End of Tenancy : Deposit Return

WLM21

The tenants in my house are leaving in a months time after quite a few years at the property
Obviously, I shall have to return their deposit, but was wondering whether i can legally use some of it to return the gardens to the state they were in when the tenancy started.
I have had reports from neighbours that the garden, especially at the rear of the property is full of weeds some the si=ze of small trees. The tenancy agreement stated that the gardens had to be maintained, but this has not really happened.
The door bell was broken very soon after they moved in and has never been replaced. Neighbours that I knew (when I lived in the property) have commented that they no longer accept any deliveries on behalf of the tenants, as they would never answer the door to anybody, despite being in.

grumiofoundation

Propose deductions to tenants.

If they don’t agree propose deductions via relevant tenancy protection dispute scheme. (Presuming deposit was protected).

I’m not an expert but if all the tenancy agreement says is the garden must be “maintained” is this clear enough on what the tenants must do or does it need to be more specific (e.g. mow lawn, remove weeds)? 

Doubt you can claim much back, if anything, on doorbell. Not really relevant to deposit return whether tenants choose to live a doorbell-free lifestyle. 

martindow

Surely you can't claim for the doorbell unless you think the tenant has maliciously damaged it.  It is visitors who press doorbells in the main as residents let themselves in with a key.  If it's stopped working that's wear and tear and up to you to replace.

I suppose that a tenant could claim that they are maintaining the garden for wildlife and to increase biodiversity. 

FaceHead

I agree that getting something to stick over the doorbell is a non-starter, and unless it's an exceptionally expensive doorbell, seems rather petty.

If the tenants have paid their rent on time for 'quite a few years', generally kept things OK, except the garden has become a bit overgrown (cost to put right: a few hundreds?) and move out without fuss, that seems like a good result. 

Do you have proof of how the garden was before the tenants moved in? If not, then proving any deterioration is impossible. 

It sounds as if this tenancy has gone quite well for you. 

WLM21

FaceHead said:

Do you have proof of how the garden was before the tenants moved in? If not, then proving any deterioration is impossible. 

yes, photographs were taken of everything, inside and outside and there was not a single weed in the back, having been paved.
The doorbell wasn't really an issue, it was just to say the neighbours who I had known for years say the tenants were strange folk, never speaking to anybody, never really seen in the garden or would never try and collect deliveries, even though cards had probably been left at the house. In the end, no neighbours would accept any parcels from them, as kit was them who had to make the delivery, sometimes trying several times despite knowing they were in the property.
As you said, maybe just best to accept the garden costs and move on .. it was a good tenancy for me.
thanks !

moneysavinghero

WLM21 said:

FaceHead said:

Do you have proof of how the garden was before the tenants moved in? If not, then proving any deterioration is impossible. 

yes, photographs were taken of everything, inside and outside and there was not a single weed in the back, having been paved.
The doorbell wasn't really an issue, it was just to say the neighbours who I had known for years say the tenants were strange folk, never speaking to anybody, never really seen in the garden or would never try and collect deliveries, even though cards had probably been left at the house. In the end, no neighbours would accept any parcels from them, as kit was them who had to make the delivery, sometimes trying several times despite knowing they were in the property.
As you said, maybe just best to accept the garden costs and move on .. it was a good tenancy for me.
thanks !

You haven't seen the state of the inside of the house yet.

Barny1979

WLM21 said:

FaceHead said:

Do you have proof of how the garden was before the tenants moved in? If not, then proving any deterioration is impossible. 

 say the tenants were strange folk, never speaking to anybody, never really seen in the garden or would never try and collect deliveries

So, why does that matter?