Page 27 | To keep their deposit!!

LivFG · 2023-11-15T03:20:42+00:00

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?

Carrotcake93 · 15/11/2023 20:28

Are you a troll? You sound ridiculous

Bioandstepmum · 15/11/2023 20:29

You are ridiculous. You didn't follow the law yourself and protect the deposit correctly. Yet you feel you can judge other peoples behaviours. Your property wasn't abused and you aren't facing any legal ramifications because someone may or may not have used weed. You will however face legal proceedings for unlawfully detaining someone's deposit. You seriously need perspective.

JRM17 · 15/11/2023 20:29

If you refuse to return their deposit based on this and they post on here I will be advising then to call the police and contact a solicitor.

DisforDarkChocolate · 15/11/2023 20:31

I'd be more worried about the ramifications of not protecting their deposit.

With luck they're on this thread and someone points out the implications of this.

Northernladdette · 15/11/2023 20:31

Surely this is a wind up? 😂

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 15/11/2023 20:31

LivFG · 15/11/2023 14:31

Let me say it again, the deposit will be refunded. As such, I can't be accused of being the immoral one or behaving illegally. It's amazing just how this has been twisted so that I am apparently the one in the wrong when the post was about illegal drug use in my property!!

I understand the point about the deposit scheme - and DH has been firmly told to do the admin properly and to make sure in future everything is done correctly. It certainly wasn't an attempt to 'steal' their deposit. We've had 101 things to deal with over the last year.

It is attitudes like some of those shared here that have resulted in the normalisation of illegal behaviours. I find it all very concerning tbh.

You really don't get it, do you?

You absolutely can be accused of breaking the law and behaving immorally, regardless of whether you give the deposit back because you failed to comply with your legal obligation to protect the deposit in the first place. Paying the deposit back doesn't cancel out that illegal activity, it just reduces the risk that you'll get sued for it.

You and your DH are evidently rogue landlords who don't bother to try and understand their legal duties and don't bother to comply with them. As such, you're hardly in a position to try and adopt the moral high ground. You lost that as soon as you decided that complying with the law was optional.

FWIW, I completely agree with you that it's shocking when people normalise illegal behaviours so easily. Your idea of letting a property "informally" (aka without reference to your legal obligations as a landlord) is a perfect example of this. You have normalised your law breaking and irresponsible conduct to the extent that you perceive it as an insignificant admin oversight instead of recognising it as a failure to fulfil your legal duties to your tenants.

I'm no fan of weed. I think it fucks up people's mental health and I can't bear the smell. However, in the grand scheme of things, if I had to pick which was more morally reprehensible out of smoking weed and being a rogue landlord that thinks they can disregard the law... the rogue landlord wins hands down.

Mommabearof8 · 15/11/2023 20:31

Sounds like your looking for any reason whatsoever in order to keep the deposit! Just send it back and move on before this situation causes a whole other headache for you. You do know there are certain rules to be a landlord etc. Also to be on air B n b…which you’ll be a whole lot more shit from. I don’t think you have a leg to stand on

Thedm · 15/11/2023 20:32

I’ve been using this site for about 13 years and this is the most batshit OP I’ve ever seen. This cannot be a real person.

Aurasauras · 15/11/2023 20:33

LivFG · 15/11/2023 19:53

There has been a concerted attempt to derail this thread and to turn it into an attack on me. I am absolutely shocked that illegal drug taking is apparently so accepted. I’ve held up my hands and have refunded the deposit (how many more times?). I do think it’s disgraceful that the law is apparently on the side of people who take illegal substances.

Of course I am concerned and sick with worry. For all I know, they’ve been taking illegal drug deliveries and the address will now be on the radar of drug dealers. How do I know the property won’t be raided by the police or be the target of vandals? Drug dealers hardly have a reputation as upstanding members of the community!!

I really wish this was a ’wind up’ thread because the last 24 hours have been hell.

😅 op the police don't come out for a few grains of oregano. You could probably walk past them with a joint and not get busted.

Anyway, if being a landlord doesn't work out for you, you could join Samantha Brick at the Daily Mail or write romantic literature.

"on the radar of drug dealers" 😅

I mean, this is definitely a wind up, but she's good. Really good!

Scottsy200 · 15/11/2023 20:34

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Car1990 · 15/11/2023 20:34

If you didn’t put their deposit in a scheme you should definitely refund them the full amount or they can make a claim against you.

Bookkeepermum · 15/11/2023 20:36

You are being very unreasonable. I do not agree with drugs However, you only THINK it's drugs. You should be bleaching and sterilising anyway! Just because you found what you think is weed, doesn't mean they've been using it in the house. They could have made it inside like they would with tobacco and smoking it outside.
You should have secured their deposit legally too. If you're not acting legally as landlords and providing a clean, sterile property than you're the problem. Abusing the property! You should watch Slump landlords, bad tenants. Then you would see properties that have been abused.

Raspberrymoon49 · 15/11/2023 20:37

You sound like a piece of work, totally OTT

Nesca1 · 15/11/2023 20:37

You sound like a nasty, nasty piece of work.

Shadowsindarkplaces · 15/11/2023 20:38

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 15/11/2023 20:31

You really don't get it, do you?

You absolutely can be accused of breaking the law and behaving immorally, regardless of whether you give the deposit back because you failed to comply with your legal obligation to protect the deposit in the first place. Paying the deposit back doesn't cancel out that illegal activity, it just reduces the risk that you'll get sued for it.

You and your DH are evidently rogue landlords who don't bother to try and understand their legal duties and don't bother to comply with them. As such, you're hardly in a position to try and adopt the moral high ground. You lost that as soon as you decided that complying with the law was optional.

FWIW, I completely agree with you that it's shocking when people normalise illegal behaviours so easily. Your idea of letting a property "informally" (aka without reference to your legal obligations as a landlord) is a perfect example of this. You have normalised your law breaking and irresponsible conduct to the extent that you perceive it as an insignificant admin oversight instead of recognising it as a failure to fulfil your legal duties to your tenants.

I'm no fan of weed. I think it fucks up people's mental health and I can't bear the smell. However, in the grand scheme of things, if I had to pick which was more morally reprehensible out of smoking weed and being a rogue landlord that thinks they can disregard the law... the rogue landlord wins hands down.

Edited

Show quote history

This!!! Dodgy landlords are scum.

Fionaville · 15/11/2023 20:38

How could such an 'upstanding citizen' (if we forget the legality of not putting the deposit in a scheme) even know what 'weed residue' looks like? I can't believe you were going to keep the deposit! You haven't supported their lifestyle. You've taken rent and made money off them!
I bet 30% of your Air bnb guests will smoke weed and/or use other drugs. And lots of them will be leaving bodily fluids. I look forward to your future posts.

Mommabearof8 · 15/11/2023 20:39

You gotta get a bloody grip

Flopsythebunny · 15/11/2023 20:41

LivFG · 15/11/2023 14:31

Let me say it again, the deposit will be refunded. As such, I can't be accused of being the immoral one or behaving illegally. It's amazing just how this has been twisted so that I am apparently the one in the wrong when the post was about illegal drug use in my property!!

I understand the point about the deposit scheme - and DH has been firmly told to do the admin properly and to make sure in future everything is done correctly. It certainly wasn't an attempt to 'steal' their deposit. We've had 101 things to deal with over the last year.

It is attitudes like some of those shared here that have resulted in the normalisation of illegal behaviours. I find it all very concerning tbh.

So in your eyes it's OK for you to break the law but not your tenant? You do realise that the penalty for what you did is far higher than for having a bit of weed. That's if it was weed. It could have been a bit of dried parsley for all you know

Sophie89j · 15/11/2023 20:42

So judgemental! For all you know they’d cleaned their spices cupboard out and left a spot when rinsing the cloth! Or they could have a prescription if it is actually weed. You can’t legally keep a deposit because your making assumptions of their potential lifestyle.

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 15/11/2023 20:43

Least we know what Helen Lovejoy is up to these days. Although I wouldn't have pegged the reverend to be so blasé with the law.

carddino · 15/11/2023 20:44

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves exactly this.

OP any comment on that?

Can't wait to see your short term licence application if you can't manage a secure deposit one

MaryMcCarthy · 15/11/2023 20:46

Nobody is this mental. This is a well executed wind up. Well played.

Mummasals · 15/11/2023 20:46

Ok come on people, the whole purpose of this forum is for someone to sense check whether their actions/opinions are unreasonable so there’s no need to be so blinking mean.

OP, yes, you need to give the deposit back and in the grand scheme of things, whilst it’s not ideal behaviour, you got off lightly in terms of nightmare tenancy endings!

momtoboys · 15/11/2023 20:48

Oh, dear....every time you post you look worse. If this isn't a windup, I would stop responding if I were you.

Poshpaddington · 15/11/2023 20:48

wow OP, just wow!! 😲🫨
I cannot believe you even think it’s legal for you to keep their deposit over somethig you think happened.

you don’t know for sure what the residue was. Could be anything.

It’s 100% ILLEGAL for you to keep their deposit for this - so you’d be breaking the law.

it’s also illegal for you to have not protected their deposit in a scheme - that’s one you!!! And you should be prosecuted for that.

you & your husband are clearly cowboy landlords.

As for going to the police & reporting the tenants (good luck with that & having no proof btw) you might as well March yourself to the station and hold your hands up to YOUR ILLEGAL ACTIVITY!!!!

try and be a decent human for once in your life and pay it back.
I do hope your old tenants read this post and report you!!! then you’d have to deal with the real consequences of your own actions.

Have a pleasant evening.