Hi to you all. I have read a few threads to try and find answers to my questions, but have not been 100% succesfull.
I rent a 4 bedroom house from my landlord since 10 Dec 2005 and we signed a STA with a 6 month break clause. An inventory was handed to us, but we never signed it (not on purpose!) and no one (landlord nor agency) chased it up again. Our contract was renewed on the 10th Dec 2006 (with me staying but 3 other tenants moving in). No inventory was exchanged again. I advertise for new people to share the house with me as I love the place and didn't want to give it up when the others moved out, so i see to all the bills, I furnished the place further with extra fridge/freezer, 46" Plasma TV, dvd, computer, sky and broadband, some kitchen appliances like coffee machine, griller, 4 slice toaster, etc,. I also see to the cleaning of the house, purchase all cleaning goods, and generally see to the smooth running of it all. The landlords were aware of this as I notified them of new tenants moving in or out all the time. I handed over a £2640 deposit to the landlords of my money in Dec 2005 when we moved in. As tenants came and went, they would pay me deposits and I would return the deposits to them on their departure - not bothering the landlord with it each time. It has been going smooth all along and there have been no problems.
I eventually on 13 May 2008 decided that it is too much stress on me as others don't share my view of what it means to keep a house clean and after 7 years of "running" share houses I eventually decided to give this house up and just find myself a room where I can just pay monthly rent and bills to someone else.
I have always had a very good relationship with the landlord and there have never been disputes, they (two sisters) always got their rent on time and I have seen to it that there is a cleaner to clean the property once a week since Dec 2005. The house has been kept in tip top shape with no (major) damages at all.
Instead of accepting my notice they have now decided to serve us with a section 21. As our fixed term had ended, I am only liable to give one months notice. Now they have given us all 2 months, although they have agreed to remove me from the tenancy as of 31 May 2008.
The problem now is:
1. The inventory has never been signed. Do they have the right to deduct any money from me according to the inventory? There is one thing that broke in the house and that was a small mirror (that they claim comes from John Lewis) hanging in the passage that fell off and broke when wind slammed the one bedroom door closed (and the doors have springs on too!!) and it obviously caused the mirror to fall off.
2. Secondly they are claiming for a floral print that we have never seen in the house, but they say "we have a photo of it!"
Small things like missing teaspoons, bed valances, mattress covers, glasses, plates, blown bulbs, etc - I replaced for them (on my own as the other tenants that originally signed the contract in 2006 have left some time ago)REGARDLESS of the inventory not being signed!! It has come to my attention that the inventory was never signed and I am now refusing to pay for things that I don't see as my fault (mirror & print). I even spent £280 for professional cleaning of the carpets (which looked like crap when we moved in!) and curtains as well as £120 for gardening services - although we used to see to the lawn anyway!
Can they charge me for the print/mirror or anything for that matter with regards to the inventory?
3. I have been told by the remaining tenants (as I have moved out on the 2 May 2008) that the landlords AND the agency said the landlords are serving the section 21 'cause they want to renovate the property. How does this affect any deductions for anything from my deposit if they are "ripping the house apart" anyway?
Thank you so much in advance for the advice! Much appreciated.
I rent a 4 bedroom house from my landlord since 10 Dec 2005 and we signed a STA with a 6 month break clause. An inventory was handed to us, but we never signed it (not on purpose!) and no one (landlord nor agency) chased it up again. Our contract was renewed on the 10th Dec 2006 (with me staying but 3 other tenants moving in). No inventory was exchanged again. I advertise for new people to share the house with me as I love the place and didn't want to give it up when the others moved out, so i see to all the bills, I furnished the place further with extra fridge/freezer, 46" Plasma TV, dvd, computer, sky and broadband, some kitchen appliances like coffee machine, griller, 4 slice toaster, etc,. I also see to the cleaning of the house, purchase all cleaning goods, and generally see to the smooth running of it all. The landlords were aware of this as I notified them of new tenants moving in or out all the time. I handed over a £2640 deposit to the landlords of my money in Dec 2005 when we moved in. As tenants came and went, they would pay me deposits and I would return the deposits to them on their departure - not bothering the landlord with it each time. It has been going smooth all along and there have been no problems.
I eventually on 13 May 2008 decided that it is too much stress on me as others don't share my view of what it means to keep a house clean and after 7 years of "running" share houses I eventually decided to give this house up and just find myself a room where I can just pay monthly rent and bills to someone else.
I have always had a very good relationship with the landlord and there have never been disputes, they (two sisters) always got their rent on time and I have seen to it that there is a cleaner to clean the property once a week since Dec 2005. The house has been kept in tip top shape with no (major) damages at all.
Instead of accepting my notice they have now decided to serve us with a section 21. As our fixed term had ended, I am only liable to give one months notice. Now they have given us all 2 months, although they have agreed to remove me from the tenancy as of 31 May 2008.
The problem now is:
1. The inventory has never been signed. Do they have the right to deduct any money from me according to the inventory? There is one thing that broke in the house and that was a small mirror (that they claim comes from John Lewis) hanging in the passage that fell off and broke when wind slammed the one bedroom door closed (and the doors have springs on too!!) and it obviously caused the mirror to fall off.
2. Secondly they are claiming for a floral print that we have never seen in the house, but they say "we have a photo of it!"
Small things like missing teaspoons, bed valances, mattress covers, glasses, plates, blown bulbs, etc - I replaced for them (on my own as the other tenants that originally signed the contract in 2006 have left some time ago)REGARDLESS of the inventory not being signed!! It has come to my attention that the inventory was never signed and I am now refusing to pay for things that I don't see as my fault (mirror & print). I even spent £280 for professional cleaning of the carpets (which looked like crap when we moved in!) and curtains as well as £120 for gardening services - although we used to see to the lawn anyway!
Can they charge me for the print/mirror or anything for that matter with regards to the inventory?
3. I have been told by the remaining tenants (as I have moved out on the 2 May 2008) that the landlords AND the agency said the landlords are serving the section 21 'cause they want to renovate the property. How does this affect any deductions for anything from my deposit if they are "ripping the house apart" anyway?
Thank you so much in advance for the advice! Much appreciated.
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