Getting deposit back AIBU

[spice3]

Moved out of our first flat. £650 deposit was put down.

There's no damage. There's slight marks on the walls and places but we've lived there 18 months. Everywhere was cleaned before we left. There was stains on the mattress.

I expected some deposit to be deducted for stuff like a professional oven clean, maybe a carpet clean and the mattress.

She's text me saying that she can give me £450 back as she's been quoted £100 for cleaning and £50 extra for a mattress clean.

Does this seem right?
I just want to double check as it's the first place I've moved out of so I have no knowledge of this and we can't afford to lose money if it may not be 100% right so just want to make sure!

Am not sure about charging you for cleaning if it was reasonable condition. Mattress seems fair.

Did you do a proper deep clean?

If they did a professional clean before you went in on leaving they can say it should have been done in the same manner.

Did you take photographs of how you left it? Argue it with her and then if she insists take it to whatever deposit protection service she has used.

You can dispute this with the company which held the deposit - no need to accept this if you don't think it's fair.

England?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent

raise a dispute with the deposit protection scheme. If the deposit isn't protected, sue.

get clued up to avoid being shafted by this or the next landlord. You have many rights.

If you disagree you can take it to the deposit company. Did you take photos pre/post that will help? I feel that the mattress staining is fair to replace/clean though

Your LL has to give you back all your deposit now and they can no longer charge for 'professional cleaning' if it is marks on the wall etc. If it was a hole in the wall obviously that would be different

If the place is as clean as when you moved in, with standard wear and tear (walls do get marked) then they can’t charge you any money. If they want a professional clean as well as you leaving it clean, that’s up to them. It’s not your problem.

Her figures don't add up - £100 for clean + £50 for mattress = £150 so £500 returned

Your deposit should be held in a protected scheme, or else kept on an insured scheme. If not, as a PP said, you have rights to sue.

No, she is not being reasonable. Sounds like normal wear and tear; do you have move-out photos and a detailed inventory?

@NotSorry the other £50 is to replace the mattress protector, although I'm pretty sure there was never one on the bed in that room. (I'll check the inventory though! Should it be on there?)

Check your inventory as she won't have a leg to stand on if it isn't. Also even if it was, she has to allow for wear and tear so couldn't charge you for a brand new one - this is called betterment and not allowed. Is the deposit protected in a scheme? I was a Lettings Manager for 15+ years so let me know if you need any help.

Yes, anything included should be listed in the inventory.

£50 for a mattress protector?! She's taking the piss.

Sounds like you're getting good advice from lots of PPs

Yep, previous advise is all solid. The mattress protector should be on your inventory or she cannot claim for it. If it was brand new when you moved in, she could technically claim for a brand new one, but unless it was photographed sat on the bed in it packaging, you could debate its newness. £50 is steep anyway, I very much doubt a rental property was given a quality mattress protector, especially is there is stains on the mattress! It clearly didn't do its job right.

£100 for cleaning is reasonable, assuming you moved into a professionally cleaned flat. Again, inventory will be able to show if there was any difference to the condition moving in as opposed to moving out. £50 mattress clean is reasonable I would say, although if I was the new tenant I wouldn't be chuffed about sleeping on someones' 18 month old stained mattress (not envy)

You should always take your own time-stamped photos when vacating the property as departure inventories are often done weeks after a tenant moves out and you can never guarantee the honesty of a landlord or agent.

You have the right to dispute any deposit refund proposals and the third party company will ask you both to submit your evidence and will make an impartial decision. In majority of cases I found they find a middle ground as opposed to siding fully with one party (unless it's blatant ripping the piss!)

Did you do a proper clean when you left? Such as cleaning the skirting boards, washing the doors and floors, cleaning the kitchen drawers and cupboards, the microwave and the fridge and washing machine, and cleaning bathroom tiles around the shower etc.
You say you stained the mattress? Then it needs replacing regardless of whether there was a mattress protector or not. You could have arranged to have the mattress cleaned yourself before you moved out if you were concerned and shopped around for the most competitive quote. Same applies to the carpet and the oven really. It doesn't seem as if you've been charged for the state of the walls though, as you would have been qcharged for repainting.
If the oven needed a professional clean and so did the mattress and carpet, then the £200 she wants to charge you seems fairly reasonable to me.