Please help v angry at my old Landlord

eyespy

Hi if anyone can give me advice i'd be very grateful. I moved out of my old flat on 19th Jan (the contract ended on the 24th but I moved to my new house a few days early) we had a small problem in that when we disconnected the washing machine the valve leaked and when I went back on the 20th Jan to check last bits the water had flooded throught the kitchen into the lounge. I did not dispute the damage and was insured for contents. The managing estate agents said that the landlord wanted the living room and kitchen lino replaced - no problem rang more than and they sorted it all.
Today I have paid the excess on the carpets finally as the landlord has been away skiing and rang estate agents to arrange for my deposit to be returned and they've turned round and said the landlord now wants the bathroom carpet replaced and the base kitche units as they've swollen apparently. I am livid as he has had nearly a month to sort this and no mention of unit damage has been mentioned once (apparently a friend of his told him to check the units) and i've been upfront at all times.
The tenancy began in march 07 so i'm not covered under the rent protection scheme but i'm highly tempted to take them to small claims for unreasonable withholding of the deposit. An thoughts?? am v :mad: :mad: :mad:

Bluebelle72

eyespy wrote: »

Hi if anyone can give me advice i'd be very grateful. I moved out of my old flat on 19th Jan (the contract ended on the 24th but I moved to my new house a few days early) we had a small problem in that when we disconnected the washing machine the valve leaked and when I went back on the 20th Jan to check last bits the water had flooded throught the kitchen into the lounge. I did not dispute the damage and was insured for contents. The managing estate agents said that the landlord wanted the living room and kitchen lino replaced - no problem rang more than and they sorted it all.
Today I have paid the excess on the carpets finally as the landlord has been away skiing and rang estate agents to arrange for my deposit to be returned and they've turned round and said the landlord now wants the bathroom carpet replaced and the base kitche units as they've swollen apparently. I am livid as he has had nearly a month to sort this and no mention of unit damage has been mentioned once (apparently a friend of his told him to check the units) and i've been upfront at all times.
The tenancy began in march 07 so i'm not covered under the rent protection scheme but i'm highly tempted to take them to small claims for unreasonable withholding of the deposit. An thoughts?? am v :mad: :mad: :mad:

OMG I really don't know what to tell you to do, it sounds like the LL's can get away with withholding the rent for any reason from some of the threads on this board. I myself am leaving this private rented property in favour of another cheaper private rented property, I am just hoping that my LL will be a bit more reasonable than most. I sympathise with your predicament. Couldn't you have a friendly chat with one of the personnel at the Estate Agents, preferably someone you have met and got on with, or maybe even call a rival estate agents and explain to them what has happened and ask their advice. Sorry I can't be of more help to you. Good luck hun.

Voyager2002

Is there any evidence of damage to the bathroom carpet and kitchen base units? If so, is it likely that this resulted from the flood. If so, you need to contact your insurers and ask them to revise your claim. Under the circumstances they are likely to be reasonable.

If you don't get any joy from your insurance, you will have to think about the small claims court procedure. The actual process is quite simple, and the judge will be sympathetic. You just have to worry about some of the loopholes available to a crooked landlord.

Bluebelle72

also did you clean the water up asap cos i can't imagine the units would be swollen in such a short time space as overnight!

eyespy

Bluebelle72 wrote: »

also did you clean the water up asap cos i can't imagine the units would be swollen in such a short time space as overnight!

yes I cleaned up as much water as I could and the landlords were talking about getting dehumidifiers in I have no idea whether they did this in the end or not it's just annoyed me as they've had the whole month and it seems very convenient that i have come to the point wheremy deposit would be handed back and surprise surprise something else has cropped up I will ring a rival estate agent as I have a good relationship with one of them and they are muh more professional will never let with the others again they are in a dream worldd half the time.

Bluebelle72

eyespy wrote: »

yes I cleaned up as much water as I could and the landlords were talking about getting dehumidifiers in I have no idea whether they did this in the end or not it's just annoyed me as they've had the whole month and it seems very convenient that i have come to the point wheremy deposit would be handed back and surprise surprise something else has cropped up I will ring a rival estate agent as I have a good relationship with one of them and they are muh more professional will never let with the others again they are in a dream worldd half the time.

Don't blame you sweety, it really does sound like the LL is pulling a fast one, perhaps you should make them aware that you are quite seriously considering legal action and you are obtaining legal advice, (perhaps the thought of having to go through court may put the LL off) Good luck to you, let us know how you get on. I know you shouldn't name and shame Estate Agents on here but could you tell me who the estate agent is that you are having a prob with? I really hope it's not the same company as me!! :eek: Again good luck to ya babes.

Mary_Hartnell

Bluebelle72 wrote: »

also did you clean the water up asap cos i can't imagine the units would be swollen in such a short time space as overnight!

I think you have never been flooded?

A cheap laminated chipboard kitchen will absorb water and then swell and look damaged in hours and minutes, not days.

If you slice through cheap chipboard, the centre is almost like honeycomb, not very solid at all, so all it takes is an unsealed edge on the floor and the water gets sucked up into the core of the panels, where no dehumidifier can get at it.

I have what was in its time a top of the range kitchen and the plinths have a plastic or metal channel along the cut edge of the chipboard, but even then I would be careful washing the floor with too much water.

A new "Kick Board" along the front of the plinth may be all that is needed to hide the damage and make the property suitable for re letting - ask to be shown the damage.

Bluebelle72

Plus, you would need proof of the base units being swollen and not from someone they have hired. Your own independant person. I am going to be taking numerous photos of this house from top to bottom before we leave it and I will be turning the water off!!

Bluebelle72

Mary_Hartnell wrote: »

I think you have never been flooded?

Yes I have, my washing machine pumped water all over my kitchen floor at an old address, I had put it on one morning, went out to work at 6am and went straight to my parents to visit after work, didn't get in til 11pm the floor was covered!! The waste pipe had become loose and had pumped all the water over my floor. We had cheap as chips units (courtesy of our housing association!!), some areas at the base were bare as the plastic cover had come off. It took me the next few hours to mop up the mess. But the cupboards were fine. Perhaps there is a time guage on how long the cupboards can take the water for before blowing up. :rolleyes:

eyespy

i took photos of floor damage thank goodness might come in handy now

chappers

Indeed ask to see the damage and check what he is claiming for, most kitchen units don't sit directly on the floor(plastic feet) and its just the kick board that sits on the floor and if correctly fitted with silicone along the seam water shouldn't get under the units anyway, also hang on a minute last time I looked lino was waterproof why did he want that replacing.
I think you have been more than fair here and he is trying it on.