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How do you define Landlord reasonable charges ?

barrysmith2480
barrysmith2480 Posts: 39 Forumite
10 Posts First Anniversary
edited 12 January 2022 at 4:48PM in House buying, renting & selling
Hi

I have posted a few times on this issue but im having a hard time getting my deposit back from a rental property i left on the 11th of December.  Ive had to constantly chase the agent over the phone and never had any written information other than my check out documents i got on the 21st.  Last week i raised a claim via the deposit protection scheme at that stage not 100% knowing what they wanted to charge me for and how much as id only been told some vague information over the phone.

The main issues are 

1. Charging for the removal of a cross trainer - they are trying to charge me removal for a large piece of exercise equipment i left behind.  However prior to me leaving around 1 month beforehand the garage door broke and the landlord would not pay to have it fixed thus i had no way whatsoever or removing it as its too big to go via the side door.  One of the agents for the letting company today lied and said they told me before xmas that had 14 days to collect it and they would get the door opened, no one ever until today told me that.  However since ive now moved i no longer have the means or ability to collect it and cannot even afford to get a van to remove it. £86.25 

2. Carpet cleaning - two rooms have some marks that need cleaning due to the children spilling stuff , i accept this but the charge is £128 which feels a little off but on the whole im happy to pay that one.

3. Deep clean - when leaving the property i and my wife cleaned it ourselves , we missed a few spots in the rush under the toilet seats , one cupboard with a few things etc.  On the check out report it says a standard domestic clean for most rooms bar the bathrooms which are classed as a poor domestic clean due to the toilet seats.  The house is a 3 story terrace with 3 bedrooms and not massive by any stretch of the imagination.  The charge for this is £515 which i feel is totally inflated and too much.

4. Garden - there is tiny rear garden which due to winter needs the grass cutting and a tiny bit weeding the charge for this is £300 , for someone to run the mower over the grass which is very small id say that was double the going rate in my area.  

With Vat added the total they want is £1,239.18

All in all they want the entire deposit and then are asking for more , they had a list of other really petty things that i simply refused , im happy to contribute towards 2, 3 & 4 but i think two of the charges are inflated.

I guess im looking for a view here if im wrong ? would the DPS class these charges are reasonable.  Its really the cleaning on its not a million miles from the way when i moved in but its hard to really tell the actual standard of clean from the pictures and videos I have and the ones in the check in/out.

Am i fighting a loosing battle and should i just kiss my 923 quid goodbye.

thanks 
«1

Comments

  • saajan_12
    saajan_12 Posts: 5,300 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Please continue your existing thread and do not keep starting new ones. New threads just lose any background, duplicates time for the people trying to help you and is against the forum rules. 

    Getting rental deposit back — MoneySavingExpert Forum
  • TripleH
    TripleH Posts: 3,188 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Did you have a check in inventory?
    Do you have email correspondence about the garage door breaking?
    For that, I'd lodge with the deposit resolution company that you couldn't get access / landlord refused to replace lock if that is what evidence you have (check junk and spam in case communication went there). Dispute ever receiving communication about access if you never received it and if you have several emails mentioning you have stuff locked in there that you have no access to, mores the better.
    We had a dispute where claim of damage was made against us (for pre-existing damage) and cleaning vs the check-in report. I challenged on the grounds that we never received such a report and we received a full refund.
    The letting agent also tried arguing about us not mentioning pets before we moved in (unlikely as we have 4 cats), but it boiled down to them hashing paperwork up when we started renting and we stood firm.
    If there is no agreed evidence at the start of the let (that you received and signed off on) challenge the claims.
    May you find your sister soon Helli.
    Sleep well.
  • saajan_12 said:
    Please continue your existing thread and do not keep starting new ones. New threads just lose any background, duplicates time for the people trying to help you and is against the forum rules. 

    Getting rental deposit back — MoneySavingExpert Forum
    Sorry i didnt know 
  • Slithery
    Slithery Posts: 6,046 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Please continue on your latest thread. This is the 4th time you've posted about the same issue which only confuses people who are trying to help (it's also against the forum rules).
  • TripleH
    TripleH Posts: 3,188 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Apologies. Just reread. Challenge that you disagree with the difference on photos if you think there is no difference. If they have a photo of something in check-out not on check-in challenge that there is a difference.
    May you find your sister soon Helli.
    Sleep well.
  • ive already said i didnt know be realistic who reads the rules its like reading the manual that comes with a DVD player 
  • K_S
    K_S Posts: 6,893 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 12 January 2022 at 5:33PM
    @barrysmith2480 They're just trying it on. If the agent is handling the dispute, they're probably charging the landlord for that as well (Preparing Deposit Adjudication Claim £240 for example), so need to make it good 'value' for the landlord. DPS adjudicators are quite fair so you are probably better off going through the process than negotiating with the agent.

    Definitely don't just fold. Worst case scenario (I would think it unlikely based on the limited info in your post) is that the whole amount is indeed payable, so you're no worse off than now.

    Good luck!

    I am a Mortgage Adviser - You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice. 

    PLEASE DO NOT SEND PMs asking for one-to-one-advice, or representation.

  • thanks im going via the DPS i can accept the jobs that need doing but charging 600 quid plus for cleaning is outrageous 
  • saajan_12
    saajan_12 Posts: 5,300 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    ive already said i didnt know be realistic who reads the rules its like reading the manual that comes with a DVD player 
    Thanks fine, but now that you do know, just post this OP as a comment on the other thread (one I linked seems the most relevant) and ask admin to close this one.. 
  • TripleH
    TripleH Posts: 3,188 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Sorry, I was doing 2 things at once. Yes per K_S, dispute all charges. You have nothing to loose and if you disagree with anything stated, include that in your submission.
    You get the chance to upload emails, pictures etc as part of the process so any correspondence you have relating to your side, do upload them. You also get to submit a written statement as well.
    Our letting agents lied in their claim and the amount they charged read to me as money they'd pocket direct as admin fees rather than pass on to the landlord anyway.
    May you find your sister soon Helli.
    Sleep well.
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