Check out - charging for replacing the sofas?

pimento

I don't think it will come to court. It will just be another life experience for my son and his mates.

I tell you, I'm in the wrong job as well. From where I'm sitting, student lets look like money for old rope.

They moved out on July 1st. Deposit is with My Deposits. Do we have to request it back or just wait for the LL to send it to him?

Guest101

Request it back, in full. He can then enter his reasons for deductions, and the arbitration will commence.

Now the important stuff, on the inventory (which is signed by the LL and all four tenants) what does it say about the state of the house, and how close to that state (aside from the sofas) did they leave it?

pimento

The check in inventory was very thorough and apart from a few small items, the house was in brand new condition (well, as brand new as a Victorian terraced house with a new kitchen, flooring and painting can be).

When they left it was structurally sound but dirty. He can't argue that it does need a professional clean (£230) but they are being charged for repainting whole rooms where there are marks (I'd call them scuffs) on the white emulsion walls. They broke the freezer tray door in the freezer when it got stuck on the ice. The ignition switch for the hob was lost (!?). There was (and I quote) "dust under a mattress".

£120 to paint the hall and stairs which looked clean enough to me but what do I know?

I think the cleaning and possibly the re-painting can't be argued about but replacing those sofas has niggled me because I just saw it coming but couldn't do anything about it.

He's charging them to fix the sliding door on the cupboard that houses the meters in the front room. The cupboard is basically a boxing in with some ancient sliding doors made out of that fake wood stuff that you find in kitchens of the 60's. Wobbly board. The meters are positioned so that the electric meter is right in the middle where the doors cross over so it is impossible to read the meter without taking the wobbly doors out of their groove. The whole Heath Robinson affair looks almost of an age with the house. £20 to fix it.

EmmaBridgewater

Guest101 wrote: »

Blimey! im in the wrong game!!

Yes he probably does, not that he will remove them. But he'll charge you for it.

When did they move out, and have they requested their deposit back from the scheme?

1200 is very standard rent, assuming it is for four people.

Guest101

EmmaBridgewater wrote: »

1200 is very standard rent, assuming it is for four people.

Not in my area, and its a nice area too

Guest101

pimento wrote: »

The check in inventory was very thorough and apart from a few small items, the house was in brand new condition (well, as brand new as a Victorian terraced house with a new kitchen, flooring and painting can be).

When they left it was structurally sound but dirty. He can't argue that it does need a professional clean (£230) but they are being charged for repainting whole rooms where there are marks (I'd call them scuffs) on the white emulsion walls. They broke the freezer tray door in the freezer when it got stuck on the ice. The ignition switch for the hob was lost (!?). There was (and I quote) "dust under a mattress".

£120 to paint the hall and stairs which looked clean enough to me but what do I know?

I think the cleaning and possibly the re-painting can't be argued about but replacing those sofas has niggled me because I just saw it coming but couldn't do anything about it.

He's charging them to fix the sliding door on the cupboard that houses the meters in the front room. The cupboard is basically a boxing in with some ancient sliding doors made out of that fake wood stuff that you find in kitchens of the 60's. Wobbly board. The meters are positioned so that the electric meter is right in the middle where the doors cross over so it is impossible to read the meter without taking the wobbly doors out of their groove. The whole Heath Robinson affair looks almost of an age with the house. £20 to fix it.

Now did they sign this inventory?

DRP

I dunno about this. It seems the tenants left the place in a bit of a state (damaged, dirty etc). It would have only taken a little work to have saved them the cleaning charges and a little care to have prevented being charged for the sofa. Broken things are of course either avoidable or tough luck.

I would claim the whole lot from DPS, then when it comes to arbitration, accept the cleaning/repair and argue the toss (betterment) for the painting and sofa replacement.

*assuming the inventory is detailed and kosher

pimento

The inventory was signed on each page by my son who was the 'lead tenant'. He and I were there with the LL and the inventory person.

I'd say the inventory is kosher but (in my opinion) overly detailed for a student let.

EmmaBridgewater

Guest101 wrote: »

Not in my area, and its a nice area too

For a student house it is. Anywhere between 260 and 320 is standard at my uni, mine was 420 (halls), 300 and 325.

fart

EmmaBridgewater wrote: »

For a student house it is. Anywhere between 260 and 320 is standard at my uni, mine was 420 (halls), 300 and 325.

My student house was £220pcm with 4 people in, so it is standard as you say.

OP - ALWAYS take photos of everything when moving into a new gaff. We had a situation where the lad who came to check our flat when we moved out tried to say we'd left the walls marked and that he'd have to take money off for it.

'Uh...i don't think you will mate - the inventory says 'fair' condition but we actually took photos, which are dated the day we moved in, which show the majority of these marks were already present.'

2 hours later we had the full deposit back. It pays to be prepared, and the preparation starts when you move in. I know this is a slightly different situation but it's a good general rule of thumb.