Advice please - flatmate hasn’t returned my deposit

[throwaway3]

I was in a sublet for a room in a flatshare without a contract, and left end of April.

I’d paid my deposit directly to flatmate as wasn’t on contract (I know that may sound risky but my friends & I have all done this before, sublets without official contracts are common in London).

I politely chased the flatmate on 5th and 13th May to ask about deposit but he said he didn’t have it back then. Until 20th May he sends me this…

However yet another week has passed and he still hasn’t sent me anything (awkward). His housemate was a close friend of his so not sure why it’d take this long. I’ve already chased twice and don’t want to sound pushy or accusatory but also can’t afford to lose my money

I think without a contract you don’t have a leg to stand on. Sorry. I’d give him a call rather than a text and find out what’s going on

Ring him, explain you need it back to pay bills etc.

You just need to keep chasing! If the gas bill hasn’t come in he should hold back a bit and send over the rest. It’s horrible to be the chaser but don’t let it slide.

Send another message - “Hi, flatmate: just wondered whether you’d managed to get the bills sorted yet so that you can sort out the deposits? Please keep me posted.