Deposit release fee??

Jonknight

Has anyone heard of a deposit release fee? I am tasked with getting my deposit back after being a good tenant for nearly 3 years. I am really upset with some of the things I am being asked to pay for after taking a day out to clean the flat before leaving- among them a bath plug (which I am sure I left before leaving)-£12. I have also been asked to pay £95 as a deposit release fee, I have never heard of this. I thought it was possible to get your whole deposit back and that is why it was protected at the beginning? Also I have been charged £33.40 in VAT? Is this right? I would be very grateful for any advice you clever people can give. Thank you. JK

princeofpounds

They have a legal duty to return your deposit to you whether you pay the fee or not.

You may have contractually agreed to pay a fee, but if you don't remember it there is a good chance you did not (and you never should of course). Check your paperwork.

This is either a case of speculative invoicing or another scummy tactic over contracts/T&Cs.

theartfullodger

Don;t agree to the deductions you think wrong: Write (yes, write! - keep copy) to landlord, copy agent, stating how much of deposit you require & that you will not agree to release fee. If no sensible response start dispute process with deposit scheme:

It's what the deposit schemes are for!

stator

Go straight to the deposit protection scheme and get the whole thing back.

G_M

* Deposits (payment, protection and return)

[Deleted User]

If you go back to the deposit protection scheme, not only will they not get the fee, they'll have to prove things like there was a bath plug when you moved in and there isn't now. Not easy lol.

Of course, its helpful if a tenant takes photo's when moving in and moving out.

Jonknight

Thanks to all for reading my post and offering your advice. I tried to get advice from the citizens advice bureau after showing all my paperwork but they did not know how to help. They think the release fee may be meant to be a clause I found which states that I will have to pay any reasonable costs at the end of the tenancy to create a new inventory-although the names are completely different. They gave me a number for Shelter which apparently give housing advice-through a few internet searches I have also found info for the 'law centres network' which look interesting. As for the bath plug it isn't on my inventory so I guess they can not charge for it! There is a campaign on Shelter which I can recommend 'Fix private renting' which is campaigning to end unfair fees etc.

G_M

Trouble is it's all getting a bit silly re inventories nowadays.

As a landlord, should I specify on the inventory that there are 3 sets of sockets in the living room, two double and one single, and they are each held in place with two screws? And that they are switched MK sockets as opposed to cheaper LAP sockets>

If there's only one screw at the end of the tenancy and I failed to specify 2,........??

Of course there's a bath plug!