Landlord refusing to return full deposit

MissMoneypenny

clutton wrote: »

in the last 5 years there has been a plethora of legislation to protect tenants, many of which make a LL's job administratively more time-consuming

What is there to protect tenants from being served a s21 when then dare to ask for the LL to carry out his legal responsibility of maintaining property?

MissMoneypenny

alice79 wrote: »

Would just be grateful for any advice or to know if any MSEs have had any similar experiences.

Thanks

There are some threads running of this, but I can't find them now. Didn't Lynzpower? start one for all tenants having trouble with their landlards and their deposits?

I'll try and look for the threads later.

vigesimal

OP have you thought about reporting your LL to your local council's Private Lettings. Councils are keeping lists of their problem LL (at least the ones I have spoken to have) so they may what the name of their database. Not sure if they will be interested if it is just about a deposit though.

I hope that when/if we get a decent government in that they will make it law to have LLs registered in England and Wales. These local databases on LLs held by local councils could then be uploaded onto a national database.

MissMoneypenny

clutton wrote: »

lets not get into a slanging match over this - i have respected a huge amount of your posts in the past - and hopefully will continue to do so - maybe "shame" was a little harsh .....

there are always two sides to every argument, and if you had spent any time reading any of the posts on LLZ forum you would perhaps have seen a small glimpse of the "other side" of what LLs experience - the amount it costs us to repair property after bad tenants have left us, the amount of time and unpaid rent it costs us to get tenants out who agreed to pay the rent and then dont .... and on it goes

SNIP

lets agree to differ .... at least for the time being ?

I don't have an arguemnt with you clutton, but don't you agree that there is a big problem with the way some LLs use a S21 or the threat of it, to evade repairs, and that this is appalling? I think we all know that this BTLing has attracting some low life LLs.

clutton wrote: »

i have learned a lot from here about how tenants feel and how they think, and what they expect from a LL - and i am grateful for that. Maybe you might learn a bit from LLZ .....

I have learned a lot from helping at a refuge. I have seen how the very vulnerable and those lacking in confidence (because of the way they have been raised/treated in their marriages/treated in their country and have fled it) are treated by some bullying LLs in the UK. They live in fear of being thrown out if they complain, but don't have the confidence to realise that there are plenty of other houses out there. Maybe you might learn a bit from helping in a refuge?

MissMoneypenny

SquatNow wrote: »

Does it involve applying a live 230v mains cable?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

clutton_2

""Maybe you might learn a bit from helping in a refuge?"" -

as it happens i am currently offering a tenancy to a 21 year old single parent mum from Uganda who saw some truly atrocious murderous sights - she has fought her way thru the political asylum system, and has been living on £36 a week for goodness knows how long.

I have been truly humbled by her brilliant attitude in terms of having to jump thru sooooo many local authority/banks/immigration/landlord paperwork admin-hoops - she has never once complained, and is really delighted that i have helped her.

i have experienced a fair few "DSS" potential tenants who moan and winge that they have to "go to the council" to sort out their own claims, - as if they expect the world to owe them a living - this lass just gets on with - and with a smile too. She has gained self confidence with the help of others in our community who recognise true and genuine hardship and she deserves our respect. She already has plans for a college course when her child goes to school - she is not going to be on the dole for the rest of her life, thats for sure.

i dont know how many LLs evict tenants for asking for repairs - and maybe because i do my own repairs as expeditiously as possible, i simply dont understand the mentality of those LLS who allow their tenants to live in squalor, let alone how a LL allows their asset to deteriorate by not doing their repairs.

Now that there is the sanction of "no Section 21" for non-TDS-compliance - maybe somewhere down the line - non-compliance with repair orders made by the Environmental health might be the next bit of pro-tenant-legislation to be considered.

On the other hand i have a 2 bedroomed terraced property let out to a mother and son (aged 19) and they have moved 5 other people in there !!! i will be issuing a section 21 very soon on this one.

being a LL is never dull

i worked with YOP/YTS kids in my earlier career - and really enjoy working with the young and seeing them blossom

MissMoneypenny

clutton wrote: »

Now that there is the sanction of "no Section 21" for non-TDS-compliance - maybe somewhere down the line - non-compliance with repair orders made by the Environmental health might be the next bit of pro-tenant-legislation to be considered.

From what I understand, the EH - Private Housing, tell tenants to write to the LL, listing all the repairs and telling them that they have been in contact with the council and to give the LL 14 days. Letter to either be hand delivered and witnessed or by special delivery. That is when the LL sends a s21 to the tenant. So stopping LLs from issuing a s21 only after receiving a repair order, is too late.

I think we will have to go down the 3 year tenancy agreement like France has, where only the tenant can break that tenancy, with the correct notice.

clutton_2

what do french landlords do if tenants dont pay rent ?

""From what I understand, the EH - Private Housing, tell tenants to write to the LL, listing all the repairs and telling them that they have been in contact with the council and to give the LL 14 days. Letter to either be hand delivered and witnessed or by special delivery. That is when the LL sends a s21 to the tenant. So stopping LLs from issuing a s21 only after receiving a repair order, is too late""

mmmm i see your point ..... i dont know of any legislation to stop scum-bags being scumbags ..... its a very difficult area. Some councils write to the LL themselves, others seem to delegate to the tenant.

... much as it goes against the grain - i have occasionally advised tenants of awful LLs on here to leave without notice and not to pay their last months rent - that is the only sanction the Tenant has

MissMoneypenny

alice79 have you got house contents insurance and does it have legal cover with it? It might be called family cover on your policy. If you have, why not give your insurers a call and see if they have either a free legal helpline or will give you a solicitor to act for you.

If they give you a solicitor they will only charge you the normal excess on you policy and they will cover the legal bills up to whatever amount the policy states, which is usually either 25k or 50k.

Edited to say that your credit card bank may give you a free legal helpline also.

MissMoneypenny

clutton wrote: »

mmmm i see your point ..... i dont know of any legislation to stop scum-bags being scumbags ..... its a very difficult area. Some councils write to the LL themselves, others seem to delegate to the tenant.

The obvious answer has to be to remove the section 21 as LLs don't have to have any reason to issue it. The government should set in law the reasons why a LL can take the property back. That together with the 3 year contracts such as countries like France have, should sort the professional LLs out from the amateurs.

clutton wrote: »

what do french landlords do if tenants dont pay rent ?

During the 3 year contract? Common sense tells me that they would be able to remove the tenant as they have broken the contract. From what those renting in France have said on this site, the 3 year contract is give the tenant piece of mind that they can stay in the property for at least 3 years, if they want to