. This is where my evidence comes from.

My pre tenancy deposit scheme experiences were so bad that when I rented, I factored in the deposit spread over 12 months as additional rent in my budgets, knowing I was unlikely to get it back.

I've not had a post tenancy deposit scheme check out yet, as I've been renting here for a long time, but I'd like to think with the new schemes and with forums such as this, these occurrences are becoming much rarer.

That being said, my experience with other people who aren't aware of forums such as these, show that many tenants are still struggling to get deposits back. My colleague told me today he's been waiting 4 months to get back a £3000!! deposit, because the LA says they are too busy to deal with it, or the person who deals with deposits is on holiday, or the LL is on holiday, or the just forgot!! He had no idea he could do anything about it other than constantly phone or email the LA and hope they would respond. I've pointed him in the right direction now though.