Moved out on 30 may and still not had deposit back and agents not responding

brinkytwiddleee

Seems strange since they would usually respond within a day of me sending them emails and I have sent like 3-4 emails and not a peep from them for more than a week.

I had a letter in 2014 saying my deposit was unprotected. Could this be the reason they don't want to reply? Could it be they found out the landlord was in the wrong by not reprotecting my deposit and they are trying to cover their tracks before responding to me? This was when I was with a different agent and the landlord changed to this one only about 6 months before I moved out.

They were going to take £160 for a professsional clean which I would have reluctantly accepted if my deposit had been returned to me but it still hasn't and I can't get any reply from them over email now.

So what should I do next?

I checked on the 3 deposit sites and couldn't find any infortmation about my deposit on any of them.

EDIT: It also may have been protected all along just that I didn't put the correct dates into the websites because they ask when it started and if there was a new one made I have no idea when it started from because I never got information about a new one from the landlord so no idea when they would have done it if at all.

bob_bank_spanker

Is it still unprotected? Check all 3 schemes, takes about 10 minutes online.

brinkytwiddleee

I checked on the 3 deposit sites and couldn't find any infortmation about my deposit on any of them.

I said that I checked the 3 sites in the OP did you read it?

aneary

bob_bank_spanker wrote: »

Is it still unprotected? Check all 3 schemes, takes about 10 minutes online.

The OP has said that he checked all three sites.

You can get 1-3 x your deposit if it wasn't protected.

I would write a letter get it sent via recorded post stating that you would like your full (do not accept the cleaning bill) deposit back.

Shelter has template letters.

brinkytwiddleee

I had sent an email to the agents saying that £160 was exhorbitant and they said they don't care and that they are still charging me in not so many words and that was just before they stopped responding.

People in the other thread were implying I left the place a pigsty which is insulting. I gave it a tremendous clean. The only small scuff marks on the wall were what I couldnt get off because if I tried to clean it then the paint would just come off with it so it would only make things worse.

I unfortunately didn't take any pictures of the state of the place before leaving.

There was no dirt in the place otherwise. I cleaned everywhere thoroughly to the best of my ability and I always kept it tidy anyway not leaving things like some student den of iniquity as people are quick to want to imply.

G_M

If the deposit is protected, put in a single claim.

If the deposit is not protected, send a Letter Before Action to the landlord, at the address provided for serving notices, with a copy to the agents.

Don't use 'signed for' post (it may not be delivered). Point out the failure to protect, request full repayment withing 5 working days, otherwise you will make a claim via the courts both for the deposit, and for the penalty.

SuboJvR

Unfortunately it's often the case with cleaning that they will then pay again for a professional clean no matter how good a job you do.

I remember when I was still a student, my mum helping me clean up my flat, she went to absolute town on the oven and she was most upset when I got charged for "oven cleaning" :rotfl:

We since learned our lesson when dealing with agencies for renting, we actually just pay ourselves to get the clean done. I'm afraid for me it's one of those things that now I would just much rather factor that in with the cost of a move rather than spend hours doing it myself, only to then be likely told I didn't do a good enough job. In my experience if you do it this way and then provide a receipt for the professional clean they don't try and contest.

brinkytwiddleee

G_M wrote: »

If the deposit is protected, put in a single claim.

If the deposit is not protected, send a Letter Before Action to the landlord, at the address provided for serving notices, with a copy to the agents.

Yes but how do I find out one way or the other other than asking the landlord/agents who I am unable to get responses from? I already checked on the 3 sites and couldnt find it.

G_M wrote: »

Don't use 'signed for' post (it may not be delivered). Point out the failure to protect, request full repayment withing 5 working days, otherwise you will make a claim via the courts both for the deposit, and for the penalty.

Are saying that normal post is better than signed for? or you mean to send by special delivery because that is the only one that is considered almost foolproof?

wantonnoodle

brinkytwiddleee wrote: »

Are saying that normal post is better than signed for? or you mean to send by special delivery because that is the only one that is considered almost foolproof?

It is possible that they may refuse to sign for it, in which case it would never be deemed received. Whereas, if you send it regular First class, under English law it is deemed received 2 working days after postage. You can still get proof of postage from the post office even if it is not signed for - which proves useful in this case.

Therefore, legally, you are in a stronger position if you send it standard First class.

brinkytwiddleee

What happens if it genuinely was lost and the landlord had no knowlege of it?

Also how would they refuse to sign for it if they didn't know what was in it? seems very implausible that would happen.

Sure if you had been in a fiery tug of war for month with the LL then it would be easy to see how in that case they would expect bad news and refuse it but I have only once sent him a letter in the past and that was giving my notice so I can't imagine what would motivate them to refuse it at the moment.

Also they have no idea it would be from their ex-tenant until they opened it so that makes it even less plausible.

Pixie5740

Do you want advice or not?

As has already been suggested by G_M send a letter before action requesting your deposit back. Send it however you wish: Signed For, Special Delivery, 1st Class, 2nd Class, carrier pigeon, smoke signals, semaphore, whatever makes you happy.