Deposit Return Uncertainty

Cody

Hi;

The LA just informed me the landlady is in India and will respond on her return, no schedule given, but when I called the LL phone it is turned on and has a UK dialling tone.

Any thoughts, anyone?

Cody

Okydoky25

I've just completed a dispute with my landlord through the TDS. It's time consuming! TDS will not look kindly at an inventory checkout completed 2 weeks after you left for a start.

Suggest you claim back you full amount and then you will force your landlord into making their counter claim within 10 days. If they don't respond happy days if they do prepare your counter evidence. Stick to facts. Provide evidence where you can. I don't see how they can make a counter claim with such a late inventory especially if you were not present at the time.

Cody

Ok, I just lodged a dispute!, finally.

The lady mentioned that the certificate on file had not been updated to show the tenancy had moved from a fixed to a periodic tenancy...will this have any consequence does anyone think?

Cody

Hello;

I lodged the dispute, and the LL was given 14 days from 11th nov...but requested an extension to get documents together and was given to the 29th...so almost three months after we move out, it is becoming ridiculous.

Will this large gap bear negatively on the LL?, and also my question above, that the certificate on file had not been updated to show the tenancy had moved from a fixed to a periodic tenancy, be of any consequence?

The LL is doing this simply to punish us for moving out after her preferred date. Previouslly before we indicated to her we would be moving out later than she would like, she told us she would not 'nick pick' regarding the deposit.

Very frustrating, 3 months is a very long time and £1660 is a lot of money to be without.

Cody

Cody

Hello;

The LL submitted evidence and is claiming to deduct the entire deposit value, on the last day she could she could submit, £1662.

I was expecting to be able to submit my evidence subsequentally, but apparently I am unable to do this, since the evidence submission date is closed.

Help!!

I had been informed by TDS representative on the phone before I opened the dispute that I would be able to submit evidence once the LL had submitted theirs.

I have written to the complaints department at the TDS about this, since it seems grossly unfair that the LL can request 1662 of deductions on the final date allowed for submission without a chance to provide my own. I was unable to submit evidence beforehand, since I did not know what the deductions would be.

Help! (again)

Cody

benjus

Not 100% sure, but my advice would be:

Get on the phone to TDS quickly... sounds like the landlord has done this before and knows how to play the system to her best advantage. Make sure TDS is aware that you want to respond to the landlord's evidence. Get your response ready quickly and send it by post to TDS.

Guest101

I would suggest you send your evidence now, and explicitly state you were not able to offer counter evidence due to the timing of the land lords actions.

What exactly constitutes 1662 worth of damage? Perhaps we can help with this, but need more info

Cody

Hi;

Well, I havnt looked at the evidence on purpose, since it will make me very, very angry I know, and I wanted to review it when I am able to provide a response. I'm also at work and it will no doubt distract me 100%. The lady on the phone today (I escalated it to the manager there at their call centre) indicated any evidence I submitted now would be rejected. She told me over the phone the amount wishing to be deducted.

I'm also overseas from my home and can not get back until tomorrow where my documentation is.

I may grit my teeth and review the evidence and then share here.

thanks

Cody

diamond_dave

I do feel sorry for Cody and her predicament - but feel that I have to put another side to a similar story. I rented a small 2 bed flat to a young couple with 1 child on benefits. The flat was immaculate, new carpets, flooring, decoration, etc. Although they were smokers, I insisted that they NOT smoke in the flat. Rent paid on time, no problems. After a while another child arrived and I noticed that the place was getting scruffy and dirty, rubbish everywhere. I cannot recall the number of times that I have asked them to open the windows, in order to air the place out and remove condensation, Never done. Whenever,I visited, the smoke detectors had the batteries removed -(my 86 yr old FIL lives in the flat above).It just seemed that whatever I asked them to do, they just ignored me - not nastily or aggressive , more like they just didn't understand what all the fuss was. Another child came along(3 boys). Whenever there was a problem, I rectified it immediately, and didn't pester them constantly.A couple of weeks ago they called to say that part of the ceiling in the lounge had come down! It's a old lathe & plaster ceiling, which had not been renewed when the property was converted.I immediately went to inspect the damage and was HORRIFIED at the general state of the place. Everything smelled like a dead rat, the place was filthy, you could not stand on the carpet without sticking to it, the windows were BLACK. Anyway, I set to and removed said ceiling, new PB, skimmed, and Artexed. When I came to paint to area(3m x 2m) white the rest of the ceiling looked like it was painted with magnolia - it was so covered in nicotine!
I now find out through a friend that these people are moving out without giving any notice and presumably leaving me to sort out the mess. I have tried to do everything by the book, landlords gas safety certificate, heating regularly inspected, deposit secured with DPS generally left them to their own devices (quiet enjoyment I think its called!) and this is the outcome. I'm not for 1 minute suggesting that the OP,Cody, is anything but genuine and sincere, I'm just putting the landlords point of view.

Cody

Hi;

Sorry to hear of your situation Dave, it seems there are bad tenants as well as as bad LLs. I hope you can get your place cleaned up and sorted quickly.

For an update, I emailed the complaints at TDS and they responded within an hour giving me an extension....so I have moved from being frustrated with the TDS and LL to just with the LL now.

So a tip for anyone in a similar situation, make sure you contact the complaints line at TDS, they are helpful!

Tomorrow I will review the claims...I think I may need some calming tea beforehand.

Cody