Discrepancy with itinery

moxster

We’ve just moved out of our rented accommodation and the letting agents have whacked a large cleaning bill in our hands. The initial itinery claimed there was “some dust” and had photos taken of the whole room. We thoroughly cleaned the house before leaving (I’m used to military inspections so I hunt dust like the best of them!) but the agency who came in a few days after we’d moved out took some lovely, arty photo’s of minor dust on the blinds with the sun reflecting off it and have said it needs an overall clean.
Is there anything that can be done when the quality of the two itinerys is so markedly different?

theartfullodger

Inventory perhaps I think..???

Was there a deposit, was it protected, is this England??

If so contact the landlord, the agent & the deposit scheme (in writing or email, keep copies..) and dispute any charges if you think they are unfair.

princeofpounds

Yes. You raise a dispute with your deposit scheme. You tell the deposit scheme that the inventory is not independent or accurate and why.

Whilst they can charge for cleaning, if they can only demonstrate evidence of a little dust on blinds they would be lucky to get 20 quid.

Good_Money

theartfullodger wrote: »

Inventory perhaps I think..???

Was there a deposit, was it protected, is this England??

If so contact the landlord, the agent & the deposit scheme (in writing or email, keep copies..) and dispute any charges if you think they are unfair.

I thought the inventory is the list of items that are being left in the property?

theartfullodger

Good_Money wrote: »

I thought the inventory is the list of items that are being left in the property?

A wise landlord/agent ensures everything is listed - garden, condition, walls (colour..inside & out..), curtains, what the meters look like, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc..

A wise tenant checks the list very carefully, takes their own photies (at start & end of tenancy) and disputes anything not in their favour (eg if it says"wall, white, freshly painted" and it is, but with streaks and dents & missed bits, say so... )

Cheers!

moxster

Yes sorry it is an inventory and it is in England with the deposit protection scheme (distracted at work when I wrote the initial post!). Has anyone experience of a dispute with a letting agent where there was such a vast difference in the quality of the inventory before and after. They've even tried to bill us to remove items that were there initially.

BitterAndTwisted

The check-in inventory said "some dust" and the check-out one also found "some dust". I would take the position that you have left the property in the same condition as at the start of your tenancy and therefore no deductions for cleaning are justified.

As to the the charge for removal of items: as these were in the property when your tenancy started one assumes that they were listed on the check-in inventory so you cannot be charged for having left them behind

moxster

No they weren't listed on the check in (they were 3 glass tealight candle holders around the bath). They've asked for £5 to remove them. The check-in inventory is really far less detailed than the check out inventory... I don't think they've used the same company to do it which is why they're so different.

BitterAndTwisted

It doesn't matter who they used to carry out the checks: facts are facts.

If you didn't make a note on the inventory that there were items present not mentioned then I suggest you swallow that fiver and put it down to experience.

DRP

moxster wrote: »

No they weren't listed on the check in (they were 3 glass tealight candle holders around the bath). They've asked for £5 to remove them. The check-in inventory is really far less detailed than the check out inventory... I don't think they've used the same company to do it which is why they're so different.

what an absolute joke! :rotfl:

moxster

That seems like a poor attitude to take. Just because something isn't mentioned explicitly that doesn't give the letting agent carte blanche to charge what they like. I'm thankful that we have the deposit protection scheme so that these cases can be reviewed impartially by reasonable people and not left for people to swallow charges left right and centre as a 'learning point'.