To keep their deposit!!

[LivFG]

DH and I have a couple of properties we rent out. We have been renting to a young couple who always seemed like good tenants. We gave them notice a couple of months ago as we are going to start renting on AirBnB instead as DH thinks we will get more money (don't get me started).

Anyway, they moved out on Saturday and everything seemed fine. Today I went to get everything cleaned and I found (what I think to be) weed residue next to the sink. I'm Furious. I feel completely violated and uncomfortable being inside the property. I'm sick with worry that they have been using illegal drugs in my home and what the legal ramifications could be!!

Obviously we have their deposit. I was planning to refund it this week. After my discovery today, I now feel incredibly reluctant to make any sort of refund. The idea of supporting/funding their lifestyle makes me very uncomfortable. And they never would have been given permission to abuse my property in this way.

DH seems to think none of this is a problem and seems to completely miss the point - it isn't about cleaning it up - it's about the abuse of our trust.

AIBU?

At the start you said we rent out.
Now it's he didn't get round to protecting the deposit.
Did either of you get the gas and electric safety certificates? Did either of you get the boiler serviced?
Did either of you take out landlord insurance?
Did either of you declare the income to HMRC
is it any wonder landlords get a bad name.
Give them their money back

And people wonder why buy to let landlords have a bad reputation.

You have already acted illegally. It is too late to just give it them back.

They can claim for up to 3x the deposit from you, and they have 6 years to do so.

Are you aware of the new fire regulations for short term rentals? From October 1st these are being enforced. You need to read the regulations and produce a Fire Risk Assessment before you put the house on Air bnb .

There are spot checks by the fire brigade. Also your insurance will be invalidated if you don't adhere to the regulations.

Do you realise you need specialist insurance for a holiday let property? And mortgage if applicable? You can't use a BTL mortgage.

You are not a very good landlord, you have not complied with the basic laws of being a landlord by protecting the deposit

Loads of people take weed - it's not meth

Re cleaning - you should be doing a deep clean between tenants, and customers that you are renting to - this is the bare minimum to keep it sanitised

My thoughts exactly.
You turfed good tenants out of their home so you could get more money. Appalling behaviour.
I hope your air b & b goes tits up.

You will be in for a shock with some Airbnb tenants!

Not sure if you should be a landlord if you are going to be overly picky on tenants behaviour.

Why would they have respect for your property when clearly you have no respect for them. Did you conform to all the legalities of letting a property eg gas certificates, fire alarms, carbon monoxide alarms?

You need to clean thoroughly anyway.
Unless your paying a cleaner, get used to doing a deep every few days, because that’s what will be needed with holiday rental properties. I’d be complaining if my holiday let just had a quick hoover between guests!

All AirbnB tenants are wholesome souls - think Enid Blyton. Clean living and like nothing better than a glass of warm milk and a cookie.

You have acted illegally, you didn't protect their deposit as you're required to do by law. Give it back.

That aside, what possible ramifications do you imagine there are going to be for you, even if your tenants did infact use drugs in the property?

i have never even smoked a cigarette but you are absolutely pathetic. Concentrate more on what YOU have done wrong rather than what others have been doing. I really hope your ex tenants find out their money wasn’t protected and take you for a nice little sum.

I don't think the contract will have referenced drug use (DH did all of the admin stuff) but will check. But even if it doesn't - what am I supposed to do? State every illegal activity in the contract and ask for a signature?

What does it say in their contract about their deposit?

Have you told them you 'did not get round' to putting their deposit in the scheme?

It isn't me who has broken the law.

Is your name on the contract?

If it isn't, then you are right. You haven't broken the law. Just your husband has.

Good lord you are acting as if you’ve found out they’ve been using your house as a crack den.

They have MAYBE rolled joints in your house, MAYBE. They obviously haven’t been habitually smoking in there as you would know and that would be a different (reasonable) issue.

A lot of people smoke CBD these days which can look just like weed but has no (or very little) THC and is perfectly legal.

You are moralising here. The police would laugh at you if this is the only concern. Do
you not think they’ve got bigger issues than someone possibly rolling a joint in the place where they live??

If you are going into the airbnb market you’ll need to get used to far worse than that I’m afraid. That’s a common find.

Are you prepared to clean faeces off your bathroom walls and deal with forgotten sex toys? Because that is the reality of a FHL owner nowadays.

Wow. Op you have got to be joking.

You feel violated!!!
I felt violated when I was raped.
Not from finding a bit of plant dust in a kitchen.
Get a grip.

it's just a bit of weed, chill the fuck out!

I'm completely anti-drugs but i think you're mental!!
Getting this upset over personal use??

If they were heavy users you'd have smelt it the instant you walked in to the property.

Ohh emm actual gee! Call the authorities! Inform the church elders! HANG THEM!!

🤣

Seriously though OP. As about 94 other people have said, you and your husband have broken the law in your handling of the deposit. You don't know that it's definitely weed. And neither of you sound cut out to be landlords anyway.

Would you feel better if you found out they used weed to alleviate a health issue?

Pretty disgusting behaviour from someone who says they are a “good landlord” the whole topic stinks of double standards and (illegal) vindictive tactics.
Good luck with the air bnb and hopefully your meet your nemesis’s many times over.

OP won't be back now.

Considering you’re so anti drug how the hell do you know what “weed deposit” looks like?

Op you are clearly throwing accusations around. Please explain what weed residue is?? Or put a pic up..

Keep there deposit is illegal. Give ot back to them. I would hate to have a landlord like you honestly. If your Hubby sees nothing wrong then why do you.. furthermore airbnb hahaha doubt that will work.for.you....

Give them there deposit back, clean the property and either sell it or whatever.