Are landlords permitted to raise the amount of deposit under dispute?

Shandz

jjlandlord wrote: »

Is this a rant or plain whining?

Depends on your point of view, could neither or both - I am simply making an observation of what I believe to be the case.

I have actually taken this up at a higher level with the letting agents and to their credit they appear to be shocked by how we have been treated and it is beginning to look like the landlord is backing down from his ideaa not to return any of our deposit.

Thanks to everyone who commented - hopefully this can get resolved sensibly soon.

clutton_2

I am a LL and i use Mydeposits. This works differently to the other two schemes. The landlord keeps the original deposit money in his own bank account, and then registers the amount of deposit with Mydeps at a cost to him/her of around £30 per deposit. The LL agrees to deposit the "disputed" part of the deposit into Mydeps bank account as soon as a dispute is registered by the tenant, and agrees to return the undisputed amount immediately. Altho i have never had an arbitrated return yet, this is how i believe the scheme to work.. you should have been given a glossy booklet explaining all this... if you weren't - then download it off the website and have a good read.

So, yes a LL can tie up your money for ages. Equally you could do the same. Its not a perfect world.

On balance and form what you have said, it seems to me you have an excellent case for the return of the majorit of your deposit, depending on what sort of evidence you produce and the LL produces.

Have you got a signed inventory on move in and on move out ? did you take photos ?

jjlandlord

Shandz wrote: »

Depends on your point of view, could neither or both - I am simply making an observation of what I believe to be the case.

Whining it is, then.

Shandz wrote: »

I have actually taken this up at a higher level with the letting agents and to their credit they appear to be shocked by how we have been treated and it is beginning to look like the landlord is backing down from his ideaa not to return any of our deposit.

You are mistaken: the agent is the landlord's employee, not a "higher level".

clutton wrote: »

The LL agrees to deposit the "disputed" part of the deposit into Mydeps bank account as soon as a dispute is registered by the tenant, and agrees to return the undisputed amount immediately. Altho i have never had an arbitrated return yet, this is how i believe the scheme to work..

Correct, though I think LL can refuse to use MyDeposit to settle the dispute. In which case T should immediately raise a money claim.