Unfair End of Tenancy Charges & DPS

Bozzagorn

Hi,

I moved out of my old flat at the beginning of March, and was very amicable with the landlady. We came to an agreement on a few bits and bobs - outstanding rent, returning flat to original state etc etc. I did post on here about the "professional cleaning & Steam cleaning" that she had quoted £4-500 for, which I politely refused and said that I'd do it myself. I spent an entire day painting, washing, cleaning etc, walked around with the initial Check in report, matched the pictures up and left more utensils/towels etc than were there when I moved in (irrelevant I know, but just to paint the picture that Ive not been awkward about anything). I also washed and dried all bedding and towels.

Anyway, recently (don't ask why it's taken so long) had the check out inventory report and there's a few contentious bits which I frankly don't agree with. Throughout the report it states that I've left things in good working order/clean/tidy. But then goes on to say that I missed a cobweb. That a towel wasn't on the floor in the bathroom where it should have been (it was in the airing cupboard). Just petty rubbish, imo. So I had a few emails with the landlady and she said she'd be sending me the bill, plus deducting £25 from the bond due to the original curtains not being hung in the bedroom. I'd hung new lined ones, and thought I'd leave them there too. The originals are in the garage and I'd made her aware of this months ago. So the bill arrives:

Strip & remake beds. Wash & Dry, then Iron - £43 + £5 delivery (?)
3 Hours labour for maintenance - £36 (I've asked her what this is for...more on that in a sec)
Shower curtain - £20. £20! I replaced it 6 months ago for £3.50.

Anyway, you get the picture. The total bill comes to £157.60. She's said that she's instructed the Deposit Protection Scheme to deduct this amount from the bond before releasing it to me. Where is my mechanism for debating this? Will I be notified of the intention before the DPS actually go ahead and do it?

I have no clue what the maintenance is - the only thing in the check out report is that the bed in the spare room was broken. After requesting a picture, the dowels had simply wriggled loose. It just needed slotting back in. I can't say I ever noticed it so it may well have been like it when I moved in, and it certainly wouldn't have taken 3 hours to repair! I took pictures of everything on the last day, showing that everything was in a very good condition. So I really don't get how she can justify charging me £157. There are elements which I'm happy to pay - the electricity meter was empty, for instance. When I moved in it had £82 on it, so they topped it up to £50 for the LL, obviously, more than happy to accomodate that. But doesn't it sound like the rest is just a bit too far? What level of cleanliness did they expect?!

Any advice muchly appreciated.

Is contending with the DPS usually successful in cases like this?

00ec25

with respect have you actually read any of the the DPS guidance?

the DPS is designed to protect YOUR deposit, YOU are their customer, it is YOUR money, YOU contact THEM, not a random web forum like MSE to resolve YOUR dispute, they refer the matter to an independent arbitrator, it is not the DPS who decide, it is an independent person who decides based on the physical evidence submitted by you and the LL

see http://www.thedisputeservice.co.uk/tenants-faqs.html

YOU must register a dispute with DPS otherwise they will think you are not objecting therefore must be accepting the LL claim so there is a risk they will pay out to the LL unless you dispute it

be proactive - act now!

FWIW you clearly have a strong case assuming:
- you have receipts to support your claims that you purchased replacements for the items the LL is claiming against eg curtains, shower etc
- remaking beds is pure rubbish, that claim will not be upheld
- did you make her aware of the curtains in the garage in writing? can you produce a copy of your letter to now demonstrate this?