To challenge these deposit deductions?

[Wiley14]

I’ve recently ended a tenancy in a flat share in central London. All occupants have left. During the check out inventory there were a few things noted and added to the deductions-we lived there for two years so were expecting a few deductions-however we made a lot of effort to keep the flat clean and tidy-as notes by the landlord who told me a few weeks prior to check out she was jealous of how tidy we were able to keep it (she has kids) and it was so clean, it looked like a show house. This is my first time renting (lived in student halls and then nhs accommodation for years) so I was rather naive and wish I had contested more things on the check in inventory-like the level of cleanliness (clearly not professional as documented) and some other little bits and pieces about blinds and some markings but that’s a lesson I’ve learnt. However on the check out inventory they stated it was not professionally cleaned (I paid over 100 quid to have it done) and would need to be re cleaned. The landlord is charging us for the replacement of bulbs and the fittings some were not working when we moved in and they’ve agreed to remove this from deductions-but if the last tenant didn’t have to pay for the bulbs to be replaced for us why are we doing it for the next? Also complaints about some water staining on the ceiling in the bathroom- unless we have some funky showering habits I don’t see how this is our fault-it’s also something no one had noticed as is not particularly obvious so we didn’t report it. Sorry for the long long message but these along with other little things are adding to over £500. We’re both nurses so don’t exactly have a massive amount of free money. Should I challenge these and ask for a second opinion?

As a landlord. Yes challenge it!

Absolutely - it is very hard for landlords to actually keep any of the deposit these days. A lot of what yours wants to keep counts as wear and tear I'd have thought. Did they protect the scheme in a deposit? What evidence do they actually have with regards any damage - photos are the bare minimum they need I think to keep any of the money.

challenge it - why wouldn't you? And living there two years makes no difference, that is wear and tear.

tenants are expected to replace lightbulbs, and at a pound a go I'm surprise you sat in the dark if the lights worked, but if the initial condition report showed them not working then there's no deduction.

if you have a receipt for a professional clean that's all the evidence needed.

assuming of course that the deposit was protected...if not you can still sue the landlord's sorry arse but it is a different route.

I am a clerk and I would have assigned light bulb liability to you for all bulbs not working that were working when you moved in.

So that is easy, go through the inventory and count up the number of non working bulbs, cross ref with the number at check out... how many do you owe? But as you say, you LL has agreed to remove that charge.

Water staining in a bathroom ceiling can have a number of causes, but often a water source above. So, for example, if there was a header tank that was leaking and you ignore the signs/didn't report them then the LL can ask you to recompense them for part of the damage. But in a flat it is usually a leak from upstairs, so yes, challenge that.

Cleaning... did you pay a professional company? Did you ask for an end of tenancy clean? The usual routine is to get the cleaners back in to complete the job, but, if the landlord can adequately prove you left the flat dirtier than would be expected they can claim - though the arbitration schemes don't like it! Cleaning is the cause of almost 3/4 of all disputes, LLs are routinely disappointed.

All you need do is write back and say you do not agree to the propose deductions. Make an offer, be sensible, that shows you are willing to compromise. Then leave it to them to make a claim with the deposit scheme. If you don't hear from them in 10 days, claim back your money.

Have a look at the website for the scheme you money was protected in... check the date it was protected, it should be less than 30 days after you moved in you should have had the certificate for it too!

Panic not, just follow the procedure!

Yes we paid for a professional clean-I have the invoice. They have a 48 hour re clean policy-however I work nights and naively assumed it would be fine having paid £125 quid so didn’t check it until three days later which then to my untrained eye looked acceptable.
Just for clarification-they’re spot lights which we never even noticed so I promise we weren’t just sitting in the dark!

They can't charge you for bulbs that weren't working before you moved in so you can challenge this.

You can also challenge the 'water stain'. My ex landlord tried to charge me for all sorts when I moved out. Luckily I had the photos from the original check in so could prove how the property was presented when I moved in. Do you have anything like this? You may find that when you look at the photos, the 'stain' was present before your occupancy.

Having said that, if your LL has no photos or a proper inventory, carried out by an independent company, he doesn't have a leg to stand on as it's your word against his.

£500 seems excessive. Do challenge it. I am a landlady myself and it would never occur to me to charge anyone for bulbs ...

If your tenancy was managed by the estate agents (who take a monthly fee from the landlord and find repairmen, cleaners etc) then maybe the costs are a bit inflated since the agents are also doing with someone's private business.

I, frankly, was quite aghast that oven and a shower cubicle cleaning was deemed to be worth 60quid from my tenants (it is like 4 hours work? or what?), but they didn't mind paying and were given the chance to clean it themselves but chose not to and paid instead.

so yeah, it's rather cheeky to lob half a grand off you.

They can't deduct for any of that. Challenge it and don't let it go. If the deposit is protected you will get it all back because they won't be allowed any of those deductions. Bulbs? They are playing you!

WInter sorry, but some of those charges could be perfectly permissable. Bulbs in particular.

Yes OP is probably being pushed for more than she owes, but 'they' really can deduct for everything OP listed. It all depends on the circumstances.

Challenge everything but the light bulbs. If your contract specified a professional clean and you have a receipt for one, you've fulfilled your side of the contract. If you need to appeal your deposit, they almost always find for the tenant. Usually the threat of appealing is enough.

Definitely challenge. Some landlords will try to squeeze every penny they can from you.

I'm a landlord.....I wouldn't dream to charge for light bulbs or a water mark on ceiling (only slight extenuating circumstance might be if water mark came from a very obvious leak that tenant didn't report and so further damage had been done as a result). Definitely dispute it

They really can't. They 100% cannot deduct bulbs from your deposit, and if you think they can I hope you are not a landlord

Winter You are wrong. They can charge for bulbs if they were working at the beginning of the tenancy

I am not a landlord, my first response here was clear, I am an inventory clerk. I do check outs on a daily basis.