Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking a house deposit shouldn't take this long to return?

87 replies

CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 18:58

I moved out of a rented property 3 weeks ago. I had it professionally cleaned, including the carpets. A professional inventory clerk went through everything on check out day. A report was then drafted with weird reasons they could bill me.

The cleaners returned, did the bits that were missed. They want to charge me for cleaning external windows and shrub cutting. Okay...

My beef is that the property is in the process of being sold. It doesn't need to be tennant ready. No vendor has made an offer on the understanding the glass vase stays put Hmm

I want it sorted! I moved back home so luckily haven't stumped up another deposit.

It seems much too long to me. AIBU? Can I email the agent tomorrow and request a timescale or something?

OP posts:
Machadaynu · 19/03/2013 19:01

I just called them. They said the person I needed to speak to was on lunch. I said I'd hold. She's only just gone, they said. That's ok, I'll hold, I replied.

She came back from lunch a few minutes later, oddly.

Just don't take no for an answer. Don't ask for a timescale, that gives them more time. They've had three weeks. Tell them you want to have it as cleared funds by the end of the week.

NinaNannar · 19/03/2013 19:02

i bet there is something going on.

very odd

Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 19:02

But isn't that risking pissing them off further? Did you get your deposit bak in full machadaynu?

OP posts:
Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 19:03

It's the same agents dealing with the sale

What do you think could be going on Nina?

OP posts:
Cailinsalach · 19/03/2013 19:10

Dunno what is going on but if I was you I would check who is holding the deposit. It should be held by a third party deposit scheme and there are mighty repercussions for landlords if they have failed to lodge it in an approved scheme. Yup, I would chase this up now.

hiddenhome · 19/03/2013 19:10

The Lettings Agent won't be holding the money themselves, a solicitor will be holding the money and it is up to the Lettings Agents to contact them and obtain the deposit. Three weeks is getting on a bit though, so keep chasing it up.

Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 19:12

The deposit was held baby a third party. They have written to me to say its no longer protected....

OP posts:
Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 19:13

Held by a third party

OP posts:
EuroShaggleton · 19/03/2013 20:48

It shouldn't have been unregistered from the scheme without your agreement.

Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 20:53

Oh dear.

OP posts:
OhTheConfusion · 19/03/2013 20:55

It should still be protected unless you agreed to the change.

Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 20:57

Oh FFS. I don't know what to do now.

OP posts:
freddiefrog · 19/03/2013 21:00

Who told you it was no longer protected?

The scheme holding the deposit shouldn't release it to the agent unless everything had been agreed, or a dispute raised and won.

A friend went through this last year. She had a heat crack in pane of double glazing, an engineer confirmed it was a heat crack, therefore landlord's responsibility and a couple of freezer drawers were cracked. When she left the house the LL tried to make her pay for the replacement double glazing and the freezer drawers. Friend agreed to the freezer drawer but not double glazing.

It went to dispute, tenancy deposit people agreed with friend and paid out the cost to replace the freezer drawers to LL and the rest to her.

It shouldn't be up to letting agent or landlord to decide how much she gets.

It sounds like they didn't register it with a proper scheme to me

freddiefrog · 19/03/2013 21:02

Ask the agent which scheme it was registered with. It has to be a proper approved scheme.

Try these people www.tds.gb.com/

Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 21:03

The letter says they received instructions from the ll/agents...

OP posts:
Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 21:03

It's with mydeposits

OP posts:
freddiefrog · 19/03/2013 21:06

I'd raise a dispute with the resolution service. My friend did it online, looking at their site, you can do it on there

It shouldn't have been paid out without your agreement. You should have been given the chance to dispute it and put your side of the story across

PlasticLentilWeaver · 19/03/2013 21:06

www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection/overview

It can't be released without your agreement that you accept any deductions that have been made. If the agents have messed up, THEY are liable. (This happened the first time I had tenants move out after the deposit scheme was set up. Agents had not correctly registered the deposit, and so all was returned to the tenant who had left my house in shit state. Agents ended up paying for the corrective work.)

Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 21:07

Thing is, they haven't 'confirmed' what they want to 'charge' me yet. Should I wait for that?

Thans for all advice btw.

OP posts:
freddiefrog · 19/03/2013 21:07

This is the page on their site that says how it works

www.mydeposits.co.uk/tenants/get-started/register-a-dispute

My friend's case was the same

freddiefrog · 19/03/2013 21:10

I'd write to agent asking how much they're withholding and why. If its to replace stuff ask for written quotes.

Give them until the end of the week and if they don't reply, raise a dispute.

Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 21:12

I was just looking at that. Problem is that it isn't protected now so I'd have trouble using them I think?

I'm so fed up. I feel like something has gone very wrong now.

OP posts:
specialsubject · 19/03/2013 21:16

you're fine - according to their site, the procedure is unprotect first, then raise any disputes. So raise one.

timescale is 10 working days from end of tenancy.

Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 21:17

Ten working days have passed Shock

OP posts:
Original poster
CuriosityKilledTheCrap · 19/03/2013 21:20

Oh - I can see that I need to wait ten days....

OP posts: