Royal Mail have lost rented house keys!

sheramber

If there was no address with the keys could they have been delivered and nobody knows what property they are for?

greendoor665

Dispute the deduction with the deposit scheme.

lisyloo

I would make sure I had several copies of the email instructing you to send by the keys by recorded delivery (emailscan easily be deleted).


I would dispute the deduction with the agent point our their instuctions and also that you have a copy of instuctions.
Then dispute with the deposit protection scheme.


Also whilst this is extremely annoying try not to get too stressed as it's £50 and not the end of the world.
Yes - I would fight to get it back but don't give yourself an ulcer over it.

macman

Is your deposit protected? If not, then you have considerable leverage.
If they did not attend, who did the checkout inventory?
Sounds like a very amateur LA to me.

Carptackle89

sheramber wrote: »

If there was no address with the keys could they have been delivered and nobody knows what property they are for?

Hi, not really as i emailed the estate agent the proof of postage and also put my forwarding address on the back of the package, i informed them of my forwarding address on my notice to quit letter.

Carptackle89

greendoor665 wrote: »

Dispute the deduction with the deposit scheme.

i think im going to, i did email them back stating that i wasnt happy about it being deducted from my deposit when i only followed the instructions given to me by the EA. ( which luckily i have written evidence of)
He cant just deduct it now ive stated that im not happy can he?

Carptackle89

lisyloo wrote: »

I would make sure I had several copies of the email instructing you to send by the keys by recorded delivery (emailscan easily be deleted).


I would dispute the deduction with the agent point our their instuctions and also that you have a copy of instuctions.
Then dispute with the deposit protection scheme.


Also whilst this is extremely annoying try not to get too stressed as it's £50 and not the end of the world.
Yes - I would fight to get it back but don't give yourself an ulcer over it.

haha this made me smile although its not £50 i will lose unfortunately more into the £100's. Its Royal Mail that only cover up £50. I have said to the EA that i am going to see where i legally stand and if it ends up that i am responsible for paying for the lock to be changed then i am entitled to have atleast 3 quotes for a locksmith and no just willingly accept what they offer.

Carptackle89

macman wrote: »

Is your deposit protected? If not, then you have considerable leverage.
If they did not attend, who did the checkout inventory?
Sounds like a very amateur LA to me.

Yes, it is protected. Someone else mentioned about not having a checkout. When i moved in they were there to hand over keys etc this is when i emailed them a few days before my tenancy ended to ask what the process was and this was when he asked me to post the keys via recorded post.

Thrugelmir

Carptackle89 wrote: »

i think im going to, i did email them back stating that i wasnt happy about it being deducted from my deposit when i only followed the instructions given to me by the EA. ( which luckily i have written evidence of)
He cant just deduct it now ive stated that im not happy can he?

Doesn't negate the fact that the package hasn't arrived (yet). When you buy something online you'd expect a refund if the parcel didn't arrive wouldn't you?

need_an_answer

I find it quite hard to believe that you have had the only set of keys to that lock.

In my experience as a LL ive always either held a set of keys or when I used a managed service of a letting agent they held a set to be used for things like gas safety inspections that the tenant was unable to attend.

I would dispute the deduction if it is ever actually deducted from your deposit rather than it just being a threat at present.
Advise the agency that should the cost be passed on to you for any more than the cost of a replacement key cutting service then you will challenge the deduction.


The cost of replacement keys should then be covered by the RM insurance on the letter.


I don't believe in this case that you have done anything that should support the charging of a new lock to you or a locksmith to fit it.
You have followed the instruction of the agency to return the keys and were not responsible for the replacement of the lock should they not have been prudent enough to keep a spare key between them an d the LL

But as most things I'm not your LL and that's what the deposit protection is there to arbitrate for when a dispute is raised.
Things get interpreted different ways by different people I'm afraid

Should this situation happen again you may wish to consider guaranteed next day delivery for a more safer way of sending the keys...something like £7 but it does need a signature and perhaps the monetary value for compensation as a result of loss would have covered the locksmith if needed.


Something to always consider with hindsight of it happening to you once.