Handing over keys to our landlord. Help needed please!!

M_AJS

We are handing keys back to our landlord for our previous property and meeting him to check it over this week. I was advised that you can request for you landlord to check over the property whilst we are present and to go through the inventory with you, which is what we have asked him to do.

Is there any template letter or something similar that we can ask him to sign whilst we are there to say he is happy with the condition in which we have left the property??

The house is in better condition than when we got it. It has been cleaned top to bottom and we have repainted the kids rooms in neutral colours.

It is a private landlord and we just want a bit of extra security to get our deposit back as its quite a lot of money to us. We are a little worried as he is not your typical landlord and he has a large amount of post delivered to the property in all different names (which he collects) and we recently have had bailiffs coming to the house looking for him. There is something a bit strange going on!

maninthestreet

Have you checked the deposit is registered in one of the deposit registration schemes? Bailiffs would be acting on a court order - are you sure they were bailiffs, or were they just debt collectors?

dimbo61

Take lots of good quality photos with a camera or Good smartphone with a newspaper to prove the date you moved out.Have a friend at the property when you move out to help and note condition.
Request your deposit back from the DPS your landlord should have given you the paperwork with the deposit ref number!
The fact that lots of letters and bailiffs have been makes me think he has not informed the mortgage company he is letting the property. And may well have serious money problems.
If you do not get your deposit back within 15 days then post back on this forum.
If you do not have the details about the deposit then contact the 3 DPS schemes and check with them if registered.

M_AJS

Yes the deposit is registered with a deposit scheme, he did give us documents for it.

I suppose he could have just been a debt collector. He did not go into detail but he told us that we should seriously consider moving out asap. He didnt show me any ID but he left his contact number. I did call the landlord and he took his number and said he would call him. I dont know if he did!

Its all so odd!

M_AJS

dimbo61 wrote: »

Take lots of good quality photos with a camera or Good smartphone with a newspaper to prove the date you moved out.Have a friend at the property when you move out to help and note condition.
Request your deposit back from the DPS your landlord should have given you the paperwork with the deposit ref number!
The fact that lots of letters and bailiffs have been makes me think he has not informed the mortgage company he is letting the property. And may well have serious money problems.
If you do not get your deposit back within 15 days then post back on this forum.
If you do not have the details about the deposit then contact the 3 DPS schemes and check with them if registered.

Thank you. We do have the details of the scheme, thankfully.

Is there any type of letter I can get him to sign as we are leaving to say he is happy with the condition of the property? I think this would help as there is nothing wrong with the house that was not there when we moved in.

maninthestreet

M_AJS wrote: »

Thank you. We do have the details of the scheme, thankfully.

Is there any type of letter I can get him to sign as we are leaving to say he is happy with the condition of the property? I think this would help as there is nothing wrong with the house that was not there when we moved in.

Were you given a copy of the check-in inventory when you moved in?

M_AJS

It was not an inventory as such. We went round and noted down any problems or damage already there. For example a plug socket was hanging off the wall. We kept our copy and offered him a copy but he never took it. This was 5 years ago when we moved in. He never did his own inventory.

G_M

Without an inventory he will have difficulty making deductions: ("washing machine is missing? What washing machine?")

All you need is

* property address
* a sentence like "Property is in as good condition as at the start of the tenancy".
* his name
* Date
* his signature

Good idea to add
* gas meter: 12345
* electricity meter: 123456
* water meter: 12345

Read the meters together.

Ideally 2 copies, one each.

thesaint

The landlord is not required to attend the check-out of the property, or sign any document as to the state of the property.

M_AJS

thesaint wrote: »

The landlord is not required to attend the check-out of the property, or sign any document as to the state of the property.

I didnt say he was required to, I said we were advised you can request him too.
Although if he does not attend how would he get the keys back?

thesaint

M_AJS wrote: »

I didnt say he was required to, I said we were advised you can request him too.
Although if he does not attend how would he get the keys back?

I am answering the opening post, not replying to any posts in the thread, hence the reason why I have not quoted anyone.

You should know by now that you can request anything from anyone.