To write to the local paper about our letting agent?

[smupcakes]

End of lease for us on Thursday, but it was a bank holiday where we live (not UK). So, keys due back by 9am Friday morning.

All fine and good, driving down to their office Friday morning, and thought I'd like to go and check our old flat one last time before handing back the keys to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything, all benches were wiped down etc.

I knew they didn't have anyone to go in (new tenants), but rang anyway to confirm it would be OK to drop back keys 10-15 minutes late. "Yes, that will be fine, came the reply." This was at 8.50am.

Arrived to the office at 9.20am - and was asked how I'd like to pay the 50 pound charge. What for? Bringing the keys back late. I couldn't believe it! I told them I'd just rang and spoke to someone, they said they thought I had meant I'd be 10 - 15 minutes, arriving at 9.05am - as opposed to 10 - 15 minutes late as I said! They then tell me we better have left the power on, as they wouldn't even do the bond inspection for 2-3 days. They weren't even going there that day, yet were adamant in charging me the extra day's money.

AIBU to think this is absolutely ridiculous and so sneaky?! I didn't give them any money but they say they will attempt to dispute that amount from our bond. I am thinking of writing to the local paper but not sure if IABU.

Write a letter to the agency, and cc to their regulatory body/ ombudsman if they have one. See what response you get before "going to the press". Our local paper is full of stories from aggrieved individuals and frankly they always look a bit silly "My little Johnny isn't allowed to wear [whatever] to school and now I'm taking them to the European Court of Human Rights" kind of thing.
Not that I'm saying I wouldn't be peed off in your situation, but I think there are more proportionate ways of dealing with it.

That's ridiculous, but I'm not surprised. Lettings agents are really sneaky. We were burgled the other month and it took them 3 weeks to properly secure the windows again and a year to exchange the oven.

We're buying our first house at the mo, and fully expecting there to be something wrong which means we don't get our deposit back.

Feel for you, I would refuse to pay. Although they may say that you should've checked the night before really.

Yes, I agree, I am just so angry and partly I want to warn others about how dishonest / money grabbing I feel they are. They were terrible agents throughout our lease too!

Might wait to get our bond back before I start my crusade against them though...

They can't make you pay this charge, they are trying it on. Tell then to get knotted (once you have your deposit back)

That's the thing Shush - if they said, "no you'll be charged 50 pounds, it isn't OK" - I would've gone straight there and been there before 9. I drove PAST their office to go to the old house to check!

Worst thing is the bloody flat was fine, didn't leave anything nor wipe anything down in the end!

It's petty and money grasping, but I don't really see you have a leg to stand on. Even if everyone understood you meant 10-15 mins late after 09:00, you were 20 minutes late. I know that sounds incredibly petty but unfortunately it means you DID return them later than agreed. So I think you're onto a hiding to nothing with local paper. If agents were consistently bad, how about documenting that and sending to trade association, or whatever, if there is something like that in your country?

I recently checked tenants in, they were charged £5 for each hour they had the keys over the end of the previous tenancy - also a bank holiday. They were pleased to see the outrage on my boss's and my face at the greediness!

I recently brought an inspection forward by a month because I didn't want to do it with a new born in the house (well, I do, but thought it'd be a bit inconvenient for them!!) so we're not all sharks

unless it states in your contract that there is a charge for late return of keys and you signed to agree to it then they can't charge you.

your deposit is a damages deposit for the property, held on the landlords behalf, it is not to cover lettings agents ridiculous charges.

i've lost count of the time lettings agents have tried it on with us over the years, we just say "we have taken legal advise and have been advised that you can't charge us £x for x reasons" they shut up after that.