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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Has anyobe actually ever got their deposit back on a rental?

124 replies

malificent7 · 11/07/2021 19:32

I am currently deep cleaning my rental property ...I have been there for 10 years so wear and tear is evident.

I have scrubbed scuff marks off the wall, got a deep cleaner to do barhroom/ kitchen / skirting boards etc. Grout/ tiles are looking good.
There is a tiny blob of slime on dds carpet..i have softened with vinegar and is coming off slowly. I am using rug doctor throughout. there was also some black mould growing behind furniture...have scrubbed it off.
I know I wont get my deposit back but as a matter of pride I want to leave it in a good state.
Has anyone actually had a deposit back and if so...how?

OP posts:

thisgardenlife · 12/07/2021 00:14

Yes, my daughter, And the one time she didn't she took them to a tribunal, and won.:)

FrankieDettol · 12/07/2021 00:18

Yup. Landlord tried to claim he'd had to redecorate the whole place so he wanted to keep whole deposit. Luckily we thoroughly cleaned and took photos when we left so the deposit scheme gave us all but £15 back from about £1000 deposit.

Harrykanesrightsock · 12/07/2021 00:18

We have only once withheld some of the deposit because the tenant had sublet to her son unbeknown to us and he trashed it. But we only withheld what it cost to fix.

StrawberrySquash · 12/07/2021 00:21

Always. Apart from one time when someone lost some keys and she deducted a tenner a head. I do always leave a place cleaner than I moved in, but never paid for a professional clean. Have had decent relationships with all my LL except one. I think there we just paid deposit direct from the next housemate though as it was a house share and the lazy LL was never going to do an inspection.

StrawberrySquash · 12/07/2021 00:23

And the one time I had an inventory clerk check us out I was pleasantly surprised by how much she considered normal wear and tear and how often she thought LL should repaint etc. There was plenty of 'That's fine, it would be due a repaint anyway.'

MurielSpriggs · 12/07/2021 00:24

We've been landlords since 2005, we've never yet withheld a penny from anyone's deposit.

thinkingaboutitall · 12/07/2021 00:25

I think some landlords just see the deposit as “theirs” or “income” so will deduct for the sake of it

thinkingaboutitall · 12/07/2021 00:26

@StrawberrySquash

Mine was like this too. They were only concerned about the doors and windows functioning as normal!

redandwhite1 · 12/07/2021 00:29

Yes always (4 properties in total)

Doyouavocado · 12/07/2021 00:31

Yes, rented twice and received back on both

Clydesider · 12/07/2021 00:35

We've got the whole deposit back in 2 of our 3 rentals, and agreed a £200 deduction, instead of the demanded £450, last time. We didn't agree with any of what they said but just wanted to close that chapter and move on.
Bear in mind that landlords can not expect to have the house put back to the exact same state it was in at the start of your tenancy. They also get a tax allowance for wear & tear.

noblegreenk · 12/07/2021 00:40

I got my full deposit back when I left my rental 4 years ago. I always got on well with my landlord though. I kept her informed of any issues with the property, which she always dealt with promptly. When I left it wasn't perfect, but it was as good a could be expected after 3 years and clean as a whistle.

There were a couple of carpet stains which I'd cleaned but hadn't fully come out - I told LL about them and explained I'd tried Dr. Beckmann and that was as good as I could get it.

There was a bit of mould behind furniture I'd removed. I cleaned it fully but it left a 'shadow' on the wall. I also told LL about that.

There were also marks on the wall behind where the TV was situated. It was where the electrical wires had gotten hot and left scorch marks on the painted wall.

I didn't expect to get the full deposit back, but I thought honesty was the best policy, so i was very upfront and pointed these things out to the LL. She said she didn't expect it to be perfect and since I'd replaced certain older items in the flat with newer ones it balanced out. I'd replaced flimsy crap curtain poles with sturdier ones I bought in the sales. I also left nicer curtains behind and an under-sink cupboard in the bathroom. I cleaned the whole flat (myself) from top to bottom until it gleamed! Just so I knew that other than the few issues I'd pointed out to her, the flat was otherwise perfect.

JulesRimetStillGleaming · 12/07/2021 00:52

Yes. I got my full deposit back via arbitration. My landlady evicted me and then threatened court. Refused to return any of the deposit so I had to make an appeal to the deposit protection scheme. Even though I offered to only accept half back, the arbitrator found completely in my favour.

I hadn't done anything wrong - she was an angry and vindictive person.

Shakirawannabe · 12/07/2021 00:53

As a landlord I expect wear and tear. Especially after 10 years.

I would really appreciate a tenant doing a deep clean as it never happens! Your landlord is lucky. As long as nothing is broken by force or not by wear or tear full deposit will be released by the deposit protection scheme

RubyGoat · 12/07/2021 00:57

Last house, lived there 12 years, only lost £40 of the deposit because we forgot to change the cooker hood filter (& couldn’t prove it was actually in a vile condition when we moved in but that’s life).

PurpleSunrise · 12/07/2021 01:14

It’s not just up to your landlord if she keeps your deposit you know OP? I presume it’s in a deposit protection scheme?

caringcarer · 12/07/2021 01:31

I have been a LL for 12 years and have 6 houses let but all but 2 tenants have got full deposits back. One who did not had smashed a sliding full length mirror on triple wardrobe. I got it repaired then paid rest to tenant. The other tenant had only been there 6 months and had allowed a child to draw all over walls in bedroom and I offered tenant choice to repaint walls herself but she declined so I had a painter in to do it and tenant got remainder back. I expect wear and tear and after tenants live in a house for more than 3 years would always have house repainted before a new tenant anyway. You should get deposit back if you have not broken anything.

MarkRuffaloCrumble · 12/07/2021 01:48

Even took our landlord to court and were awarded most of the deposit and costs, but they still didn’t pay us it back!! The fuckers.

Admittedly there were some marks on the (cream wool!) carpet as we had young DCs but they argued the toss and told us it would cost £700 to replace it in one small room, and then kept the rest because the job wasn’t cleaned well enough (by the cleaning co used by the letting agency). Bastards.

silentpool · 12/07/2021 04:58

I always get my deposit back, with some effort put in.

Do a detailed inventory & photos at check in
Always report any issues in writing so you have evidence. If you call them, follow up with an email recapping the conversation.
Be present at the check out
Be willing to dispute any claims. If you make it clear that you aren't going to roll over, you will likely have no issues - unless it's a genuine claim

TheRosariojewels · 12/07/2021 06:02

I rented probably about 8 different properties over the years and have always got my deposit back in full, with zero deductions.

I always made good any damage myself (I always figured it was cheaper to do this than be charged labour for someone else to do it) and cleaned very thoroughly from top to bottom.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 12/07/2021 06:17

Yes, I've had the deposit back in full, every time (3 properties). Its not just about a deep clean at the end of a tenancy, it's about looking after it properly the whole time you are there. If there is black mould growing behind furniture that doesnt happen overnight - you need to open windows more often, check plumbing for leaks, don't have too much large furniture crowded in blocking all walls & use a dehumidifier if you dry damp washing inside.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 12/07/2021 06:22

OP - you realise the landlord doesnt have the money, right? Its usually held in a deposit scheme and for it to be release to either party you both have to agree, these days its quite hard for a landlord to withhold for the sort of wear and tear you described. Just don't accept it and take them to arbitration under the deposit protection scheme. It doesn't cost you anything to do this.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 12/07/2021 06:29

You need to look at detail at the reasons for withholding depósit in deposit schemes...assuming you're in UK.

They just can't withokd money for usual wear and tear... If you've been there 10 years this is assumed to be the life of a carpet.

PS I've rented for bed tpart of 25 years... Lots of diff landlords - have always got my full deposit back-never hired cleaners-two separate landlords wanted to know name of company we used.

Cantbebotheredtothinkofaname · 12/07/2021 06:51

I have had my deposit back in full from all landlords (5 properties in total) with the exception of the first, however the stuff that came back were things that I knew were made up (oven not cleaned, not vacuumed etc) so as my ex had done the check out and refused to query it with the landlord, I insisted it got taken from his half of the deposit other than that I’ve only had trouble once with a withheld deposit, and a template letter from CAB sorted that out. I’ve always just ensured the place is left immaculate, and taken pictures of any damage/scuffs when I originally moved in.

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