Deposit advice?

Trusty · 7 Dec 2009 at 10:43

Hey, need a bit of advice.

Here's the background story -

I was renting a flat with my mate (students at Newcastle Uni), we went in to collect our deposit for the flat.

I broke a blind in my room, window is around 1m x 1m. The estate agent gave us a brake down of the money he was taking off us. He quoted £120 inc vat for the blind i broke. I didnt agree with this so i asked him to phone the company he got the blinds off (Bramble Blinds), he spoke to the guy in front of me but i obviuosly couldnt hear what the conversation was about, the estate agent finished the call and said he had misquoted and then said it was actually £113 inc vat.

The meeting finished and we said we would meet again later in the week, i've just phoned Bramble blinds and they have quoted me £45 for a 1m x 1m venetian brown blind with a 1.5inch slat.

The way i see this is it is blatent fraud from the estate agents, they have also quote £500 for painting (the flat was in great condition) £500 is ridiculous. How should i go about our next meeting? Shall i try for getting the £500 deducted or at least decreased to say £300 (i dont believe it was £500) or i phone the police?

Not really sure where i stand with this. Any advice would be great!

antijoke · 7 Dec 2009 at 10:45

Does the blind incl. fitting for £45?

Great condition to you, but is it in a re-lettable state or are there marks and scuffs on the walls?

Trusty · 7 Dec 2009 at 10:48

The walls were not scuffed, the living room was perfect, my room had some scuffs but nothing major. £500 sees ludicrous! I will find out whether the blind included fitting and get back to you.

Edit - £5 for fitting.

Abraham · 7 Dec 2009 at 10:49

if the work genuinely needs doing they can get it done at pretty much any price they want. If you wanted to choose the cost then you should have made the repairs yourself.

Don't get me wrong, I've recently been stiffed by a landlord, but that's the end of it really. It is a bit dodgy the blinds thing, but with that amount of difference I'd be surprised if it wasn't a fitting charge or something like that?

As for painting, they'll usually have a fixed charge per room or wall or metre square that needs repainting. You can argue that it didn't need repainting, make a dispute through the deposit protection service they're using. However you're not likely to get very far if the work's already been done and you don't have evidence of the condition you left it in.

mollymoo · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:07

Abraham said:
If you wanted to choose the cost then you should have made the repairs yourself.

This really you haven't left the flat in the same state as when you moved in so they are charging you, much simpler to do the work yourself.

Trusty · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:14

Ok, painting aside. What about the blind fitting? They have tryed to con me would you not say? 55 inc fitting and he originally quoted me £120

Glaucus · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:17

A) agree what is damaged and how much to fix before giving keys back. I try to do it a day before. That way you can do a bit of cleaning or repairs as needed and still hand keys back on time. If everything is fine you hand he keys back a day early. Get everything in signed dated writing.

B) get receipts - This is what you need to do now, it also has to be like for like. They can't replace a £40 blind for a £120 blind and charge you for it.

C) all else fails start a dispute with the deposit protection scheme. But if you do step A there shouldn't be any problems.

antijoke · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:17

Have you not considered that the letting agent might have been ripped off by the blind company?

Abraham · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:18

Thermaltake said:
Ok, painting aside. What about the blind fitting? They have tryed to con me would you not say? 55 inc fitting and he originally quoted me £120

And it's exactly the same blind you got a quote for?

redeye_uk · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:21

http://www.arla.co.uk/

Contact Arla, they will be able to advise you on these matters.

My opinion would be they cant charge you for light scuff's to the walls as it would come under 'general wear and tear'.

I think you need to be a little more assertive and tell them you know your rights as a tennant and that you have been in contact with Arla.

Dealing with Deposits, Disputes & Damages

It follows therefore (and is an established legal tenet) that a landlord is not entitled to charge his tenants the full cost for having any part of his property, or any fixture or fitting, ".....put back to the condition it was at the start of the tenancy."

Trusty · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:21

yep, brown venitian blind!

mattheman · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:25

Speak to the landlord, offer to fix the blind etc... the EA might be just saying those things and has no intention to fix it.

Trusty · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:27

They have fixed the blind hence the quote for £120, it should be £55 tho.

Glaucus · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:29

Thermaltake said:
They have fixed the blind hence the quote for £120, it should be £55 tho.

Get a receipt 1 for the blind and another for installing it. But don't say that just ask for receipts for all repairs and go from there.

mattheman · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:31

Oh is your money in the rent deposit scheme? if not then you can argue the case, offer the landlord to fix it yourself. They cant expect it to be better then when you took over the flat.

you dont need to ask the landlord or \EA, just phone up the 3 schemes if they havent they are breaking the law, however dont tell the landlord or EA about the deposit scheme, go st8 for a court order. If you tell the landlord or EA they'll quickly deposit the money into the scheme.

mattheman · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:31

Thermaltake said:
They have fixed the blind hence the quote for £120, it should be £55 tho.

cant you order the blind and fit it,it only takes 5 mins to do.

Trusty · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:34

They have fixed the blind!

Trusty · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:37

AcidHell2 said:
Get a receipt 1 for the blind and another for installing it. But don't say that just ask for receipts for all repairs and go from there.

They dont have a reciept for each blind, only a receipt for all the blinds that were installed in the property. £660 for all the blinds. But my blind which was broken was the smallest in the property, 1m x 1m.

What i find unbelievable is he spoke to the guy infront of me and still quoted the £113, i phoned them after and its actually £55. This is fraud is it not?

mattheman · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:38

Thermaltake said:
They have fixed the blind!

Was your deposit put in a deposit. remember dont tell teh landlord or teh EA about this just go st8 for the kill.

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/in...riefings/pb_housing/cr_tenancy_deposit_scheme

mattheman · 7 Dec 2009 at 11:40

Thermaltake said:
They dont have a reciept for each blind, only a receipt for all the blinds that were installed in the property. £660 for all the blinds. But my blind which was broken was the smallest in the property, 1m x 1m.

What i find unbelievable is he spoke to the guy infront of me and still quoted the £113, i phoned them after and its actually £55. This is fraud is it not?

So they were already going to fix up the house, you need to speak to shelter or the cab.