Is this a fair deduction from deposit?

Comms69

Liz1729 wrote: »

And how was I going to win exactly? I could win back 100% of my deposit but they don’t award back charged fees. The estate agent said clearly these fees would be charged if we used the dispute service and therefore we would be a net out of pocket despite being in the right. I can’t see how that term in the contract is fair or enforceable but the deposit resolution service aren’t the ones to handle that.

It is easy for people on the internet to take risks with other people’s money. I would feel the same way. As the person going through it, stressed out my mind and not able to sleep (again!) and so I took the cheapest option. I came here for support, not a hostile telling off, please try to be helpful rather than vent at me. This whole thing has left me shaken, sensitive and not at my best.

Unrelated to the deposit, we have records of abusive behaviour from the landlord which if it was a random stranger would be reported to the police... i’ll ask citizens advice in person on my next day off.

... but how would they get the money from you.......

elsien

It's not the estate agents job to protect tenants from landlords. They are employed by the landlord. If it is serious enough, don't open the door to the landlord
If he just turns up, and call the police if he kicks off.
You just can't be "made homeless" without it going to court. Which can take months depending on your tenancy and whether the agent knows what their doing, and gives you time to find elsewhere.
I really don't know what you expect CAB to do.

Comms69

Liz1729 wrote: »

We reported the behaviour to the estate agents who admitted they have no procedures for protecting tenants from abusive landlords. If we took it further they would have made us homeless which would have been exceedingly expensive. We found a new place and moved out ASAP instead, which still took ages.

I don’t know if the fees would be considered unfair or not, they are stated in our contract but are all so vaguely worded it is not clear when or when not they would apply. It essentially forces tenants to give up their rights to dispute for any disputes less than the cost of the fee. While there were more correct options for me to have taken, they were all more expensive!?

As far as I can tell, the way forward is to discuss this with citizens advice, write a complaint to the estate agent and then on to the property ombudsman. We have ended up out of pocket but it’s the morals of the situation that grate on me and I want the estate agent and landlord looked into for their practices for the sake of the new tenant and the one after that... or I could just leave it as a bad chapter of my life finally closed and move on, with gratitude that I can afford to pay awful people to leave my life.

Eviction literally takes 6 months....

You understand incorrectly. STOP taking legal advice from volunteers with almost no knowledge.

You have no complaint to the agent. The agent isn’t your friend; they have no legal relationship to you.

Comms69

Pixie5740 wrote: »

!!!!!!! Deja Vu anyone?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5453866/charging-tenant-to-clean-conservatory-roof-so-stressed-out-by-this

See you all in 2020 for another thread from the OP about deposit deductions.

Must make sure I check posting history in the future; such a waste of time