Holding deposits when house ends up unfit to live in

dr78

They are refusing refund on deposit and also saying the bomb will
of sorted it and refuse to give a letter to guarantee they have gone and won’t come back 

saajan_12

dr78 said:

They are refusing refund on deposit and also saying the bomb will
of sorted it and refuse to give a letter to guarantee they have gone and won’t come back 

When is the proposed start date, and how quickly do you need to be out of your current place? 
Rather than argue the toss about what *will happen, maybe just let it play out. So let them bomb the fleas, see that they're not gone and either delay signing the full tenancy until they are, or ask for the holding deposit back then, when they're unable to provide a clean habitable place. 

dr78

They wanted us to move in the day we found the huge flea infestation and won’t put it off as want rent 

Letsgetmoving

Ask the agent if they’ll stay overnight in the house, haunted house style

Also ask for them to put that it would be safe in writing and see what they say. Ask for details of the bomb and look up the manufacturers instructions. Plus even if it kills the fleas the house will need to be deep cleaned to get rid of the debris.

how does a flea infestation even get this bad?!

bouicca21

Also had problem with fleas (from a visiting cat). Not a particularly bad infestation but I think it took something like 6 weeks to get rid of them.

silvercar

I would phone environmental health at the council.

Then write a letter before action, giving the agent 14 days to return the deposit before you will do a money claim online for the return of the deposit.

End of.

Robbo66

Proper flea poison dries as crystals so when the fleas touch them they die, but what it doesn't do is kill the eggs. The eggs need to hatch and the cycle starts again so numerous applications of poison is needed and what you cant do is vacuum until fleas are all gone. Flea eggs can sit dormant for ages and as soon as there is movement, this causes vibrations and they will hatch. Speak to environmental health and get their take on it and personally I would write a LBA to get the holding fee back. You should also include a claim for having your car fumigated as it only takes one flea to cause an infestation.

Skiddaw1

silvercar said:

I would phone environmental health at the council.

Then write a letter before action, giving the agent 14 days to return the deposit before you will do a money claim online for the return of the deposit.

End of.

I absolutely agree.

Based on your description, OP, the infestation is likely to take weeks, even months, to be erradicated. In fact, it sounds so severe that it may be a job for a professional. One thing is for definite- a single flea bomb isn't going to do more than slightly dent the surface of it.

Go with @silvercar's approach. First stop environmental health and then a LBA to the agency.

Herzlos

I certainly wouldn't touch that estate agent again either, there's no way it's actually safe to move in.

dr78

silvercar said:

I would phone environmental health at the council.

Then write a letter before action, giving the agent 14 days to return the deposit before you will do a money claim online for the return of the deposit.

End of.

They say we can’t get the money back as they have sorted the issue . Yet we only all saw the infestation Tuesday