Rental Deposit issues

Razza1234

Hi everyone,



I have been browsing this forum, and many others, trying to find some advice. I moved out of a property in April and there were a few issues that the inventory and letting agent flagged that would need rectifying and deducting from the deposit. Some of these I agreed to immediately as they were fair. I did challenge them on one issue though and that was to do with holes in the wall and picture hooks being left up. They are saying that the cost to fill the 10 holes and remove and make good 3 picture hooks is going to be £300 as a contribution from me. I asked for what the quote on this was and they said between £300 and £550 for wall prep and walls, not gloss work.



As far as I can tell I should not be charged for betterment, I lived in the house for 2 and a half years, which seems to be about half the life of a paint job for walls. Does this mean I should only pay half of the decoration costs, so £150 as that was the cheapest quote?


Does it make a difference that the new tenants have already moved in? Whilst I am here, £60 to replace a cracked plug socket, does that seem reasonable? Also £50 for a microwave that was old when we moved in and we threw out not really thinking about it? I feel like they are inflating the costs and making money out of me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks!

need_an_answer

Was there a clause in your tenancy agreement regarding hanging pictures and how they were to be secured to the walls?


I can see how the figures were arrived at loosely,especially if there were a clause preventing you hanging pictures.
It is likely that the cost could be a days work to fill prep and paint sections of each wall to blend in and a standard decorator is likely to work on a daily rate.


Again with the cost for socket replacement that is around the standard charge an electrician would make for the job.


Microwave again that's the cost to replace a basic one,although I don't know what was disposed of by you in the first place.


It makes no difference that new tenants have moved in.your contract has ended and they have started a new tenancy.


If you feel the costs are too high then you must challenge the deductions via the deposit service,dont negotiate with the LL ,let the adjudication process run with it.

My opinion is that the costs are high but not totally unreasonable if you consider that a trades person may be employed to carry out the jobs.

benjus

First, read G_M's thread on Deposits.

Are the things the landlord is claiming for supported by evidence (usually in the form of entry and exit inventories, preferably performed by an independent inventory clerk)? Do you accept liability for them?

If you're going to do things like making picture holes, you really should make good yourself before you leave if you want to avoid being charged for it. I don't think 2.5 years is a reasonable lifespan for paintwork - I'd put it more like double that.

As for the socket, did you damage it? If so it would have been prudent to get it fixed yourself to avoid being overcharged; if not you should not be paying for it now. The price doesn't seem unreasonable to cover an electrician's call-out charge.

As for the microwave, you owe the landlord a microwave of the age and condition that it would have been at the time the tenancy ended (assuming that you had used it reasonably during your tenancy and not damaged it). Any more than that would be betterment.

Marvel1

need_an_answer wrote: »

challenge the deductions via the deposit service,dont negotiate with the LL ,let the adjudication process run with it.

I would just do this, let them decide what is fair.