Flat Deposit

nydryl · 7 Mar 2013 at 09:55

I moved out of my old flat a fortnight ago and just received the following email:

Further to your termination, I can confirm that I have collated all the information regarding your deposit. It is with regret that I must advise that there are several dilapidation and damages caused which require deductions from the deposit. I am currently awaiting further figures however there will be no remaining deposit to be returned once the works are carried out.

I will forward a termination certificate over to you shortly outlining deductions that have been made.

If you need me to give you a detailed report or discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact me.

It strikes me as suspicious that they can't provide a report on the deductions yet can state that they will definitely not be returning any deposit. In preparation for challenging whatever costs they devise in the report, what are people's experiences with fighting over a deposit? Am I on a hiding to nothing or is it worth pursuing? How would I go about challenging them? CAB, or directly? I have photos of the flat on the day I vacated. It was thoroughly cleaned and, aside from outstanding maintenance issues (damp, the reason I moved, and had been reported numerous times), there is very little I could see being worthy of deductions.

Engram · 7 Mar 2013 at 09:58

Did you damage anything?

Is your deposit held by one of the protection services/schemes?

Russinating · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:00

Fortunately the advantage is generally in your hands when it comes to deposits. They're effectively just hoping you'll back down.

nydryl · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:01

Frustratingly no, the deposit isn't held by a protection scheme, so I realise I'll probably be fighting a losing battle. The deposit for my new flat is. Live and learn.

Damages, no. They are now citing a deep clean as being an initial charge, which is frankly ridiculous given I spent a full day scouring the place with my mum. Reading reviews of the agency it's pretty standard practice for them to try and screw you over.

tom_e · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:01

When did you move in?

Neodite · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:02

If it's not held in the proper place, you will get every penny back

krooton · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:03

nydryl said:
Frustratingly no, the deposit isn't held by a protection scheme, so I realise I'll probably be fighting a losing battle. The deposit for my new flat is. Live and learn.

Damages, no. They are now citing a deep clean as being an initial charge, which is frankly ridiculous given I spent a full day scouring the place with my mum.

They do this 99% of the time. We (4 of us plus 2 parents) spent an entire weekend cleaning a flat, and still incurred the charge.

In future I would think about recording all the cleaning and whatnot being done.

arknor · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:03

unlucky, my deposit was only a weeks rent lol.
housing associations ftw

nydryl · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:05

tom_e said:
When did you move in?

September 2010

krooton said:
They do this 99% of the time. We (4 of us plus 2 parents) spent an entire weekend cleaning a flat, and still incurred the charge.

In future I would think about recording all the cleaning and whatnot being done.

Did you try and dispute the charge? Normally I'd just go for the easy life and accept a charge if it seemed at all reasonable. But the full deposit? Not a chance.

Edrof · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:07

nydryl said:
Frustratingly no, the deposit isn't held by a protection scheme.

Well this is good, isn't it? Surely it means that they are breaking the law and will be fined.

Engram · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:08

Read this carefully:

https://www.gov.uk/deposit-protection-schemes-and-landlords/overview

As Neodite said, if they haven't protected the deposit when they should have done, you'll get it all back.

[FnG]magnolia · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:08

How much are we talking about and who is the letting agency?

e : ^ does this also apply to Scotland?

e2 : it appears not.

Engram · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:10

Apologies.. Scotland has different rules:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/privaterent/government/SGTD1

Edrof · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:11

[FnG]magnolia;23890793 said:
How much are we talking about and who is the letting agency?

e : ^ does this also apply to Scotland?

e2 : it appears not.

Yup, Magnolia's correct. I just read up on it. Sadly it's not applicable to Scotland. Rubbishness!

Danthus · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:12

nydryl said:
Frustratingly no, the deposit isn't held by a protection scheme, so I realise I'll probably be fighting a losing battle. The deposit for my new flat is. Live and learn.

Damages, no. They are now citing a deep clean as being an initial charge, which is frankly ridiculous given I spent a full day scouring the place with my mum. Reading reviews of the agency it's pretty standard practice for them to try and screw you over.

Isn't a landlord required by law to do this?

platypus · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:12

nydryl said:
It strikes me as suspicious that they can't provide a report on the deductions yet can state that they will definitely not be returning any deposit.

They have written:

If you need me to give you a detailed report or discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact me.

?

nydryl · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:12

In Scotland they have Safe Deposit Scotland but it's voluntary I believe, and I had no knowledge of it until I moved flat last month. Hence the concern.

platypus · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:14

OldCoals said:
Isn't a landlord required by law to do this?

Yes, and the fines can be up to xtimes the deposit if they're found out not to be doing so. I would be enquiring as to why they haven't followed this rather simple piece of legislation. This assumes you started renting after April 2007?

platypus · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:15

Ah, renting in Scotland then I'm not sure, sorry.

Russinating · 7 Mar 2013 at 10:15

Well that's a load of rubbish. The England & Wales law is there for a reason... this.