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?

Your DH has in fact broken at least one law by not protecting the deposit. There's likely to be a dozen more rules he's ignored around fire safety.

He is not fit to be any kind of landlord.

You don't get to arbitrarily keep people's money because you don't like their behaviour. That's not how the world works.

Typical arrogant landlords. Use the tenant’s work to buy you a house, then throw them out of their home to screw someone else for more, and screw then for a deposit which means everything to them and is peanuts to you. While having a little moral furore into the bargain.

I don’t like weed, never touched it, grew up poor with drug dealers on the street. But landlords make me puke.

You are the one do illegal activities by not putting the deposit in the scheme. Crack on and learn from your experience. Stop being so dramatic. Get the marigolds on and clean the property.

😂

Don’t believe any of this...

The OP is blaming her DH, but she also repeatedly describes it as her flat, not DH's flat, so I think it is jointly owned and they are jointly responsible.

So she has broken the law as well. Neither of them are fit to be landlords.

You're really not a "very good landlord", you didn't even protect the deposits FFS. Yes go through Airbnb, amateur landlords such as you shouldn't be involved in renting out people's actual homes.

Folk like you are exactly why landlords get a bad name. Give them their money back. You should factor in a clean between tenants anyway.

But you are not a good landlord, and yes you have broken the law! So before being so judgmental about others (supposed behaviour which you have 0 proof about), you should definitely have a good look at yourself.

If you try to keep their deposit the tenants could (and should!) sue you for up to 3x the amount. I wouldn't be surprised if there was other paperwork missing like the gas and electricity safety checks since you don't seem to understand anything about being a landlord.
I almost they did sue you so a court would tell how wrong you are...

What exactly do you think the ramifications to yourself would be?! Stop being over dramatic

I am a very good landlord and we were renting below market value IMO.

A good landlord would know the basics and not putting your tenants deposit in the scheme is landlordlording 101. You and your H are exactly the types of landlords the scheme was created to protect tenants from. Your moral high ground is on shaky ground since you have already broken the law by not depositing their money in the deposit scheme. Withholding their deposit would be compounding an already illegal act. Will you be reporting your H for his breach of the law? Probably not because you are finger pointer and not a looking in the mirror type.

You and your fly by night H are a disgrace.

This!

If you’d of protected the deposit, had a proper independent inventory done before move in with photos then you could possibly deduct cleaning costs. As it is you’ve no chance and they can sue you and get 3* the deposit awarded. Just return the money and move on. I’ve cleaned holiday let’s it’s a proper clean between each guest.

How do you know what ’weed residue’ looks like? I wouldn’t have a clue, because I’ve never smoked weed.

1. All deposits must go into a scheme. If they take you to court then you will be liable for 3* the deposit value because you decided not to follow the simple regulations around being a landlord.
2. You would have smelled in the property if they had used a lot of cannabis, you're just making unfounded accusations at this point. It's much more likely a bit of water mould by the sink, which goes black just as you describe.
3. The deposit is legally their money not yours, so you are not "funding" anything.
4. Your thought process sounds very muddled, overly emotional and anxious. You should discuss that with a GP, not take it out on tenants.

Good luck with the well behaved Airbnb guests, Op.

And the minimal cleaning requirements after!

Apart from the lack of morality in kicking people out of their home (I have two rental properties and would NEVER do that)
you have no right to clutch your pearls over what they did when they lived there! You are not the police!
As for the quick wipe down and hoover...we decorate and get in professional carpet/oven cleaners between tenants because we care about them. You are in for a massive shock with AirBnB. You're obviously not cut out for it.

Ha, you’re worried about illegal activity but you’ll be renting on AirBnb? You ain’t seen nothing yet.

You mean “ I am certainly not going to act illegally again” because so far you and your DH are the ones that have
clearly broken the law

Surely this is an absolute wind up? fun read with my morning cuppa though.
Thank you!

I was in tears earlier

What about your poor bloody tenants?
You illegally failed to protect their deposit, you've evicted them from their home for no good reason, now you want to steal their deposit because you think they might have broken the law.
And you post on here for sympathy.
FFS

I don't think for a second this is real, but I have so many questions anyway

• For someone so horrified at the idea of doing 'illegal' drugs in their own home - how on earth did you work out that it must be 'weed residue' and not ANYTHING else that could possibly appear in a kitchen. I don't know what weed residue looks like. If you'd said the place reeked of weed it would have been more believable...
• Did you know that generally, the police DGAF if people are smoking a bit of weed for personal use in their own home?
• Why are you only giving the place a once over top-level clean between tenancies? You should be handing it over in pristine condition, not giving it the cat's lick.
• Are you only going to give the place a quick wipe between Air BnB customers? Because your reviews will tank very quickly and you'll get no business at all. Less cleaning for you I suppose as you won't have any bookings...
• Unfortunately, you will probably get away with the fact you didn't protect the deposit IF you give it back to them in full with no comment. The second you argue the toss, they'll look up which scheme it's in and catch you out, contact Shelter for advice and set out claiming 3x that amount in compensation PLUS your deposit. So think on that You can consider cleaning the 'weed residue' your penance

This can't be true, no one is this pathetic. You break the law but think you should keep their deposit? You're everything that's wrong with the rental market. I hope they get triple the deposit they paid just to teach you lesson.
I'm so glad I don't live at the mercy of shitty landlords like you.

Talk about an over reaction!

Agree.
Is OP Question serious? OP you're not the moral police. If you report this youll get laughed out the police station. Fgs its a bit of weed not a tourniquet and burnt foil...and even if it was....its none of your business. You said they were good tenants. Stop trying to backtrack on giving their deposit back, its protected anyway. Im glad you arent my landlord.