To find this unfair? Letter from landord

But if everything that OP is to be taken at face value then the mould, the kitchen cupboards, the wooden sink counter, the carpet and cost cutting are generally the landlords responsibility. What do you suggest .......

Edit : this first line is replying to advice that you can live like a pig in shit if you want (meant to quote sorry)

You can (live like a pig in shit) but don't be surprised I you did if you are evicted- even if the landlord has to sell the property to do it.
(No reflection on you OP - just the advice)

We rented out our home and lived in it alternating a couple of times. We only ever got mould when it was rented out. The tenants did things like tape up any draughts (which were providing an element of trickle ventilation) and ask how to stop the extractor fan being on after turning the light off in the bathroom as they didn't want to pay for it to run.

Obviously sometimes damp is structural but it is often caused by way of living - drying clothes, cooking without ventilation, not adequately ventilating bathroom (with extractor or window) and not heating sufficiently and yes ventilating - opening windows every day.

It sounds like the landlord has lived in the property without getting mould?

There are many properties that have mould despite heating, ventilating and not drying washing indoors, recent high profile cases have seen landlords/housing associations reminded of their responsibilities not to automatically blame tenants.

www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/lawyers-warns-landlords-not-to-blame-tenants-for-mould

How warm do you keep the property?

Everyone i know with mold has been either not heating the property consistently enough (aim for 19/20 in the day and at least 16 at night), or has dried clothes in doors or had a property rather overcrowded.

It actually doesn't matter what the landlord thinks/doesn't like about the condition of the house. As long as it is in the same condition allowing for reasonable wear and tear as when you moved in as per The Inventory and you have reported any issues (documented) then your deposit is safe.
You can't be evicted unless the breach the Tenancy agreement and even then its not easy.

That's the landlord's responsibility. Normal wear and tear is to be expected.

I think the wear and tear just needs to be sorted before you leave - clean, touch up the paint if there's any marks on walls, paint over any scuffs on skirting boards etc..

Wow. When I used to rent we made a point of making sure we repainted any scuffs and if we had broken anything or mould appeared we took a picture and spoke to the landlord that day to let them know. Do tenants just leave stuff like this and let it get worse to the point things need fully replacing these days? Landlords must be forking out left right and centre if people don't even need to get thenproperty back to the state they rented it in?

Speak to Shelter. They can't expect a property to remain in pristine condition - wear and tear is to be expected. It is a matter of judgement whether you have gone beyond expected wear and tear. Take photographs of everything.

Mould - this is a very difficult area. Keep a diary of when you open the windows and when you run the dehumidifier. Ultimately the landlord needs to address it not automatically blame you.

This isn't correct, tenants are not expected to return the property 'exactly ' as they found it. Some things are expected by law to suffer reasonable wear and tear, some things are not the tenants responsibility if they weren't fit for purpose in the first place, and some issues will be a default landlord responsibility.

OP you need to take the correspondence and a copy of your lease to Shelter/a law centre/other housing specialist. It is hard to advise you here but they should be able to help. If you say where you are someone may be able to provide a specific service/organisation.

I agree. I would be very suspicious of your landlord's motives.

I'm sorry if this worries you unduly but if I were you, I would be prepared for the landlord to be issuing you with an eviction notice at the earliest possible point convenient for them within the terms of your tenancy contract. Whether their behaviour might constitute bullying or harassment according to this, I don't know. www.gov.uk/evicting-tenants Might be worth a read all the way through so you have some idea where you stand in relation to your landlord.

Do you mean you got new windows fitted while your landlord was away and asked them to pay for it? The experts that you quote are just tradesmen looking for work they will always say something needs replacing. Are you doing these things? Always drying outside? All windows open at least 15 minutes every day? Leave ventilation unblocked.? Shut the door of the bathroom while you’re filling the bath? Put lids on saucepans when you’re cooking.?
Low heat on? Some council will give you a damp meter and advice about how to reduce condensation which is producing your mould.

I wondered if anyone was going to pick this up.
@Strawberrylacesx03 call shelter and do. Not respond further until you have spoken to them.

Landlord has no right to do an unannounced inspection

Well I don't and I don't get mould anywhere.

I really think you should take the advice given to speak to Shelter. The landlord is being rather underhanded. You were not obliged to let them inspect the property without an agreed appointment and they have taken the piss just going in without even asking you, and then using what they found as a means to intimidate you. I'd stop any further interaction with them and just contact Shelter about the way you are being treated.

Me too, every night, otherwise we will get mould in our bathroom and bedroom . . .

If you say a rough location there are independent Facebook groups that can help. I know in the South east they're are a few. Just double check you are getting accurate up to date lawful information. I know some places don't always give out correct advice

They can’t come in your house without prior notice. Accessing the outside does not constitute notice to enter the inside of your home.
I would dispute every point in writing as you have here and state that the house will be returned to them as found with the exception of the points raised and acceptable wear and tear

They can't expect no general wear or tear, especially when their own tradespeople didn't fully rectify issues (ie. the carpet)

Do you rent through an agent? If so, I'd consider talking to them about it (although this is highly dependent on how good the agent is.

https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/asktds-what-is-fair-wear-and-tear-in-a-rental-property/?campaignid=21291426154&adgroupid=&adid=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAkc28BhB0EiwAM001TTtXG3Cf54F3maTIOlJURG_02_sT1gPfxnlSHUX_hh-05an_p5tiuRoCUi4QAvD_BwE

The mould is a difficult one, because proving/discovering that it's an existing issue vs. you not airing the house properly makes it more complicated.

In a previous rental, I reported multiple times that the house was damp and water was running down the bathroom walls, and they sent trades people round multiple times and tried to blame me. Eventually they found out that the cold water tank in the loft was leaking (but only when it refilled - which is why when people just poked their head up into the loft it wasn't obvious)

You need to do everything you can to rectify the mold - opening windows, running the dehumidifier, not drying clothes in the house - and if the house is still damp (consider getting a moisture meter) then keep reporting that.

You are likely to have to pay something towards the kitchen cupboards if you've re-wrapped them poorly - when a tenant painted the kitchen worktop because they'd stained it, I got 50% of the cost of it (because the kitchen was 5 years old)

@Strawberrylacesx03 do you mean they came and looked around the inside of your home??? had they made an appointment giving you notice that they were going to be doing that??