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Deposit deduction advice needed.
Rhaco
Posts: 1 Newbie
Hi all,
I would be grateful of any advice you can provide me with.
I will give a quick run down of the situation:
12 month student AST starting in July last year.
No photos of property from us, unfortunately I only moved in in october at the start of term. Only one tenant moved in on day but then left till october aswell.
No signed inventory of property, despite us attempting to get one done in october/november.
2 weeks after moving out we were provided with deposit deduction breakdown, which included around £100 worth of deductions we agreed with (some cleaning, 2 broken chairs), and deductions we disputed totalling over £200; a broken wardbrobe of which we informed him about in october (broken when we moved in) and broken bed base and mattress, which were like that when we moved in, the beds must have been about 20 years old.
We disputed these with the landlord and out of the kindness of his heart, because we were good tenants, he's dropping the bed and wardbrobe, but is now attempting to deduct money for repairing a broken hinge (screws have pulled put of their holes) in one of the kitchen cupboards, totalling £125!
I would argue that the hinges were not fitted properly in the first place (wood glue should have been added to the holes to kept them in place) as screws loosened on most of the cupboard hinges (which we retightened) and this would apply under 'fair wear and tear' anyway, it's not like we've wrenched the cupboard door off.
Can anyone give advice on action I should take?
Many thanks,
Chris
I would be grateful of any advice you can provide me with.
I will give a quick run down of the situation:
12 month student AST starting in July last year.
No photos of property from us, unfortunately I only moved in in october at the start of term. Only one tenant moved in on day but then left till october aswell.
No signed inventory of property, despite us attempting to get one done in october/november.
2 weeks after moving out we were provided with deposit deduction breakdown, which included around £100 worth of deductions we agreed with (some cleaning, 2 broken chairs), and deductions we disputed totalling over £200; a broken wardbrobe of which we informed him about in october (broken when we moved in) and broken bed base and mattress, which were like that when we moved in, the beds must have been about 20 years old.
We disputed these with the landlord and out of the kindness of his heart, because we were good tenants, he's dropping the bed and wardbrobe, but is now attempting to deduct money for repairing a broken hinge (screws have pulled put of their holes) in one of the kitchen cupboards, totalling £125!
I would argue that the hinges were not fitted properly in the first place (wood glue should have been added to the holes to kept them in place) as screws loosened on most of the cupboard hinges (which we retightened) and this would apply under 'fair wear and tear' anyway, it's not like we've wrenched the cupboard door off.
Can anyone give advice on action I should take?
Many thanks,
Chris
0
Comments
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I think that the onus is on the landlord to prove that you caused the damage (ie, by performing a proper inventory before and after tenancy). If he hasn't done this, then it harms him more than anything else.
The deposit should be protected. Find out which scheme it is in and speak with them. They can mediate if both parties agree to it.
If he hasn't protected the deposit, you can take him to court for failing to protect deposit. They can award between 1-3 times the deposit amount.0 -
Dispute the deductions via the deposit protection scheme. No dual-signed and dated inventory means the landlord cannot prove any damage happened during your tenancy.0
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