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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To keep their deposit!!

1000 replies

LivFG · 15/11/2023 03:20

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
CherryMyBrandy · 15/11/2023 05:11

LivFG · 15/11/2023 03:41

Typically do a normal clean between tenancies - wipe of surfaces, hoover, that sort of thing. Now the whole place will need to be bleached and sterilised. But that I can deal with. It's the fact my property has been abused like this and the ramifications we could now presumably face!!

Oh ok you're joking or this is a troll post.

Bleached and sterilised. lol. Last time I checked smoking weed didn't produce bacteria or viruses so not sure what "bleaching and sterilising" is going to achieve. 😂😂😂

NumberTheory · 15/11/2023 05:13

LivFG · 15/11/2023 04:53

@daisychain01 I do understand this (and thank you for putting it clearly like this). As I have said, clearly I am now aware that I will have to give back the deposit, and I am certainly not going to act illegally.

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?

You’re supposed to realise that renting to someone is a transaction where you temporarily give up access to your property in return for money. It does not give you control over their life and their choices (other than in a very limited way in regards to how they materially affect the property you own) nor does it allow you to impose your own morality.

SparklingSparkle · 15/11/2023 05:15

Surely this isn’t real.
You do know you have entered into a legal agreement with them? There is no reason to keep the deposit. I own many rental properties and it’s people like you who shouldn’t be landlords.

2strappinglads · 15/11/2023 05:15

LivFG · 15/11/2023 04:13

I can assure you any future deposits would be going into the scheme first thing! And DH will be told about this. One of the advantages DH likes about airBnB is apparently they don't have deposits and you can claim on the insurance for any abuses instead. I still think the idea is ridiculous though and no doubt I'll be expected to clean and sort it out. How can it be that tenants can treat a property like this, break the law and do what they like and apparently it's okay? These are illegal activities!!

Does the property smell of weed?
You'd know if they'd been smoking it in side

thelonemommabear · 15/11/2023 05:17

break the law and do what they like and apparently it's okay? These are illegal activities!!

Bit like not legally safeguarding their deposit.

One of you has definitely broken the law....and it isn't the tenants

TiredCatLady · 15/11/2023 05:21

This has to be a joke.

YOU, yes YOU and your DH have already acted illegally OP. “Informal let”, not protecting the deposit - what else haven’t you kept on top of? Guessing no gas safety, no energy certificate, a decent deep clean between tenancies should be standard. At best they could sue you for three times the deposit. Your local authority might be rather interested in the state of the property too.

You are not good landlords and you are summarily going to have your arse handed to you by Airbnb-ing the property. Expect a lot worse than a bit of questionable residue by a sink…

Bogeyes · 15/11/2023 05:25

Are you sure you are not just after their deposit for yourself?

Saggypants · 15/11/2023 05:26

FiveShelties · 15/11/2023 05:06

Talk about jumping the shark.

Great effort though. But a little too much imagination😂

Show quote history

The shark was jumped in the first post!

Violated! Grin

UggyPow · 15/11/2023 05:26

As a landlord I can't believe that you haven't protected the deposit! This has been in place for years & you have broken the the law.
Personally I have all my property deep cleaned between tenants & probably decorated - it's only fair to the incoming people
Weed isn't sticky & it could be literally anything herbal so you are being totally unreasonable.
You are very lucky they have just left as presumably if you being 'informal' they haven't got proper contracts, how to rent guides & safety certificates. Or issued proper notice for them to leave.
However judgemental (very) you are being & whatever you think, you have broken the law - if you keep quiet you might get away with it.
Not that you deserve to!!!!

Moredarkchocolateplease · 15/11/2023 05:27

What you should do is pay a local eststae agent to start the tenancy for you. They vet the tenants, draw up a contract and do an inventory. They also protect the deposit through one of the deposit protection schemes (which has been the law for over ten years, a bit remiss of 'D'H not to do this.

You can then manage the property. This is what we do.

Thekormachameleon · 15/11/2023 05:30

Fucking he'll you are ridiculous
Breach of your trust ???
Your tenant doesn't need your trust! They just need to pay you the rent and keep the house looked after to a reasonable standard, what they choose to do is their personal business and nothing to do with you

Also, I really hope they sue you for not protecting their deposit. And I really hope all your gas safety checks etc are up to date

Moaning about needing to bleach and clean the property ? This should be being done between tenants anyway, a quick wipe down and hoover is not acceptable

Anyhow, get a fucking grip. It's a bit of weed, not a crack den

rosesinmygarden · 15/11/2023 05:31

You and your husband haven't been good landlords. You've knowingly broken the law and breached any contract that was in place by acting illegally when you didn't bother to protect their deposit.

Any property vacated by tenants needs cleaning properly and thoroughly for obvious reasons. You have absolutely no right to keep any of their deposit in the circumstances you describe.

What you don't seem to grasp is that they paid you rent to live at the property, which was THEIR HOME. Not yours. They paid to live there. It doesn't matter if you feel they paid less than market rate - that's on you. You have no real evidence they've done anything wrong or illegal. You definitely have acted illegally. You aren't somehow immune to the law or above expectations because you own the property.

Landlords like you really are scum. Throwing out long term clients so you can make even more money! I hope you get all you deserve.

Frenchfancy · 15/11/2023 05:32

Well good luck with Airbnb if you don't want anyone smoking weed and don't like doing a full clean!

Bettysmum2023 · 15/11/2023 05:32

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!!

You don’t actually know 💯 what you found. It isn’t your home, it is a property you rent out to generate an income. There would be no legal ramifications for you.

You make no mention of damages to the property or non payment of rent so you have no basis to withhold their deposit.

hattie43 · 15/11/2023 05:33

Very OTT response OP

AgaMM · 15/11/2023 05:34

What about the abuse of their trust in you that you would be decent landlords instead of greedy ones who evict in order to make more money from Air BnB?

I do hope that you keep the deposit, so that they can sue you for it and you have to pay them back even more for not protecting it.

Sausage1989 · 15/11/2023 05:34

Is this an actual joke??!?!?! You want to keep someone's deposit because you found a bit of weed..ridiculous. you also don't want to give the property a deep clean between tenants..that is just disgusting and disrespect. Also, you're vile to evict good tenants because you want to make more money on air bnb but that's another story.

Louise303 · 15/11/2023 05:35

Pathetic excuse sounds like you just want to keep the deposit.

TerfTalking · 15/11/2023 05:37

Your post screams hypocrisy OP. I am struggling to believe this isn’t a “middle of the night post”.

oh wait…..

Bournetilly · 15/11/2023 05:38

Get a grip and don’t do air B&B if you act like this

Parentofeanda · 15/11/2023 05:40

How do you not know the legal side of being a landlord? Your not allowed to keep deposit for anything like that, it's to be used for financial costs that they cause in the property. Refund it right now and get a life. Weed residue oh my days. Also it would be a wierd place for weed residue anyway :S a sink

Parentofeanda · 15/11/2023 05:42

Also.. obviously they're won't be any legal problems 😂😂😂 idiot, its not like they have a grow house jeesus christ

Viviennemary · 15/11/2023 05:42

You should hand the administration of the property over to an agent orvat least to somebody who knows what they're doing. Not fair on the tenants otherwise.

ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming · 15/11/2023 05:42

LivFG · 15/11/2023 03:41

Typically do a normal clean between tenancies - wipe of surfaces, hoover, that sort of thing. Now the whole place will need to be bleached and sterilised. But that I can deal with. It's the fact my property has been abused like this and the ramifications we could now presumably face!!

You don't even know for sure that it is weed residue and you are going to bleach and sterilise the whole place!!!

The majority of posters here have told you that YABU, and yet you still maintain that you aren't? You've also not protected their deposit and seem to think that is okay? I'm not sure that people like you should be in the business of renting properties, and as others have already mentioned you may be in for a shock going down the Air BnB route. Oh dear, how sad.

GimmeGimmeSmore · 15/11/2023 05:42

BORED of these fake posts. BOREDDDDD I TELL YA!!!

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