Deposit Situation During House Selling?

Postmangoth1919

I hope the following question makes sense. I will provide detail on the context.

I have recently moved from rented accommodation to a house which I own myself. I lived in the prior property for over 3 years and during that time my main landlord switched as my initial landlord passed over legal ownership of the property to another landlord mentioned in the wording of the contract, who eventually decided to sell the property onto a buyer (they lived outside of the country which I assumed was a factor in wanting to sell). There was potential talk of myself staying in the property as a tenant but in the end the final buyer wanted the property for themselves without existing tenants. As far as I understand this new buyer wants to live there themselves as opposed to renting the accommodation out.

I have completed the final stages of moving out, meaning that the sale should reach its conclusion. I am unsure when the new owner is moving into the property, but I believe that it is going to be sooner than later. 

In this situation I am unsure about how to address the loose thread of the deposit put down at the start of the tenancy. Having checked online most advice describes situations where the deposit is transferred from landlord to landlord and the letting agent stays the same on account of the tenant staying. In my situation however the new buyer is to my knowledge not a landlord and I believe that the letting agent will no longer be involved with the property after the landlord has sold it on.

In this situation is it my responsibility to contact the letting agent and inquire about the deposit, or is it the responsibility of the landlord to contact the letting agent about the outstanding deposit when they are notified of the completion of sale by all the relevant parties involved in that transaction? Any advice here would be appreciated.

Slithery

If you have already moved out then you reclaim the deposit from your most recent landlord, just as you would do for any other rental. The sale of the property after your tenancy has ended is irrelevant.

canaldumidi

Your claim the deposit from your current landlord.

If you have not been formally informed of the latest sale - a requirement of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 S3), then you assume the landlord has not yet changed.

You write to the landlord at the address on the tenancy agreement 'for serving notices', or any subsequent address you have been formally given eg when the property previously changed hands. An address (provided to you in writing) 'for serving notices' is a legal requirement under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 S48. Without this you did not have to pay rent.

You should send a copy to a letting agent if the LA is collecting your rent.

You can also follow the guidance to tenants provided by the relevant deposit scheme.

Post 3: Deposits: Payment, Protection and Return.