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?

This has been the best post in a while. Money grabbing crying landlord can't see the irony in what they're doing being more illegal than suspected "weed". Doesn't see that the house is another persons home and just see it as a cash cow.

No you can't keep their deposit. You sound like the landlord we had when we were younger, always making an excuse to try and keep our money!

t's (possibly) weed.. not a crystal meth factory, you don't need the biohazard team to come clean it 🙈

You're being very dramatic you found what you 'think' is weed residue not a grow in the loft get over yourself there is no legal ramifications!
You didn't put the deposit into a safety scheme so If you with hold it they can take you to court and claim back 3x the amount plus court fees .
You should be doing a deep clean between tenants anyway that's your cost not the tenants

I see the "concerted effort to derail" op's perfectly reasonable thread continues 😅 unabated.

OP just roll a joint from the "weed residue" and calm down😊

What ramifications? It’s a possible tiny bit of weed, get a grip. 😂

YABU. The deposit isn't a way of you fining them for something you don't agree with. Whether or not they should have been doing it is irrelevant- it absolutely doesn't give you the right to withhold the deposit and legally for the reason you want to use, you can't. Is the property damaged? I think your outrage is OTT.

YABU Legally you are supposed to put deposit in scheme within 30 days of tenancy starting, as you didn’t they can take you to court and you could be asked to pay them much more! Friends of mine rented to a friend and didnt make her pay a deposit, it all went sour and my friend had to pay out a lot of money. Landlords like you are the worst, not only have you made people homeless just to make more money you are now making accusations that you don’t know are true. You can’t withhold deposit because it goes against your principles and you’re offended! Property should be thoroughly cleaned regardless! I doubt air BnB will work for you if you’re so easily offended and you will find a lot worse goes on than a bit of weed!

Exactly this

Please be aware that cannabis has been LEGAL to consume for medical reasons since 2018.
Airb'n'b charge more to cover the losses from renting to non referenced holiday makers. Imagine your horror to coming into your property after a week to find it completely trashed because your holiday makers got drunk every night. Imagine every week having to clean your property and finding it a disaster zone. Yes this happens. Then think of the time and the money you would lose taking the property back up to standard again and then having to relist....
You're better off having pot smoking tenants that take care of your property and pay their rent when it's due, than the absolute headache you will have for a bit of extra money.

'Cleaning top to bottom' is not a reason to withhold deposit. This is standard part of being a landlord. As for not wanting to 'fund that lifestyle' (very judgemental as it could have just been a one off night with friends etc!) none of your business imo.

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!!

You need a nice spliff to calm you down.

Has to be no one is this stupid or ridiculous surely

It's not up to you, you'll need to apply through the deposit protection scheme and in this case they'll laugh at you as you're being ridiculous.

Oh and your husband sucks evicting people to Airbnb the property. Karma will probably ensure it does indeed get trashed now.

👏🏽 so much wrong with the original post and their replies but this is exactly my response too.

The money isn't IN the deposit protection scheme.

OP is all bout the rulz ... so long as they don't apply to her.

On long threads, it’s always worth reading at least all the posts made by the OP before replying.

Just saying.

If there was ‘weed residue’ just chilling in the kitchen sink you’d better believe you would smell it. And if it was smoked inside your property the smell would be everywhere and completely undeniable. It’s probably dried herbs or tobacco.

I’m quite amused how you’re over-reacting to full tenants leaving a SUSPECTED minuscule amount of left over weed bits in the kitchen sink, but you’ve kicked out tenants to change to an AirB&B when you’re probably going to find lots worse than a few bits of weed residue.

I think you’re being massively unreasonable.

I think you’re an idiot.

You clearly have no concept of what weed even looks like to know whether it is that or not.
You failed to properly follow the deposit protection scheme and it will cost you.

The whole house doesn’t need sterilising but you need to do a proper clean anyway in between tenants. And you clearly didn’t know IF they had even smoked it in the property or you’d have been able to smell it.

You are an absolute joke, kicking out your tenants to change to AirBnB when that has far more problems with illegal activity.

So you've booted two people out for pure greed and now you want to keep their deposit? You are the worst.

You're going to get far worse on air bnb

Refund their deposit and stop being so awful and greedy, you're going viral for being so ridiculous

Based on your replies, as well as the fact you have no idea what the substance actually is and have just jumped to an odd conclusion (maybe it's just me but green herby residue by a sink would say cooking herbs and not weed) It seems like you're looking for a chance to rip them off and keep the deposit unfairly. You're already turfing them out to go AirBnB, now you want to keep their deposit and smear their reputation too.

I think you're freaking out because you have no idea just how prevalent weed smoking is and just how much the police wouldn't care if they smoked it.

You're worried about legal ramifications but even if you called the police straight away they wouldn't do anything. They care about the drug dealers buying houses and starting weed farms in the attic, not a young couple who might be using it recreationally in their own (rented or otherwise) home.

They're gone, the weed is gone, nothing is gonna happen, just try and let it go.

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

If this is genuine, then you need mental health assistance as this is not a normal, healthy, proportionate response. I’m not having a go. I’m being very sincere.

Is this a joke? Or a reverse?

Absolutely ridiculous, for starters weed residue what even is that??
Secondly your going on about illegal activity and that's exactly what you and hubby did by not securing the deposit. Which is far worse then a bit of weed. Your going on like it's a cook house for meth. Even the police aren't bothered about weed unless you have mass amounts an making a dick of yourself. Your rules fir air b and b are laughable those that book don't care. Unless your babysitting the people staying 24/7 you wouldn't have any idea. I personally wouldn't stay in any place you have as you come across as the creepy person who would put cameras where you shouldn't. Once people rent a property it is their home no longer yours, you get the money they get to live. Its really that simple. You have no right to enforce any rules. You sound greedy regards money. Maybe you should take note of an old saying a house is to nest not invest. You think air b an b will be easy your gonna lose so much money slightest complaint an the customer gets refunded, air b and b will fight you every claim an tbh I think that's what needs to happen for you to learn your lesson. You had tenants who paid on time etc and you decided you wanted more money. Only person to blame her is yourself and your greed!

Yes you are being very unreasonable, not only in thinking of keeping their deposit on these grounds but in kicking them out to let via air bnb. You only think it is weed residue, and even if you were sure, you say they have been good tenants and haven't damaged the property. Your implication that returning their deposit will fund drug taking is absurd. We are in a housing crisis and renters are at the sharp end of it, moving house is expensive and deposits are needed for the deposit on the next place. If only no fault evictions had been brought into law you wouldn't be able to do this. Did they sign a contract? No deposit protection scheme and evicting them for this reason makes you seem like a very unscrupulous landlord.