Landlord wants to take £150 out of our deposit for cleaning, when the flat is CLEAN

emma___

Hi all,

I know there are multiple posts like this, but I am looking for some advice.

We moved out of a property on the 21st of February, and have only just heard back TODAY (through the agency) that the landlord wants to deduct £150 from our deposit for cleaning.

For reference, on leaving the property we cleaned the carpet, hoovered and steam cleaned the laminate floors, defrostred the freezer and cleaned the entire fridge/freezer out, and disinfected and bleached everywhere (surfaces, cupboards etc).

On our ‘check out’ review, the comments made in regards to the state the property was left in is just “general missed cleaning” with a few comments about dust, a kitchen window that should have been cleaned and a few grubby marks around the door handles.

Judging by these comments, I’m baffled the landlord still wants to take £150 from our deposit for a ‘professional clean’ when those are the only highlighted points. It is also only a one bed flat, with a small kitchen and a lounge/dining area.

The agency have not sent us our ‘check in’ list- I am not sure if this is on purpose, but I am also sure the property was not professional cleaned for us when we moved in. On the move in day, the kitchen sink was not even working/in use, and my parents made comments about how they did not feel it had been professional cleaned.

What can I do about this? Has anyone been in a similar situation?
I have drafted an email saying that we agree we may have missed a few minor errors, but cannot fathom how it would suffice to such a large bill coming out of our deposit to clean those few areas.
I have also asked for the ‘check in’ review of the property, and an invoice of professional cleaning BEFORE we moved in (so I can ensure the same was done for us) and one that he is now claiming cost him £150. FYI, there are also new tenants already in the property, so I am assuming he has either already done it, or is he trying to fob us off?

Me and my partner are only 23, and 20 when we moved into the property - I’m not sure if he thinks that we are new to renting/naive and will just accept his offer. I would not mind a deduction between £50-75, but £150 seems extortionate.

Comms69

emma___ wrote: »

Hi all,

I know there are multiple posts like this, but I am looking for some advice.

We moved out of a property on the 21st of February, and have only just heard back TODAY (through the agency) that the landlord wants to deduct £150 from our deposit for cleaning.

For reference, on leaving the property we cleaned the carpet, hoovered and steam cleaned the laminate floors, defrostred the freezer and cleaned the entire fridge/freezer out, and disinfected and bleached everywhere (surfaces, cupboards etc).

On our ‘check out’ review, the comments made in regards to the state the property was left in is just “general missed cleaning” with a few comments about dust, a kitchen window that should have been cleaned and a few grubby marks around the door handles.

Judging by these comments, I’m baffled the landlord still wants to take £150 from our deposit for a ‘professional clean’ when those are the only highlighted points. It is also only a one bed flat, with a small kitchen and a lounge/dining area.

The agency have not sent us our ‘check in’ list- I am not sure if this is on purpose, but I am also sure the property was not professional cleaned for us when we moved in. On the move in day, the kitchen sink was not even working/in use, and my parents made comments about how they did not feel it had been professional cleaned.

What can I do about this? Has anyone been in a similar situation?
I have drafted an email saying that we agree we may have missed a few minor errors, but cannot fathom how it would suffice to such a large bill coming out of our deposit to clean those few areas.
I have also asked for the ‘check in’ review of the property, and an invoice of professional cleaning BEFORE we moved in (so I can ensure the same was done for us) and one that he is now claiming cost him £150. FYI, there are also new tenants already in the property, so I am assuming he has either already done it, or is he trying to fob us off?

Me and my partner are only 23, and 20 when we moved into the property - I’m not sure if he thinks that we are new to renting/naive and will just accept his offer. I would not mind a deduction between £50-75, but £150 seems extortionate.

Jusy duspute it with the scheme

( he’s not obliged to carry out the work )

tacpot12

I would change your email to say that the amount of missed cleaning does amount to more than two to three hours work and offer to settle for £60 providing the landlord accepts within three days, just so you can move on. There is no point asking for evidence that a professional clean was done prior to you moving in - you are arguing about what state you returned the flat in, not what state it was handed over to you in.

If the landlord won't accept your offer, just dispute it with the scheme. There is no point trying to have a protracted negotiation via the letting agent if the scheme can help resolve it.

00ec25

emma___ wrote: »

Hi all,

I know there are multiple posts like this, but I am looking for some advice.....


What can I do about this? Has anyone been in a similar situation?
.

yes, loads of people have been in exactly the same position and the answer is as has already been given countless times in the posts you already read - RAISE A DISPUTE WITH THE DEPOSIT SCHEME
that is precisely why deposit protection was brought in, so you can use it. As predicted though at the time, few people bother to actually read or understand what they are signing up to use.

G_M

emma___ wrote: »

Hi all,
I know there are multiple posts like this, but I am looking for some advice.
It will be identical to the advice in previous multiple posts which you have apparantly found.
......
What can I do about this?
Raise a dispute.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?
Errr.... see the 'multiple posts like this'.

Have you seen the stickie?

* Deposits: payment, protection and return

lookstraightahead

Just do as others advise - raise a dispute. I wish I had five thisza few years ago when the rip off agent (not landlord) wanted to deduct for a mark on the curtains which wasn't ours (£400).

It's also correct that landlords can deduct but then not carry out the work - something that ought to be changed imo.

Don't get ill over it like I did (can't believe the moral values of some people). Just agree to disagree and take up a dispute.

emma___

Hi, thanks so much. Lots of people saying I should just raise a dispute like all the others have but I just wanted to make sure - it’s really stressful. Saving for a mortgage deposit is so expensive so the deposit was going back into my savings!

emma___

Hi, thanks. I only posted I know there are similar situations but I wanted to explain the cleaning we had already done etc.
I assume I should just send an email that we disagree, and then raise a dispute. That tag is really helpful!

Mutton_Geoff

Admit nothing, offer nothing and don't get into dialogue. And refer to the check in report as you check out as a reference as to leaving it in the state you found it barring fair wear and tear.

G_M

lookstraightahead wrote: »

It's also correct that landlords can deduct but then not carry out the work - something that ought to be changed imo.

Off topic and potentially opening up a debate irrelevant to Emma but.......

No.

The deduction is compensation for damage (or similar). The value of the property has been reduced by that damage (or by the dirt which makes it harder to re-let etc etc)

If the LL chooses to live with the reduced value property rather than repairing, that is a choice he can make.

You scratch my car, I'll want a fair amount (from you or your insurer) for that scratch. but if I choose to go down the pub, and then drive a scratched car for 6 months, before selling it at a reduced price because of its condition - that's my choice.

emma___

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

Admit nothing, offer nothing and don't get into dialogue. And refer to the check in report as you check out as a reference as to leaving it in the state you found it barring fair wear and tear.

We would love to be able to refer to the check in report as we feel it was cleaned to a higher standard than when we moved in- but the agency haven’t sent us it.
The check out review was alongside the check in review - but the ‘check in’ side was all blank.