To not attend 'checkout' with landlord?

[Fuckedoffat48b]

We have just bought our first house and obviously have ended our tenancy on our current flat.

We have moved out, dug out the original inventory, had it professionally cleaned etc and now just want to hand the keys back. Except landlord is demanding we attend a 'checkout'. But I simply can't see any reason why I should?

Just for background landlord and her husband have been useless, lazy greedy and frequently rude whenever we have had to deal with them. I just can't see how I could benefit in any way from attending other than to handback the keys. Or am I missing something?

You have been very rude to pps - which makes me think that you might be the problem rather than the landlord. Anyway now you own and can pay for everything yourself - all the maintenance, wear and tear, boiler breakdowns etc.

It is a right not an obligation to be at the checkout. It helps make things easier. At my checkout the InVClk reported that the bathroom spotlight wasn't working but I knew it was - I jiggled it a bit and it was fine - just a slightly loose connection - not my responsibility and no charge to replace bulbs. Simple.

But OP you are right and the landlord is a horrible greedy person - and you are having an argument before you have even got there. Do as you please.

Also filming and photographing everything is meaningless really. You could film it all, then trash it. If it is trashed when the independent InvClk is there she/he will record trashed property.

The point is that the independent clerk records it immediately prior to handover.

That;s why you should hand him or her the last set of keys at that point.

Paintedhorizons are you a landlord perchance? That would explain your poor grasp of the law. I have no legal 'right' to a checkout, it is an optional process which could be used to benefit tenants, but ime doesn't have to be.

And yes I will pay for the maintenance, wear and tear and boiler breakdowns on my new property, unlike most landlords.

But there is no independent inventory clerk! Ho many times do I have to say it?!

There’s little point in attending providing your check in and check out inventory has been done professionally that’s what any dispute would use.

Once the check out inventory is done then that’s that really. I’ve never attending anything more than the check out inventory as I wanted to make sure I gave comment for any damage at the time.

keeping the deposit is not a matter of 'trying it on', any more than tenants can be evicted at 'landlord whim'. This is all Guardian-reader babble.

landlord needs to prove any deductions. I would say 'take photos' but it is too late - but it doesn't matter. you don't need to do anything except dispute deductions if they are raised.

if the deposit isn't protected (CBA to read the whole thread with all the usual crap being spouted) that's different and you will have to take action, shelter provide templates. But you still don't need to be at checkout if you don't want to be.

it is all the landlord's problem, not yours.

“But there is no independent inventory clerk! Ho many times do I have to say it?!“

That’s a shame, normally the landlord pays for the check in inventory and the tenant for the check out inventory in my experience.

Otherwise you are putting yourself in a difficult position should there be any damage.

I am a tenant at present. I have been an owner, a lodger, a landlord, a tenant at various times.

I did not say legal right. I did not mention the the law. Check facts before assuming. And don't accuse someone of having a poor grasp of something that they have not even referred to.

You can attend or not - it is not an obligation - you currently have the right to attend this one

It is in your interest. Take dated photos. Go round with whoever inspects so you can see what they are doing. If they suggest a deduction from the deposit, and it is protected with the DPS, you can challenge and it will go to arbitration. This is when you produce your evidence. If they are dodgy by not going you are making their life easier

Thank you special subject. That is exactly my point. If the landlord wants to make deductions surely they can take it up with the deposit scheme, there is no benefit to either them or me bringing it up to my face at some spurious 'checkout'. Though why is it 'too late' to take photos? Our tenancy hasn't ended yet?

Paintedhorizon, what other right is there?

OP, if you don't want to go then don't. Take date stamped photographs of everything and I mean everything, every wall, skirting board, door, light fitting (while lit) cupboard (inside and out), carpet, appliances (and if possible show appliances working - video of dishwasher/washing machine/cooker etc). Then either print off and post or email the lot to the Landlord and Letting Agents if you have them. They cannot then say things were damaged/broken etc and you have evidence to support that they may well decide not to bother with the meeting and accept that you won't be rolling over for them. Also include any evidence such as professional cleaning invoice if you have one.

Entertainment for this evening if nothing else!

OP. I think x. What do you think?
Several posts from well meaning people trying to well, be helpful as OP requests.
OP. you're all wrong and I'm right and I want to just pick a fight because I expected everyone to just agree with me.

Mother? Is that you?

I work in a property management office. We advise our tenants that the check out inspection will be carried out the next working day after the end of tenancy and they are welcome to attend, but don't have to.

I would absolutely recommend taking time stamped photos of everything possible (particularly things like ovens, dishwasher, washing machine drawer, seals in bathrooms, etc)

Your deposit should be protected with an independent company. Your landlord will put their evidence and costs/quotes of any works done so you can agree or dispute them. If you dispute them you can put your evidence to them.

Whoever said if you dispute it you will only get 0-50% is wrong. If you dispute and have decent evidence, you will be successful in your dispute. It is up to the landlord to prove that you caused the damage, and that it's not just fair wear and tear at the property

Seriously?? What other right is there??? OP you are so concerned about having a fight that you'd say black is white and vice versa.

So it seems I have a far better grasp of the law than you do.

Go or don't go. TBH I pity the landlord as he/she has a fight on his hands unless you have treated the house with a lot more respect than you have treated people who have given you advice and information based on their experience in response to a request for such.

you said you had moved out so i assumed tenancy was over. go back and take photos but if deposit is in scheme that should be enough.

AllDay, I paid £140 for an end of tenancy clean for a one bed flat I rented. (Contractual requirement).

4 cleaners blitzed the place in 2 hours. I could have done it myself but they didn't just 'wipe work surfaces'. They did a really deep clean.

But mine wasn't a contractual requirement. My mum and aunt had already helped me spend nearly a whole day cleaning. Every surface and inside of every cupboard etc was spotless. There was nothing else to clean.

My point about 'wiping work surfaces'was made because there wasn't much else they coukd clean. Oven and carpet cleaning were paid for separately.

They were basically taking the piss as it was much cleaner than when I moved in (I'd actually complained about the amount of dust!).

OP sorry I was just trying to help. Obviously you don't have to go.

Had we not gone to the check out when we moved out of the rental in Belgium, they would have charged us for every tiny nick in the paintwork (that we hadn't caused), and we would have been looking at far more than we paid.

It's up to you OP, but doing a walk round with the l/l and having a signed agreement on damages is in your interest. I've done it with an MoD clerk when leaving an MQ in Belgium and had to go through everything with him so we weren't charged for what was wear and tear.

It seems much easier to be there in person. Landlord says oven is dirty, you say look again, it’s sparkling and I have photos taken today showing this. Here, I’ll snap another one
Or,
Landlord sends you a notice saying your deposit will have £450 cleaning etc deducted, you reply with photos and some back and forth... being there in person should short circuit some of this faff.

But you say you won’t be there so fine, don’t.

I think the landlord is less likely to "try something on" if you do turn up.

When the check-out clear couldn't find anything to complain about he ran his finger along the top of the hob and said "grease" even though I had jiffed and detoxxed the kitchen to death. I pointed out that the landlord hadn't serviced the boiler in over the year so he decided not to record that it was "greasy", thereby saving me 000s cleaning deduction.

When my son moved out of (an immaculate) property, in the absence of anything else to criticise, the letting agent noted that there was dust on the OUTSIDE of the front door!