Living without a contract

Miranda25

Hello Guys,

I am very new to this forum and renting a room in London. I am a lodger and live without a contract. I paid 1 month rent and 1 month deposit. I am wondering if it would be a problem for me to get a deposit back in future when I decide to leave the room. What could I do to get a deposit back if I live without a contract please? What are my rights?

Thanks a lot for your advice.

M.

G_M

Yes you have a contract. It is verbal, not written. (you pay rent & receive a room in return, therefore there is a contract)

You should get your deposit back when you leave unless you owe rent or cause damage.

If the landlord does not return it, your remedy would be a claim via the Small Claims Court. I assume you have a receipt proving you paid the deposit?

Miranda25

It is just written on a piece of paper that I paid deposit, date and signature. It is not a specific blank. Could it be called a receipt? Or where could I take this special blank please? Any forms available online? Thank you for prompt reply.

HappyMJ

Miranda25 wrote: »

It is just written on a piece of paper that I paid deposit, date and signature. It is not a specific blank. Could it be called a receipt? Or where could I take this special blank please? Any forms available online? Thank you for prompt reply.

It's a receipt. It's very unlikely for a landlord to have professionally pre-printed receipts so any signed bit of paper is a receipt.

Miranda25

Thank you Guys. Otherwise I even thought to go to any local property agency and ask them for this kind of blanks:-))

G_M

By 'blank' do you mean a receipt form?

You don't need one. You have the landlord's signature on a piece of paper showing (presumably) how much you paid. You show that to the court and unless the LL claims it is not his signature (which he could do with a receipt form/'blank' anyway) you are fine.

Miranda25

Sorry, I thought "blank" is English word. We use this word for a paper with printed text which you need to fill. It looks like you use "form" for that? Thanks.

Jhoney_2

I presume you are living with the Landlord? Otherwise that may not be the correct process for your deposit. If this is not the case, e.g you are sharing a house with others who are also renting a room, but there is no Landlord residing at the property, that would be a different matter and the answers would be somewhat different.

Please confirm so that you can be given the correct advice for your circumstances.

Miranda25

I am renting a room in the house. Landlord lives in the same house. Just trying to avoid future problems as I read somewhere that 65% of tenants have used issues with getting their deposits back.

Jhoney_2

However what you have read is not relevant to your circumstances as you are not a tenant - hence the need to clarify in my other post.

Everything you have been advised is therefore correct to you as advised above.

Miranda25

To Jhoney

Do you think only tenants may have issues with getting deposits back and not lodgers? Why? I do not see any differences if you need to get money back.