We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Making sure I get my deposit back

oxford1987
Posts: 16 Forumite
Hi there,
The end of our tenancy agreement is not far off not and I'm doing everything we can to secure our (huge) deposit. There are a couple of things I'm slightly concerned about (we have a pretty disreputable lettings agency), and I was wondering if anyone on here with any experience of this might be able to share their knowledge:
In our contract, there's a clause saying that we must take out contents insurance, which we haven't done as the flat is secure and there's not much of value within. Is this likely/possible to cause me problems? If so, I can take out some short-term insurance.
Our Hoover broke, so I sent an email asking them what to do. I received no response to this, so I told them I'd buy a new one if I didn't hear from them and threw the old one out (email address is definitely in use). Am I within my rights to take the new one with me and leave them without a Hoover?
The carpets are slightly moth-eaten (this was noted in our inventory) but may have worsened. The wording on the inventory is ambiguous so it's hard to know what's changed, but if it has worsened, am I able to argue that the moths were probably there before as evidenced by the existing damage? Failing that, am I right in thinking that the landlord is only able to charge me for a like for like replacement (I.e. a carpet with some moth damage)?
Having read some of the other posts on here, I've checked that my deposit is protected which is reassuring.
If anyone can give some advice or share some experience, it would really be appreciated.
Thanks and enjoy the sunny weekend all
The end of our tenancy agreement is not far off not and I'm doing everything we can to secure our (huge) deposit. There are a couple of things I'm slightly concerned about (we have a pretty disreputable lettings agency), and I was wondering if anyone on here with any experience of this might be able to share their knowledge:
In our contract, there's a clause saying that we must take out contents insurance, which we haven't done as the flat is secure and there's not much of value within. Is this likely/possible to cause me problems? If so, I can take out some short-term insurance.
Our Hoover broke, so I sent an email asking them what to do. I received no response to this, so I told them I'd buy a new one if I didn't hear from them and threw the old one out (email address is definitely in use). Am I within my rights to take the new one with me and leave them without a Hoover?
The carpets are slightly moth-eaten (this was noted in our inventory) but may have worsened. The wording on the inventory is ambiguous so it's hard to know what's changed, but if it has worsened, am I able to argue that the moths were probably there before as evidenced by the existing damage? Failing that, am I right in thinking that the landlord is only able to charge me for a like for like replacement (I.e. a carpet with some moth damage)?
Having read some of the other posts on here, I've checked that my deposit is protected which is reassuring.
If anyone can give some advice or share some experience, it would really be appreciated.
Thanks and enjoy the sunny weekend all
0
Comments
-
oxford1987 wrote: »Hi there,
The end of our tenancy agreement is not far off not and I'm doing everything we can to secure our (huge) deposit. There are a couple of things I'm slightly concerned about (we have a pretty disreputable lettings agency), and I was wondering if anyone on here with any experience of this might be able to share their knowledge:
The deposit-protection schemes don't care either way whether an agent is disreputable or not. What they do care about, should the landlord and tenant not agree on any proposed deductions is documentary evidence. If you signed the check-in inventory you agreed to the initially described condition.
In our contract, there's a clause saying that we must take out contents insurance, which we haven't done as the flat is secure and there's not much of value within. Is this likely/possible to cause me problems? If so, I can take out some short-term insurance.
Agents generally demand proof of insurance at the beginning of a tenancy, not at the end. Most especially if none of the landlord's fixtures or contents are not noted as damaged or missing at the check-out.
Our Hoover broke, so I sent an email asking them what to do. I received no response to this, so I told them I'd buy a new one if I didn't hear from them and threw the old one out (email address is definitely in use). Am I within my rights to take the new one with me and leave them without a Hoover?
In which case you really should have kept the broken one, rather than replacing it and taking it away with you. Having an email in your "sent" emails proves you sent it but not that someone read it and acted upon it. Their lack of response could put you in a difficult position.
The carpets are slightly moth-eaten (this was noted in our inventory) but may have worsened. The wording on the inventory is ambiguous so it's hard to know what's changed, but if it has worsened, am I able to argue that the moths were probably there before as evidenced by the existing damage? Failing that, am I right in thinking that the landlord is only able to charge me for a like for like replacement (I.e. a carpet with some moth damage)?
Ambiguous in what way? The presence of moths should be accepted as ongoing if no attempt at eradication was undertaken by the landlord. If the landlord demands compensation for any alleged damage caused by you, the amount claimed should be the remaining useful life of the item you have deprived them of. One could take the position that carpeting in a rental property should have an expected life of (say) ten years, so they would need to prove to the arbitrators how old the carpets were at the end of your tenancy if they want to make a deduction.
Having read some of the other posts on here, I've checked that my deposit is protected which is reassuring.
If anyone can give some advice or share some experience, it would really be appreciated.
Thanks and enjoy the sunny weekend all
What you should pay particular attention to is the stated condition of cleanliness, as many tenants have been stung for professional cleaning even when they have undertaken the cleaning themselves. What does the dual-signed inventory have to say about this?0 -
Don't know if it'll help but in one of my rental properties I got stung for:
- not cleaning under the toilet rims (the toilets were spotless otherwise)
- a small spillage of toiler cleaner on the carpet in the bathroom (stupid place to have a carpet, plus I had all the carpets professionally cleaned on exit)
- dirt/grease on the hob, by which they meant right in the middle of the gas rings because the rest was clean
- leaving a tumble drier there - that one I can understand
- Not replacing the chrome toilet brushes and holders - 3 at £15 each! (which I would argue was normal wear and tear)
If our current LL tries to deduct anything from our (also massive) deposit when we leave here I will kick up hell because a) it wasn't clean when we moved in, b) they never do anything about things breaking, and c) we've made some substantial improvements, ie. replacing the absolutely disgusting kitchen carpet with professionally fitted lino.
Anyway, so yes, make sure it is scrupulously clean. Good luck!0 -
Guruchelles: if the property wasn't clean on entry I sincerely hope you made dated and signed amendments to the check-in inventory. Your responsibility is to return the property in exactly the same state of cleanliness, not act as the landlord's unpaid cleaning service.
If they never do anything about "things breaking" you must put your observations to the landlord IN WRITING. By post, to the address on your tenancy agreement where it states "for the serving of notices".
Never do any improvements/alterations to the landlord's property without their express permission IN WRITING. Your more hygienic fitted lino may not be viewed by the landlord as a free improvement. I would never do any substantial ones without permission and asking for the landlord to make a contribution towards it. Next thing you know, you've increased the rental-potential and could be given notice for your trouble so the landlord could swap you for a new tenant prepared to pay more rent.0 -
Thanks B&T. There was no inventory.
I'll take your advice about putting my observations in writing.
We did get her verbal permission for the lino and she came and approved it afterwards. Didn't get written permission and this was quite a while ago so that ship may have sailed?
Anyway...don't want to hijack a thread!0 -
Thanks BitterAndTwisted.
Cleanliness was described pretty fairly - it was lived-in, so will ask the letting agency for a recommended cleaner. Presumably that way it's much harder for them to question the cleanliness of the flat.
The wording of the moth damage was ambiguous in that it described 'some' moth damage on one side of the room, rather than, say, 28cm2 of affected carpet next to wardrobe.
So presumably, given that none of the landlord's property is missing, I should be ok without the home insurance cert?
Thanks again for all the advice, it really is much appreciated.
Guruchelles - carpet in the kitchen!? You have my sympathy...0 -
The insurance is a non-issue. The only way it could become an issue is if
a) there is accidental damage to the LL's property
b) you have to pay for it
c) there is no insurance
But then you simply have to pay for it yourself.
Carpets. If moth-damage is noted, the LL has not treated for moths, and the damage worsens, then that is his fault not yours. However if you are using the term 'moth-damage' less literally to include wear, then it depends whether the extended 'wear' is 'fair wear and tear' or is 'damage' that you caused.
Hoover -as bitter said, you should not have disposed of it without (written) permission. You may need to leave the new one its place. My advice would be to write now (to the address "for the serving of notices") reminding the LL that you informed them of the defective hoover, and that, as you advised at the time, since it was not repaired you have disposed of it.0 -
guruchelles wrote: »Thanks B&T. There was no inventory.
No inventory means that the landlord is going to have a very difficult time indeed in persuading the deposit-scheme's arbitrators that any deductions for cleaning whatsoever can be justified should they attempt to make any and you dispute them.
All of what you have described suggests a not-experienced landlord. Such landlords can have rather unrealistic expectations regarding reasonable wear-and-tear come the end of a tenancy.0 -
BitterAndTwisted wrote: »No inventory means that the landlord is going to have a very difficult time indeed in persuading the deposit-scheme's arbitrators that any deductions for cleaning whatsoever can be justified should they attempt to make any and you dispute them.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 352.1K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.2K Spending & Discounts
- 245.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.5K Life & Family
- 258.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards