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Renting - worried about getting deposit back
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WS82
Posts: 4 Newbie
hi forum.
As above, I'm worried about getting my deposit back on a room I'm renting.
Situation a little bit different in that I still haven't paid it.
Bear with me...
I moved into a place at short notice as was offered a job in Cambridge and moved away from home (Newcastle). It's a short term move, for two months or so, while I look for a new place.
On moving in, I paid the first months rent. Then, I was asked for a deposit - I was a little confused as the need for one wasn't made clear to me before - my flatmates are foreigners and it may have been a language barrier/misunderstanding.
I said I'd like to speak to the landlord (know about deposit protection scheme so wanted to be sure). He came around on Saturday, and said 'oh it's not that kind of scheme'. Fishy. Seems he/my flatmates expect me to pay the fee to one of the flatmates, and then trust them to pay the money back once the two months are up. I have no guarantees here, in fact I haven't got a contract or anything - before smirking I was unemployed for months before and had no choice but to move at short notice and take what I could.
Anyway, I apologise for such a long story. Does anyone know if I would be able to safely pay the deposit, and perhaps get it back? Do I have any legal recourse if my flatmate doesn't pay it, i.e. would the landlord then be responsible? And would it help to get a receipt or something?
Flatmates are getting really offish now, haven't seen them for a few days and when I saw them today the first thing they mentioned was about the deposit...
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
As above, I'm worried about getting my deposit back on a room I'm renting.
Situation a little bit different in that I still haven't paid it.
Bear with me...
I moved into a place at short notice as was offered a job in Cambridge and moved away from home (Newcastle). It's a short term move, for two months or so, while I look for a new place.
On moving in, I paid the first months rent. Then, I was asked for a deposit - I was a little confused as the need for one wasn't made clear to me before - my flatmates are foreigners and it may have been a language barrier/misunderstanding.
I said I'd like to speak to the landlord (know about deposit protection scheme so wanted to be sure). He came around on Saturday, and said 'oh it's not that kind of scheme'. Fishy. Seems he/my flatmates expect me to pay the fee to one of the flatmates, and then trust them to pay the money back once the two months are up. I have no guarantees here, in fact I haven't got a contract or anything - before smirking I was unemployed for months before and had no choice but to move at short notice and take what I could.
Anyway, I apologise for such a long story. Does anyone know if I would be able to safely pay the deposit, and perhaps get it back? Do I have any legal recourse if my flatmate doesn't pay it, i.e. would the landlord then be responsible? And would it help to get a receipt or something?
Flatmates are getting really offish now, haven't seen them for a few days and when I saw them today the first thing they mentioned was about the deposit...
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
0
Comments
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You do have a contract (oral, with statutory terms). The question is what is it.
Do you 1) have an assured shorthold tenancy for a room within the proprety with the overall LL as your LL, or 2) are you a joint T with the other Ts and if so did you sign a new tenancy agreement with the overall LL or 3) are you subletting a room from the other Ts?
If 3) then there would be no obligation for the deposit to be protected.
If 1) or 2) then your deposit should be protected but you will almost certainly have a minimum fixed period of 6 months.
Once you clarify the situation it will be possible to give an opinon on what should happen to the deposit.0
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