Ex wants his deposit back - is he entitled?

Dicegirly

About a year ago, my ex boyfriend decided he didn't want to be with me any more, and move out of the house that we rent.

Yesterday, I received a text from him asking how much longer I was planning on staying in this house, as he wanted me to give him back the deposit he had originally paid when we moved in (£500).

At the time he moved out, nothing was mentioned about the deposit, and he took everything he wanted with regards to furniture etc with him and I didn't want to argue about material "stuff".

He has stated his case to me saying that it was his money that paid for the deposit, so he is entitled to get it back as he doesn't live in the house anymore.

Surely as he said nothing about it at the time, he cannot come back a year later and demand I pay him this money?

While we lived together, I paid all the rent and the bills from my wages, and his wages paid for everything else such as food. There is no actual evidence that he paid the deposit, although we both know he did.

He seems to think that even though leaving the relationship was his idea, he is entitled to get back what he put into it, and it doesn't work like that.

Does he have a leg to stand on?

DUTR

If the deposit is in his name then he is entitled to it back in reality, seems the arguing has not ceased 12 months on

elisebutt65

You could always ask for his share of the rent?

custardy

well you will get the deposit back when you move out
so either move out and return the deposit or give him it back
or do you think you deserve the money?

Ames

If what you paid when you were together was roughly equal then of course he should get back what he paid! Maybe he's only mentioning it now because he thought you'd have moved by now? Has the anniversary of the lease been recent?

daska

Presumably his name is still on the tenancy? Personally I'd suggest that he'll get his half of the deposit back when you get yours. And by the way when's he going to stump up his half of the rent and come over to do the hoovering...

aneres

I'd tell him where to go. If he took furniture etc then you could work out the costing of that and I'm sure he will owe you money.

pinkshoes

It's his money, so give it back.

Are you trying to say that you paid for more during the time you lived together than him, hence you want to keep his deposit?

Did he pay the deposit with cash, cheque or bank transfer?

Sambucus_Nigra

I'd tell him that you have done your sums, and once he pays his half of the rent and bills for the time he was there [sum this up and halve it] minus the estimated food bills he paid [sum this up and take it away], you will be pleased to return his deposit by return of post. As I'm guessing it will be more than £500.

Dicegirly

He paid all the deposit in cash, but it is in no-one's name. The previous tenancy agreement had both our names on it, the current one now has just my name on it.

I will eventually get some of the deposit back when I choose to move out, which is unlikely to be for a while. The remainder of the deposit will be kept by the Landlord to repair the damage done to the floor when my ex dropped the sofa on it when we moved in, and the cracked kitchen floor tile where he dropped a saucepan....

I have paid for considerably more things while we were together yes, but as he never paid any rent or anything (and this was not the first place we had together, in case it sounded like that) I don't see why I should give him money which I don't have, when it was his decision to leave. Surely if he wanted it back he should have said so at the time.
In a grown-up world, if you vacate a relationship without sorting these things out at the time, you relinquish any claim to anything you left behind.

custardy

seems pointless posting this thread, when you are only looking for support for a decision you have already made.