Previous rental property-updated as problems re:deposit return

pandaspot

Hi

This is probably a bit pathetic, but I had an email from my previous landlords agents asking me to but the bins out for the property next Tuesday. I moved out on the 24/11/12 and gave back keys on 29/11/12. Is it really my responsibility?

I will do it as I live close, but really! Shouldn't the landlord do this? What if I had moved 20 miles away?? Would I have to get back to the property to do this?

She sent a list of other stuff this landlord wants rectifying before deposit is returned and all together it's pretty pathetic, but I will come back in a few days about those as waiting for the quotes as I want to see how much they want to charge for stuff.

Jeffrey_Shaw

It's not your responsibility unless there's a contractual obligation in your lease or Tenancy Agreement [unlikely]. I doubt that the local authority or their binmen care either way! So you might choose to refuse (unless the Agents make it worth your while!)

tim123456789

pandaspot wrote: »

Hi

This is probably a bit pathetic, but I had an email from my previous landlords agents asking me to but the bins out for the property next Tuesday. I moved out on the 24/11/12 and gave back keys on 29/11/12. Is it really my responsibility?

.

If you left them full, then yes

tim

katejo

tim123456789 wrote: »

If you left them full, then yes

tim

But if the bins are round the back of the property and you have handed in the keys ...... ?

chris_m

You've given the keys back and they are asking you to put the bins out a month later??????
They've left it a bit late IMO.

G_M

What is the" list of other stuff this landlord wants rectifying before deposit is returned "?

If you are being given the opportunity to rectify issues yourself rather than either

* be billed forthe LL doing them/paying for them to be done or
* commencing a dispute over the deposit

then the easiest solution (given you do live nearby) is to comply and get the matter resolved.

But basically, no, not your responsibiliy - just not worth the agro though..

DJ_MPH

Jeffrey_Shaw wrote: »

It's not your responsibility unless there's a contractual obligation in your lease or Tenancy Agreement [unlikely]. I doubt that the local authority or their binmen care either way! So you might choose to refuse (unless the Agents make it worth your while!)

Pun intended? :rotfl:

OP - I'd say its not your responsibility. What were you supposed to do, leave the bins out on the street until collection day? I've seen councils remove wheely bins that have been left on the street, apparently because kids now like to set fire to them. Like you say its very petty and since your tenancy has ended so has any liability for the property involved, surely?

In order to ensure you get your deposit back though i'd make the trip to sort it.

What are the other things that need rectifying, as before spending money it might be worthwhile to check the general consensus as to whether they are also your responsibility?

pandaspot

so i left my previous property on 24/11/12 and handed back keys and had inspection on 29/11/12. a few days later i received the following email with things the landlord wants done before we can have back our deposit.

Front Garden

Bins are to be emptied by the tenants who will put them out on bin day (Please if you could do this) ---- we did this even though the bin day was 2 weeks after we moved, we had put the bins out before moving
Some weeding to be done and leafs/debris tidied up

---

this is fine, but our garden somehow attracted every bit of rubbish anywhere cause of where its located, if the gate was left open, you would get an array of stuff in there

Rear Garden

Weeding and general tidying up required. Throwing away rubbish left behind the shed ---- fine will do the little weeding there is to do.

Living Room

Painting of the entire living room/stairs/landing area the tenant has acknowledged will need carrying out as tried matching up the paint and getting marks off but very patchy (Not woodwork) 2 Picture hooks and some small picture hook holes need filling in too when painting

---

i did email the agents asking for the exact colour white, and make of paint, he didnt know.
Fire – There is a slight section of the back foam/polystyrene type material damaged. The tenants informed us that a bird fell down from its nest on the roof and was stuck. They had to remove is otherwise would have rotted and smelt. (I did explain to the landlord the reason behind this but he said he will get a quote to see if it can be repaired)!----suppose i should have left the bird to die and rot ?!

Kitchen

Kitchen overall needs cleaning throughout, tenant agreed to this. She left it to her partner but ran out of time.

---

reason i had to leave to partner is i have torn ligaments in my knee, cant kneel down

Damage to the right hand side worktop, section will need replacing

---

this is fine
Some scuff marks visible on the walls in the kitchen , Landlord would like one wall repainted and holes filled in----again asked for paint make and colour.

Ground Floor W/C

Touch up paint marks in this room also that will need rectifying the landlord would like

---

downstairs toilet has bathroom tiles on the wall and the paint is literally peeling off, he would need to repaint them all.

Bathroom

Mirrors left, some holes and patching up required. ----new tenants would need mirrors?there are no holes in the wall
Radiator cap missing will require replacing if he can’t find an old one.----never one there! not on inventory, I will get one for him

Rear Large Bedroom

Very small dark mark noticed on the carpet, require cleaning---fine

Scuff marks visible on the chimney breast wall and left hand wall adjoining the bathroom – would like patching up----was patched up with matching paint, mark on adjoining is where the bed was

Small stain on the blind noticed – Needs cleaning if possible----mark from condensation, the blind is one of those cheapy white roman blinds. i will buy him a new one

Front Small Bedroom

Small mark on carpet – requires cleaning----not a mark, its where the carpet is worn, no underlay, agent agreed with this

Staining on blind but from condensation –---water marks, cleaning if possiblewindows were single galzed! i had many winters with the whole window iced up on the inside. totally unresonable. again cheapy roman blind


The above issues are ones the landlord has highlighted and from the check out combined. He would have been happy to keep the Sky Dish installed at the property, however he said Sky have carried out poor workmanship as they have damaged the skirting board in the front room which he wants putting right!! Also the same in the bedrooms where they have drilled through the skirting boards etc.cant he just put filler in skirting board and paint? but is it my fault? had permission

I shall arrange a quote for all of the above, but of course if there are some things you would like to do yourself then you are more than welcome to do so.

now the issues i have with all that is, we lived there 3 years, we were excellent tenants, never missed a payment etc. the landlord is a first time landlord and obviously doesnt realise how bad tenants could be. The agents told be that basically he wants the property exactly the same! even without any wear and tear. she also indicated he is a bit or an idiot and doesnt listen etc.

here is what he didnt do:

1.double glazing had been promised to us after 6 months of living there - 2 days after moving out he installed it!!---surely he needs to repaint round the windows due to this?
2.the gas fire, which he is getting a quote for cause of where a bird fell down the chimney, was condemned on the 18/01/12. we had a gas inspector someone other than his mate, who said we should never have been using the fire. landlord sent round people for quotes to repair, but nothing ever done.
3. the back gate had literally fallen apart, massive gaping holes in it. this was going to be replaced from the date we moved in. again endless quotes no action.
4. the back fence blew down in the storms last winter. again endless quotes no action. offered to replace oursleves told no, landlord must decide
5. we have had a problem with our guttering. its been leaking since moving in, caused a damp problem in kitchen where the bt telephone point came in. was patched up, paint never matching as contractors couldn't match



do you think this reasonable from the landlord?

some of it fine, but painting etc is totally wrong i feel

I had an email from agents over Xmas and they stated the quotes for above work is over £1000 but they said that the landlord is wants to know how much we were expecting back and to come to some sort of arrangement. Really upset

Never had a prob like this, it's like he is saying we wrecked the place!!!

Turnbull2000

Sound like you're letting them walk over you. And why are you getting quotes for repairs, when that should be the responsibility of the landlord and agent?

pandaspot

Sorry, if I didn't make myself clear. They are getting the quotes, and have stated it going to cost over £1000. Think it's ridiculous, there is no way! I think the LL is trying to get us to pay for the new double glazing he just put in and repairing stuff he should have done when we were living there

julieb1987

Surely scuffs on the wall count as wear and tear and can't charge you for that. Sounds like the LL wants you to fund his decorating costs! As for the windows, that would have caused damage to the paintwork so cannot make you do the rooms with the new windows. If the radiator valve isn't on the inventory, don't get a new one.

Not sure about the Sky issue. Did you get written permission? Does it state it needs to be removed after? If there is no written permission it may be your responsibility to have it removed and the skirting boards repaired to how they were (although it's expensive to get Sky sorted so thought it'd be a selling point for future tenants). Again, not sure about the garden. Check your tenancy agreement. Ours says it has to be tidy but it's low maintenance anyway.