Landlord dispute re deposit

PatsyUK

Hello,
I am new to this great site....first time posting

We paid our landlord 1.5 months deposit - placed in a deposit protection scheme.

I organised professional cleaners/steam cleaning carpet and a gardener (recommended by LL) prior to check out.
I meet with the inventory clerk at beginning of check out, had to leave due to vomiting baby at home! She stated that the landlord would ask me for details of the cleaning company to return and rectify issues. LL never asked me for these details. I presumed everything was satisfactory.

We waited 4 weeks to receive the check out report. Which I had to send numerous reminders to LL.

Finally received the report and and a bill (deposit deduction) of £1400!! I'm shocked.
we received an invoice for dilapidations, the word invoice rather that quote now makes me think that this work is now done by LL. So how long have they had the check out information?

Many of these we do not agree with, or in cases where we are liable the costs seems very high.

They also want to get cleaners (their own) to clean and steam clean the carpets.
I have already paid for this...£280!
The inventory clerk is now denying that she stated the above to me...LL would get my cleaners details, and get them to return if needed. Although her report states 'LL to get details of professional cleaners from tenants'

We had the grass cut on Sunday, checkout on Thursday - however the report states grass needs cutting?

The list goes on....
we have told the landlord we are not happy, and are now awaiting an itemised invoice.
What are my next steps....to formally dispute this.

Thanks for your help!

bigisi

Dispute it with the deposit protection scheme it was registered in.

G_M

See

* Deposits: payment, protection and return

FBaby

The odds are in your favour. Your cleaning person would have to have done quite a bad job, bad enough to show on pictures for a adjudicator to consider that the place wasn't left as it was when you moved in.

Saying that, I did pay once for a 'professional' cleaner, and the quality of it was shocking I ended up having to go over all the parts she'd forgotten. I certainly hadn't paid her £280 though!

PatsyUK

Thanks for the responses. I think I will take this further and dispute.

The LL has found issues with the cleaning and garden (and many more things). I'm starting to think its a scam. The invoice they have sent me for the handyman is extremely inflated, and they are also charging a 15% service charge on all cleaning and maintenance.
Unfortunately, this is 15% is in the contract that I signed.....lesson learned here!

I paid £280 for a professional end of lease clean, part of this service, cleaners can return to rectify issues.
The check out clerk told me the LL would get in touch with cleaners if this arose.
Now, they want to use their own cleaners (extremely inflated price again), and the clerk is denying this conversation ever happened.. Although, the report states LL to get name of cleaners from tenant.
I'm beginning to question the independence of this clerk, they own 20 properties in the area and this clerk does all the inventory.

I'm thinking I have a good case for dispute?

need_an_answer

Do you have pictures that you took prior to moving out of the quality in which you left the property.
Submit these if possible with your dispute.

The issue over the independence of the check out clerk is something that you are unlikely to be able to challenge.An inventory is carried out on the instruction of the LL and can even be completed by the LL themselves,there is no requirement for that inventorty to be supplied by an "independent" person.

The basis of your dispute should be that on check out you left the property in accordance with the details supplied within the original inventory which you signed and agreed to when you moved in.An allowance for wear and tear can be made.

The LL is not able to claim for betterment so as long as you can prove that the property was left in the condition stipulated then I see no reason not to raise a dispute with the deposit service.

FBaby

You don't have a case on the basis of expecting the LL to contact your cleaners and allow them to come back to rectify. If they do a good job, there should be nothing needing rectifying. Also, the moment you end in the keys at the end of your tenancy, you have no right, nor any of your contractors, to enter the property again.

It will come down to pictures and check in vs check out inventories.