Landlady won't return my deposit, help!

skare44

Ok i'll keep it short.. I moved into a flat that cost £500 Pcm, i paid up front, 1 months rent and £500 security deposit, gave 1 months notice as requested in the TA to move out, throught my 6 years at the place, i never fell behind with rent and always informed her of any problems, water leaking etc.. ..

22nd July, i met with landlady to sort out the hand over etc, she inspected the property, said all was fine, no damage, garden looked after etc.. I can have my deposit back on the hand over day 29th July. So i meet her at the flat, she tells me she was in a rush, and didn't have time to go to the cash machine to get the money. She'd always been nice and friendly, seemed honest throughout my time there.

It's now the 10th of August, half a dozen calls later, 20 - 30 text mssg's, seems i'm on ignore now, as i get no reply and no answer to my calls, i was kinda hoping to get my deposit back by now, i'm off on hols Friday and now need to borrow cash for spending money... Grrrr! I'm so angry!

So what now, where do i go from here?

Any help, much appreciated .. Thx!

Werdnal

Similar post here a few threads down tonight. Same advice as GM posted there would apply to your claim.

Link here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3415479

skare44

Ty i'll take a look now

G_M

Only difference might be that you (appear to be) a tenant, whereas the other thread relates to a lodger.

Your deposit should have been protected in a scheme, with an arbitration process (if you are in Eng/Wales, and your tenancy started after April 2007).

Was it?

Werdnal

G_M wrote: »

Only difference might be that you (appear to be) a tenant, whereas the other thread relates to a lodger.

Your deposit should have been protected in a scheme, with an arbitration process (if you are in Eng/Wales, and your tenancy started after April 2007).

Was it?

OP suggested 6 years at the property, so DPS probably doesn't apply - unless perhaps if they signed a renewal in the meantime? Would that change it?

G_M

True. Shelter's comment on this is:

"The Government says that your deposit should be protected if your original tenancy has been renewed or replaced after the 6th April 2007. However, this isn't specifically mentioned in the legislation and it hasn't been tested through the courts yet."

Given that the courts have already weakened aspects of the leglislation (specificaly the 3x deposit penalty), my guess is that the lack of clarity in the Act might allow landlords who granted tenancies before 2007 and then later renewed them, to escape.

But who knows?

Question to the OP remains: was your deposit protected? If so, use the dispute/arbitration process.

skare44

This is the first i've heard about any protection process, she was always very sincere and nice, and nothing was ever put in writing as i trusted her, however it all seems to be fitting into place now, there's obviously a reason for the sincerity, a false sense of trust is created and she gets to keep the bonds, i spoke to an old friend a few hrs ago who was a former tenant of her's a few years back, she had the same problem apparently, but never followed it through with a small claims court...

I doubt i'll get it back, but i gotta have a go.. Evil cow!