Rental Deposit – Small Claims

tessy_t

I recently left a property after staying there only one month, the shower did not work, I could not sleep due to a large Avery placed in the neighbours garden and the landlady gave me good reason to believe she was not quite stable. So obviously I decided to find somewhere else to live. I told my landlady that I would be moving out and that I would give her two weeks notice in return of two weeks of my rent deposit back. (one month’s deposit of £340 was given by me at start on rental) . She was not wiling to meet me half way which I though was incredibly unreasonable considering that I hadn’t been able to have a proper shower the last month and not had a good night’s sleep either – I had even got a colleague from work to help her to fix the shower so I thought she would be kind enough to give me half of my deposit back. I think that once she knew that she would not be getting anymore rent from me she wanted me out immediately, she had her neighbour come round to the house to threaten me – I called the police and left the same evening. I have since found out that this woman did not have permission to let a room out in her property and that the property is owned by a housing association who had no knowledge that I was staying there, they are also investigating her for anti social behaviour and she is well known to the police and has an harassment order against her by a different neighbour in the area.
The reason I give all this background information is because I am intending on taking this woman to the small claims court to get my deposit back – she is employed and not receiving benefits.
Has anyone been successful in getting a deposit back from a private landlord?
I was not given a rental contract - only a receipt for my rent and a deposit.

Azari

You'll get much better answers (probably) on the 'House Buying, Renting & Selling' forum.

I've clicked 'report' so someone will probably move it for you.