Help! Tenant Vacated Before Final Inventory-What Happens to Deposit

[hackerz]

Looking for some help please. My tenant has been in the property for 7 years, all things amicable, rent paid on time, gave notice a month ago as moving to Northern Ireland.... No problem.
However the date he gave me for moving out was 2nd March and when I asked him to confirm this week if it was 2nd March, he asked to extend until Sat 3rd at 12 noon. So yesterday I asked to confirm again and he said he had already left the property and left his mother with the keys to hand over. How do I legally stand with doing a final inventory correctly and deal with the deposit as he has already vacated, can he legally nominate someone else to do the checkout. I am concerned as asked for the property to be cleaned and all rubbish removed etc, and no reason to think this has not been done, but what about agreeing an damages etc.....Any advcice will be gratefully received thankyou

[hackerz]

Also can I legally enter property if tenant has left without officially handing over the keys

[AndrewDod]

It is desirable for a tenant to cooperate with exit procedures/inventory agreement and damages agreement. However this is not by any means mandatory - so this problem is not relevant.

The dates are entirely unclear. When did the tenancy start, when was notice given and how and what exactly did it say, what is the start of the rental month, what sort of tenancy is he on (periodic?) etc..... clarify and I am sure you will get advice on that front.

[Stef Cooke]

Who will be doing the check out? Nobody has to be present when a clerk does a check out, so it doesn't matter if he isn't there - it is usually considered good sense of the LL waits until the check out is finished before they enter the property!

And, as Andrew said, what exactly was said re notice?

[Hillsy101]

He's handed they'd keys over already you just need to collect them and organise the checkout. Whoever holds the deposit will get in touch with him so you can both agree what deductions are made. If he's unreachable then basically same process but slower and his balance after deductions is kept in escrow.