Deposit problems as a tenant

[odd-socks]

I moved out of a student flat in July, with Assured Shorthold Tenancy. I have just got a reply telling me the landlord is trying to keep most of the deposit for damaged items which he is trying to blame on us. However the items were damaged when we moved in. They were mentioned to the letting agents and we were told that she would tell the landlord and see if he would agree to change the furniture (mainly the broken futon).

However, the landlord is trying to charge £70 towards the futon, and then another £70 to remove the futon.

I am opening a dispute to get all of the charges dropped, however I am not sure how I stand with other charges. The landlord is trying to charge us so he can change the locks. Can he do this? We handed back both sets of keys.

The landlord is also trying to charge a "damages admin fee". Is this allowed?

On the day of moving out, my mother and I scrubbed the flat from top to bottom and was left in a better state than when I moved in. The landlord s trying to charge £75 for a "light clean". If he believed it was necessary for a light clean (it isn't necessary) then can he charge that much?

Also, during the tenancy, the floorboard dropped in the bathroom (we later found out there were no proper boards underneath and so essentially the board was resting on the copper pipe going to the bath). The landlord sent someone to inspect the problem and they confirmed it was not our fault. However, for the rest of the tenancy we had to walk over/around the hole in the floor for fear of breaking the copper pipe. Did the landlord have an obligation to fix this?

[mind the gap]

I moved out of a student flat in July, with Assured Shorthold Tenancy. I have just got a reply telling me the landlord is trying to keep most of the deposit for damaged items which he is trying to blame on us. However the items were damaged when we moved in. They were mentioned to the letting agents and we were told that she would tell the landlord and see if he would agree to change the furniture (mainly the broken futon).

However, the landlord is trying to charge £70 towards the futon, and then another £70 to remove the futon.

I am opening a dispute to get all of the charges dropped, however I am not sure how I stand with other charges. The landlord is trying to charge us so he can change the locks. Can he do this? We handed back both sets of keys.

The landlord is also trying to charge a "damages admin fee". Is this allowed?

On the day of moving out, my mother and I scrubbed the flat from top to bottom and was left in a better state than when I moved in. The landlord s trying to charge £75 for a "light clean". If he believed it was necessary for a light clean (it isn't necessary) then can he charge that much?

Also, during the tenancy, the floorboard dropped in the bathroom (we later found out there were no proper boards underneath and so essentially the board was resting on the copper pipe going to the bath). The landlord sent someone to inspect the problem and they confirmed it was not our fault. However, for the rest of the tenancy we had to walk over/around the hole in the floor for fear of breaking the copper pipe. Did the landlord have an obligation to fix this?

As far as the alleged damage goes, your LL will struggle to be able to retain any of your deposit unless he has

(i) a detailed check-in inventory agreed by you describing and preferably showing (by photos/video) the state of the property at commmencement of tenancy
(ii) equally detailed evidence (ie photos) of everything he claims you owe him money for at the end of the tenancy.

It sounds from what you say as if he is trying it on. Grasping so and so! £70 to shift a futon? I don't think so! Don't worry. Just put your case to the adjudicator. Good luck. Include copies of any evidence/emails/letters etc which supports your case, of course. remember that the agent works for the LL though, so don't assume he will be on your side.

As far as the bathroom floor goes, yes, he should have mended it, so explain in your submission what you have told us about it.

[odd-socks]

Thank you, in need of some reassurance right now. I believe he is just grasping for money knowing that I am a student, but also knowing that he can't rent the flat out until he's fixed the floor which is going to be a huge job.

When I moved in I didn't know there was an inventory, I never signed one. Only chatting to the letting agents a week or two before moving out did I hear there was one and it got sent to me. It was done during the restoration/refurbishment so the furniture could not all be assessed properly same with the condition of the flat in general, so I'm not sure where I stand with that.

I forgot to take pictures of the futon at any point. I wouldn't have been able to prove they were taken moving in anyway.

I think the letting agents wouldn't be too helpful, but I'm willing to take it to the deposit protection place to open a dispute at the very least and if needs be I will happily stand up in court.

Thank you for your reply and support - has cheered me up a bit!


A side note - he's trying to claim for some damaged chairs that were not written into the inventory taken at the end of the tenancy. Can he charge for this?