Help needed you kind people !

Leightonian

Newbie here so be gentle !
Just a quick plea for some advice...?
We moved out of our rented house a few weeks ago , we got on well with the landlady throughout our tenancy (4 years) and right up till move out date she had been in touch regularly , we even agreed to have the artexer in to do some ceilings whilst we still had the tenancy , to help her out etc etc
Anyway the long and the short is , she now has become `hard` to get hold of , which times just right seeing as she still has our deposit :-(
We were on an AST for the first 4 terms of 6 months and then she wrote to us to say lets keep it month by month , i.e. one month notice from us and two from her
I just wondered , I thought my best move now as she wont answer phone calls or texts (the last text she answered said "sorry ! I will sort it Monday !" , Monday being yesterday , so I was going to write to her as I have her address...
I want to keep it reasonably friendly but at the same time we could really do with our deposit back ! can anyone help me compose a letter that would be appropriate ? I would be very grateful !!

I am aware that LL`s and Tenants post here so i thought maybe a LL would tell me how they would wish to be addressed in these circumstances ?
Thanks
Simon

Leightonian

Update , just received post and she has taken out of it without any discussion £100 for doing the front room ceiling !which had a bubble where water had soaked down the bath leaked underneath and we advised staright away and she took over a week to send anyone !
she also came around to look and she saw the bubble and said not to worry about it ! and then fitted a new bathroom , asked the plumber to do the bubble in the frontroom and he said he couldnt as he wasnt qualified , so it was just left !

Also she has taken £60 and said in her letter that the water company havent swopped us over yet so she is with holding it till its sorted out !? i phoned the water company weeks before we moved out and arrnaged a meter reading for the day we moved out and a meter reading for the day we moved in at our new place !

Please can someone advice as to where we stand and can a LL just take money without even a phone call to discuss !?

Many thanks

Leightonian

Hi All

Took some free leag advice from the solicitor that sometimes deals with the family will etc

and this is what i have come up with , when reading it Landlords , please be aware i never had intention of asking for compensation for the two things mentioned but the solicitor said to add it
and seeing as she is screwing us what have we to lose !

anyway , please let me know anyone what you think..


Ms a******




In respect of;

46 *******


12/02/2008


Dear A****


We were disappointed to receive your letter with the incorrect cheque amount enclosed, especially as we have always followed the guidelines of our contract.


Please be advised that we have taken legal advice on this day and would thank you to take note of the following;



1) Please return the £100 you have withheld for the ceiling repairs, you were advised as soon as reasonably possible that the leak had gone to the front room ceiling, and you even witnessed it yourself and proceeded to do nothing to resolve it, even the tiler said he could not do it as he was not qualified. You advised us to contact Homecare, British Gas, and get them out, which we did immediately upon discovering the leak in the front room, it was British Gas that advised that it was not something they could deal with under the terms of your contract with them, you also fitted a bathroom without attending to the damage to the ceiling in the front room which should have been done at the same time.
As an aside it would appear that for the period that the bathroom took to get fitted, we were due to receive some compensation for that period.


2) You must return the £61 your are illegally withholding in respect of the water, we have an ongoing account with Anglian Water for which we pay £35 per calendar month, they had a job open for reading the meter on the 1/02/2008 at 46 ********, they also had a job open to read the meter on 01/02/2008 at our new property, I have contacted Anglian Water regarding this. After taking legal advice it would seem by law, that you cannot withhold any monies from us in respect of Anglian Water, as the water account is our liability, please feel free to check on this.


3) You will be aware that at no time did we sign an inventory in respect of the above property. I am sure I don't need to advise you of the implications of this


4) We allowed you access to artex every single ceiling in the house whilst we still had the tenancy and making a most terrible mess at the same time after we had scrubbed the house clean, this will be looked at in greater detail should the matter be taken further. It appears by law, that as you had this work carried out WHILST WE STILL OWNED THE TENANCY that we should have been due compensation for this period, again please feel free to check.

5) Not once have you made the effort to call us and discuss any possible charges you were thinking of, this is not acceptable, this also means there was no chance of there being an `amicable` agreement


In conclusion we expect reimbursement of the outstanding monies within ten days, if this does not happen we will immediately begin proceedings to take yourself to the Small Claims court based at Milton Keynes County Court, 351 Silbury Boulevard Milton Keynes, Bucks.


This course of action will inevitably lead to extra costs being incurred upon yourself.


Please be aware that this letter is the first step in recovering our monies and any costs that may be incurred, we feel unjustly penalised and harshly treated and will do all that we can to recover our good name and reputation as good tenants


Needless to say we have retained a copy of this letter for future use


We look forward to your prompt and favorable response



Yours Faithfully



Any advice welcome

ecoelle

You go girl/guy! I think you've done all you can now, i had to fight with landlords over getting deposits back re cleaning and ever since the first time i actually went to the extreme of photographing and even video recording (with comentary!) of houses i moved out of. I have had some wonderful landlords who have returned full deposits but some are just trying it on and they know it. Stand up for yurself you deserve the money back if you have stuck to the agreement you signed.

Leightonian

ecoelle wrote: »

You go girl/guy! I think you've done all you can now, i had to fight with landlords over getting deposits back re cleaning and ever since the first time i actually went to the extreme of photographing and even video recording (with comentary!) of houses i moved out of. I have had some wonderful landlords who have returned full deposits but some are just trying it on and they know it. Stand up for yurself you deserve the money back if you have stuck to the agreement you signed.

Hiya , thanks for your support !
i just think its terrible as she didnt say anything all month other than niceness and being pleasnet, she even ducked out of meeting us on the last day of tenancy to hand over keys check the house out etc saying she was in meetings all day

we really though this landlord was good one and we wouldnt have this horrible bother now:mad:

Leightonian

Just a friendly bump....:beer: