How long is reasonable for a post tenancy inspection?

Mummyto4kids

We moved out of our rental property on June 29th so it's been 9 days. We confirmed to the agent that we would need to lose some deposit for a carpet which my daughter stained with hair dye and they said they'd confirm it all with us once they'd inspected the property. They didn't do a check out visit we had to take the keys in. This morning they're saying they may not get out to there house for up to another two weeks. This means we can't apply for any of our large deposit back until they've been out but I think this is taking a really long time. We've notified the deposit scheme that we've left and they said the application for the return should be done as soon as possible after a tenancy ends but until we agree the deduction amount we can't ask for it back.

Is there a guideline anywhere as to how long it's reasonable for them to take to inspect the house ?
Many thanks!

Miss_Samantha

Request the whole of the deposit from the scheme. That should get the agent moving.

Katang

It seems to be a slow process obtaining the deposit back....I'm still waiting from my tenancy ending 1st April. So I recommend getting the ball rolling now. Request it all back ASAP.

KiT155

Is there anything in your contract. I think our tenancy agreement states inspection must be done, and any issues raised, within 10 days of contract ending.

always_sunny

My old AST also had 10 days: "The deposit (or appropriate balance) will be returned within 10 days of either the end of the tenancy or in the event of a disagreement between landlord and tenant 10 days after the ADR/court decision."

I wouldn't wait that long. Go to the DPS site with the details and trigger the refund. You have waiting more than plenty. If they don't agree, they can, in writing, let you know why. Shift the onus on them.

Tyler119

I agree, I think it generally is within 10 days, I mean the inspection and giving whatever money back to you.

If it another two weeks on top of 9 days, then they will have trouble claiming much from the deposit. In this scenario, it could be claimed that any damage occurred after you vacated the premises.

This is why agents / landlords should use independent companies to carry out the move in inventory and check out inspection. They are generally on the ball and the reports carry far more weight with the various deposit schemes, and indeed the court system...if it every gets that far...always best to try and sort it way before that.

Oh, have the keys been handed back to the landlord?

Which scheme is the deposit with? They generally have quite specific timescales and procedures.

Mummyto4kids

Our deposit is held with DPS in the custodial scheme. The keys went back to the agent on Weds 29th - ten days would be up this weekend so I might give DPS a call and ask them if they have a timescale.

Mummyto4kids

There is nothing in our tenancy agreement. We took a whole heap of photos date stamped before we left because we were advised to so we have those to rely on if it gets messy!

richbek

This seems really excessive to me, I've been renting for 14 years in 5 different properties and it's always been done within a couple of days of giving the keys back.


We've just handed in notice (we give keys back 6th August) and the date has already been set for check out for 8th August.

Tyler119

Mummyto4kids wrote: »

There is nothing in our tenancy agreement. We took a whole heap of photos date stamped before we left because we were advised to so we have those to rely on if it gets messy!

Yeah good job with the photos. Sounds like the agency are messing up with regards to protecting the landlord and messing up with not giving your money back.

I would start whatever claim you need to via the DPS online service. Tell the agency you are doing this and that they have had 10 days, which is a very reasonable time to get an inspection done.

Claim back what is yours minus what you think should be deducted from the deposit. The agency is not allowed to drag things out like that.

Mummyto4kids

Thank you I didn't realise that we could do that. We left another voicemail today for the agents, we have also emailed the landlord as she's always been really nice and very swift to get repairs done in the 18 months we have been there. We have just said if we don't hear over the weekend from the agent (and I am pretty sure they are actually closed) then we will claim the deposit minus what we were quoted to replace the carpet as its now been too long