Waiting for rental deposit to be returned

LMS94

Hi,

I moved out of my rented property on the 16th December and the estate agent had advised the house was in good shape when we left - just a few minor marks on the walls from moving our stuff out (the landlord has had the house on the market for a few months now, even when we were in the property).

They have sent an email suggesting they have received a quote for the work required (according to the checkout report - their recommendation was to redecorate??).

I spoke to the letting agent and they advised that they still haven't heard back from the landlord regarding how much they'd want to take from the deposit.

Is there a timeframe that the landlord should release the funds or am I to wait until they've made a decision on how much they want to cover up some marks?

Thanks

theartfullodger

Follow the advice on Shelter website
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/how_to_get_your_tenancy_deposit_back


& start a dispute with the deposit protection scheme



Write (yes WRITE/email.., keep copy) to landlord (yes LANDLORD, copy agent) on these matters.


Good luck

sal_III

When was the property last redecorated, how long did you spend there. I wouldn't pay full redecoration price (if at all) for a few scuff marks on the walls from furniture.

Edit: As for deposit return timeline, it took me 2 months from opening the dispute (which itself was about 1 month after checkout) with TDS until the disputed amount was returned. The undisputed amount was returned at the point of creating the dispute.

LMS94

I found the property on right move from when it was sold to the landlord in 2008 and the decor looks similar so I'm not sure when it was last decorated.

There were some marks on the walls / stair gloss when we moved in along with some patch marks where they appear to have patched the previous tenants scuffs up.

When we moved in, the living room curtain rail was hanging off the wall due to the curtains been too heavy which I reported and was asked by the landlord to fix the issue myself?! Would I be in my rights to provide an invoice for fixing that issue if they were to try and charge for decoration costs?

Since they're selling the house, I imagine they'd just patch up the marks rather than redecorate.. unless they'd have other ideas of trying to use my money to redecorate the walls using my money..

I have previously been in contact with the land lord via facebook so I will shoot them a message over as it wouldn't surprise me if the letting agents hadn't actually been in touch with them since they've never remember to return my calls etc.

Slithery

Just start a claim with the relevant deposit protection scheme for the full amount. I'd have already done it 3 weeks ago when I vacated the property

sal_III

Slithery wrote: »

Just start a claim with the relevant deposit protection scheme for the full amount. I'd have already done it 3 weeks ago when I vacated the property

In theory you can't start the claim so fast. They need proof (like e-mail exchange) that you tried to resolve the issue on your own and failed to come to a compromise, before you can start the dispute process.

LMS94

We've just had an email from the LA and they've said the landlord is asking for £180 "cleaning costs".

We cleaned the property thoroughly when we moved out but on the check out report, the LA mentioned "dusty woodwork" and a few marks on the wall.

We tried to patch up marks on the wall but we were unable to find a match for the paint work so there's a couple of patches on the stairs - I don't mind paying for those to be patched up properly.

My question is, I reported a curtain rail was hanging off the wall due to the existing curtain being too heavy and I was asked to replace the rail myself which I did at a cost of £60.

I had also barked the back of the garden as the decking left in place was rotting and weeds were coming through too at a cost of £70.

I have mentioned this to the LA but they insist on still charging £160 - am I able to "invoice" the landlord for the repairs on the curtain rail since they wouldn't do it?

G_M

'Improvements' you may have done are irrelevant.


The LL is claiming for cleaning, so the only relevant question is: when you left, was it as clean, cleaner, or less clean than when youmoved in?


That's the only relevant factor.

Facknats

They're vampires.

I'll assume from your post that you didn't take thorough photos of Everything inc fixtures and fittings when you moved in and out? Not to worry, you won't make that mistake again in a hurry.

You should have an email from the DPS with details of your protection scheme. If you don't, you're in luck! You can take the LL to small claims court and win thousands of pounds.

If you do have the details, write to the LL to contest every point and submit any emails and supporting photos to the DPS.

How long have you lived there? Some wear n tear will be allowed e.g if you live there 10 years and the carpet needs replacing the DPS won't make you pay for an entire carpet.

The cleaning issue I've only ever managed to get around by hiring a pro cleaner at a price I decide (rather than LL doing it). Demand receipts for all work carried out and photo evidence of issues as part of your appeal to the DPS. Remember, it's now your LL's job to prove they have a valid claim to YOUR money, rather than how many LL's see it, that the deposit is their money to spend on routine property maintenance, that you should be grateful to see 50p of.

I think by following the steps above I've clawed back about £600 in the past, including to repair damp caused by a previously reported problem that the LL wouldn't fix.

Facknats

(Quick p.s they will ALWAYS try to scam on the cleaning because it's so tough to prove and standards vary from person to person so it's free money. Turning around with a pro receipt usually leaves them looking a little foolish(

LMS94

Our situation was 2 years in the property, I took photos of any issues I could find when we moved in, ie the shower being mucky, the curtain rail hanging from the wall, missing paint off the stairs etc.

I have asked the LA for a list of what needs doing, Costa and photos too. I will wait until I have them back before starting a claim.

We asked our parents to clean the property for us as we weren’t around due to moving into our own home. We checked the property before we handed the keys in and it looked pretty clean to use apart from the small marks on the walls which were caused by moving furniture out (a little sugar water should get it out but we didn’t have chance to do it unfortunately).

I have lots of pictures from when we moved out so I’ll be able to compare those to the pictures that they provide.