Unsupported deductions made from deposit

Kaminari_2

I think you will find that most LA and LL will use the same company to clean all their re-lets. Getting three quotes is time consuming. Using the same company builds a relationship and the job can usually be done in a day so the void period for the property is minimalised. This doesn't mean that they only need one quote, they still need three.

The VAT will need to be shown on the reciept along with the VAT number so the copy of the reciept held by the cleaning company can be presented to the accountant for the tax man. If the LA or LL used a friend and no VAT was charged by them then they can not pass this onto you.

I would ask the LA for the cleaners phone number to give them a call. They should be able to give this to you straight away and if they have nothing to hide they will do this freely.

prudryden

As this is going to take up quite a bit of your time, I would suggest that you take an extended leave of absence from your job or school so you can devote full time to getting this £145 returned.

Keep all your expenditure receipts, court cost, photocopying, postage, travel, legal expenses, witness expenses. Be also prepared to lose, so budget for the defendant's potential court costs, if the judge so rules plus their other expenses. The vindictive LL may also try and claim for additional bills that she overlooked.

I would start a claim with the court urgently. You can retain a good city lawyer, who at least wins 50% of their cases.

I would try and force the VAT office to attend the court hearing. If they refuse, name them in the suit in order to claim back their VAT.

Gather all your receipts for your cleaning bills, e.g. the rental of the steam cleaner and shampooer, if it was done before you moved in, also obtain a picture of you on a ladder cleaning the picture rail, if needed. Etc. Etc. if you had the curtains cleaned, show the receipt. Remember, you are the plantive and have to prove your case first, before the defendant.

Sybarite

Feeling a little tetchy this morning prudryden? The point is a valid one though, you have to learn to write off a certain %, unfair as this may seem (& may well be) - basically you have to weight up the cost of your sanity v £100-£200.

Although it should be remembered that one person's couple of hundred quid is another person's weekly paypacket on minimum wage.

The cleaning issue is a vexing one as peoples' idea of what is clean tends to be relative, as are some LA/LLs' ideas of timely repairs. Depends on how much the notion of 'on principle' motivates you as to how much you are prepared to give. My LA have eroded all my goodwill, so now I'm not going to let anything slide, whereas my previous LA behaved in a reasonable manner & I was therefore always happy to assist them - my feeling is if you're going to try and screw me over you're going to have to work for it.

Sybarite

Feeling a little tetchy this morning prudryden? The point is a valid one though, you have to learn to write off a certain %, unfair as this may seem (& may well be) - basically you have to weight up the cost of your sanity v £100-£200.

Although it should be remembered that one person's couple of hundred quid is another person's weekly paypacket on minimum wage.

The cleaning issue is a vexing one as peoples' idea of what is clean tends to be relative, as are some LA/LLs' ideas of timely repairs. Depends on how much the notion of 'on principle' motivates you as to how much you are prepared to give. My LA have eroded all my goodwill, so now I'm not going to let anything slide, whereas my previous LA behaved in a reasonable manner & I was therefore always happy to assist them - my feeling is if you're going to try and screw me over you're going to have to work for it.

Sybarite

Feeling a little tetchy this morning prudryden? The point is a valid one though, you have to learn to write off a certain %, unfair as this may seem (& may well be) - basically you have to weight up the cost of your sanity v £100-£200.

Although it should be remembered that one person's couple of hundred quid is another person's weekly paypacket on minimum wage.

The cleaning issue is a vexing one as peoples' idea of what is clean tends to be relative, as are some LA/LLs' ideas of timely repairs. Depends on how much the notion of 'on principle' motivates you as to how much you are prepared to give. My LA have eroded all my goodwill, so now I'm not going to let anything slide, whereas my previous LA behaved in a reasonable manner & I was therefore always happy to assist them - my feeling is if you're going to try and screw me over you're going to have to work for it.

prudryden

Here is the invoice from a Professional Cleaning Service, which my last tenants organized themselves. In their terms and conditions, the cleaners "guarantee that their services will be of sufficient standard to get your deposit back." Two large bedroom flat semi-furnished.

Carpets: Steam Clean, Shampoo, Deodorise £95
Floors: Wash, Hoover £10
Kitchen: Oven, Hob, Extractor,
Clothes washer, Dish washer,
Bench top, Sink and Taps,
Cupboards in, out, and top,
Tiles, Fridge/Freezer £65
Bathroom: Bath, Shower,Toilet,, Basin, Tiles £25
Windows: Inside only £25
Furniture: Wardrobes, Tables, Drawer chest £15
Woodwork: Painted wordwork, Picture rails,
Skirtings, Lights, Switches, Power
Points, Mirrors £35
Upholstery: None
TOTAL £270

On the check-in for the next tenants, the Professional Independent Inventory Clerk/Company would have noted in their report on the cover sheet under the title General Condition that the flat was professionally cleaned throughout to a high standard. Being professional, they can tell immediately if a flat was professionally cleaned. They are also considered as an expert witness in a court of law.

Kaminari_2

The problem is that a valid reciept has not been presented. If an extensive reciept as above was given i think it would put an end to this but the LA has failed to provide one.

The fact that it took 40 days with prompting to return the rest of the deposit is also worrying.

ukbilly

Believe me, I'm not working on the assumption that any deduction from my deposit is totally unjustified and that all LAs/LLs are scum.
In a house I rented previously the LA was so usless that the LL dealt with us directly after the first year and we had an excellent relationship for 5 years after that. Regrettably circumstances meant we had to move and the LL told us we were the best tenants he had ever had. We kept the house tidy and if there was ever anything that needed attention we reported it and had it fixed in no time. Glowing references were provided and the LL told us he was sorry to see us go. Our deposit was given back to us in full on the day we gave the keys back after the LL had done a very basic inspection because he could see the place had been kept in good order and he knew he could trust us. Best LL I've veer had and we were sorry we had to go, too.

In my present case the LA has told us contradictory stories and has not done things in a transparent manner. All I know is that money that belongs to me has been spent and I want to know how, why and who got it. I don't think that is unreasonable and it's not the amount of money that is the issue. I have not enjoyed having to write letters and make phonecalls but if this educates them on how to behave in future, then some good will have come of it even if the remainder of our money never comes back. I suspect that few people have ever asked as many questions as we have so I don't want them to continue conducting their business in this manner. I certainly don't blindly assume that all LA's are doing this, either.

This is all new to me so I'm learning and I'm pleased there are people here prepared to give up time to help in any way. I just want to be sure that things have been done properly. Best wishes all.

hjb123

Hope you get this sorted soon - maybe you and Eagerlearner have the same letting agent?!

lazy_girl

prudryden wrote:

Here is the invoice from a Professional Cleaning Service, which my last tenants organized themselves. In their terms and conditions, the cleaners "guarantee that their services will be of sufficient standard to get your deposit back."

I'm impressed. I would have thought a professional cleaning service would cost more. I'm in two minds what to do when i move out of my current house in feb; when the house was dirty when i moved in it seems a bit much to expect professional cleaning when i move out. yet this seems to be pretty much expected and finding another £300 will be hard.

ukbilly - good luck and i hope you get a satisfactory result.