Please please come and help/advise!

[NandH]

long story sorry,

Right I don't really know where to start, I left my ex (father of dc1) when she was 4mOnths old, she's now 2. Many reasons, emotionally and physically abusive to me and 4month old dc1, rinsed my saving, cheated on me time and time again.

For months after the split he harassed and stalked me, smashed up my car and didn't pay maintenance for dc1. He has become a alcoholic and a drug user, he has also been sectioned under the mental health act in this time.

I got into a relationship with a lovely man and quickly became pregnant, now have dc2, we couldn't handle the greif and agrow we were getting from exs family and ex again after he was released. We have since moved far away tostart a new life together.

Now that's the background, oh forgot to mention he ex doesn't see dc1!

Here's where I need your help, when i left my rented house the letting agentacy reluctenedly gave me back my deposit (only half though as they claimed they needed the other half to cover cleaning bills, I agreed as I just needed to get away). I say reluctantly because the letting agents said half should go to ex as he was on the original tenancy even though it was my parents that paid our deposit!

Anyhow, they gave me what was left of the deposit after they took half for cleaning on the understanding that if for some reason ex decided to claim 'his' half of the deposit within 3 months of the tenency ending I'd have to give it back....those 3 months were up on the 10th June, low and behold on the evening of june 10th I receive an email stating 'mr ex' wants to claim his half of the deposit!!!!!

Where do I stand? It's not actually his anyway (it was my parents) and it's dead on the 3 month desputing period!

I can't beleive the cheek of him, after everything he's done (he's done some horrid things) and the money he's already stole from me and the dc1 he doesn't see nore pay for, and now this!

Ex doesnt have my new address or phone number, letting agent has my number and email but not address. I know ex has no way of contacting me, I've ignored the email so far but received another today.....I'm loaded to give them any money!!!

Thanks in advance oh wise ones

Excuse spellings, I'm on my phone :)

Not remotely a legal opinion but I'd not respond! Are the letting agency aware that your ex is not to be given your contact details under any circumstances?

Yes they know not to give my details, they were great with helping me move away as quietly and as un noticed as possible!

the letting agency have released the money to one of the joint tenants - that's you. So they have a complete answer to Ex P - they have given the money to someone who was entitled to it. like the rent, each of you was obliged to pay the deposit and each one of you is entitled to receive it back.

if Ex H wants it he would have to sue you for it.

the letting agency should now back out of the situation. It is absolutely nothing to do with the agency how you and ex split the deposit, whether half each or otherwise.

Reply once and then ignore the emails.

Also as Deep red betty says, ensure agency know that no details are to be given out to ex.

Right, you live in a completely new area, even if the agent did inadvertedly give anything away it would only be an email address and a mobile number, both of which can be changed fairly easily (although agree it would be annoying to have to do it). It does seem a shame to leave the agency with the problem, as you say they've been very decent to you, but he's got no moral right to this money.

As I said, this isn't a legal opinion in any way shape or form!

Brilliant dusty!

The deposit wasn't actually held by the letting agency itself, they said it was held by a deposit scheme :-/ I also just remembered that I signed a letter to say if ex tried to claim any of the deposit id return it, the fact I received this email on the 10th (last day of 3 month period) does that mean it's within the 3 month period or out of it? Iyswim?

Thank you deepred and dusty ....I'm not worrying quite so much now! Just ashumed moving away I'd be rid of all the trouble!

Bump - any other wise mners??? Anyone able to answer the last question pretty pleaseeee

I don't know the UK tenancy laws, so I can't comment on that side of things.

But, how much are we talking here? If it's not a massive amount, I'd honestly consider just paying it (as much as I'd have to go and punch a few walls afterwards) just to get this arse out of my life. I'd be worried that if he didn't get the money, he would escalate things, and try and track you down, and that could mean trying to get access to your child, and no amount of money in the world would be worth that.

I can't afford to give him any money, especially money that's not his anyway! The remanding deposit went back to my parents. Things are really tight since we moved, we still havnt found our feet yet! Oh it's a little over £1000 he's trying to claim!

you can't give what you dont have. Do nothing really. What can he do, is it likely he'd have the time, knowledge or perseverence to take you to small claimscourt? and if he did and was successful you still don't have the money, it'd probably go on a payment plan.

(I'm not a legal mind mind)