Right, this will be long - sorry! So me and DP rented a property which we were in for just over a year. We had endless complaints from the moment we moved in, including half the kitchen ceiling falling down due to a leak in the shower which took over 6 months of their contractor coming back time and time again to fix, and hen even longer for the ceiling to be replaced, rubbish left behind by the previous tenants and the oven being completely caked in grease and grime and totally unusable by our standards. The main issues were sorted but did take a while and there were still a couple of problems that they had to come out for over the course of our tenancy. However we have always paid our rent on time and looked after the property well.
We had a bit of a hoo-hah about ending the tenancy anyway as we were in a fixed term contract but purchased our own home. They sent us another contract with loads of terms and conditions about paying rent until someone was found, or paying the difference in rent for the full term if they could only find someone by reducing the rent and being responsible for the council tax if we move out before someone else could be found. We said we didn't agree to the terms but the landlord was fine with it and said we could move out when we planned. They found someone really quickly anyway so all fine.
Now something happened to our 10 month old baby 2 days before we were due to move out and he was in hospital for a week. This left the house move for DP to try and do with the help of a few friends and family. He wasn't able to get everything done in time due to obviously wanting to be with his son in hospital and that some people who promised to help kept letting him down.
Eventually everything was moved 3 days after we agreed we would be out. The letting agent was very understanding initially however did get a bit arsey as the days went on, which we do understand but obviously due to the circumstances there wasn't much we could do. On her email she said we wouldn't have to pay any charge if the keys were handed back that day - which they were!
They sent a check out report which was really nit picky and I sent a long email back disputing certain things and advising some things were that way when we moved in, and even attached it pictures from the check on report we had when we moved in which proved most of the points.
There was a door DP punched when we were waiting for the ambulance for DS because he blamed himself for what happened - our carpenter friend fitted a new door for us but this couldn't be done until the following day so I had to go back and get the keys to do that and then drop them back when it was done. Whilst he was doing that I did a few other bits that were mentioned on the check out report like clean some spots on the carpet that were overlooked and throwing some stuff out that was left in the garden. I even put the bins out as they were full and didn't want the new tenants to have a week without a bin.
They've now sent an email saying the landlord is getting quotes for rubbish from a greenhouse. Which is theirs, that we removed with their permission, so whatever is left behind (I think a few slabs) is their problem surely?
Also saying the door needs to be refitted and glossed 🙄 happy to do this but won't be allowing them to charge us through the nose for a 'professional' to do it so our friend will plain down the door some more and DP is happy to paint it.
And also about a window handle in the bathroom that was broken when we moved in but because we never used the small window it was never an issue and wasn't aware we had to report every minor issue. If we reported this when we were in there, there would have been no issues and they would have got it fixed at the landlords expense so I feel they're trying to use us as moving out to get money out of us and perhaps because the landlord has had to spend quite a lot on repairs since we moved in.
We already had to report a mountain of issues over the period of our tenancy and didn't want them thinking we're nightmare tenants that just complain about every little thing. None of these things are mentioned on the check out report either so surely they can't just start adding stuff on because they feel like it?
They're also saying there's 3 days rent to pay. I've sent her back a screenshot of her email which clearly states that unless the keys are handed back that day, then there will be a charge for each day we have had additional possession. I understand it would only be fair to pay the rent, its only £70 but why tell us we don't have to and then say we do, so out of principle and the fact they're trying to get more money out of us for repairs that aren't our fault.
Where do we stand? I know that they have to go through the DPS but what are our chances? Do they generally side with the landlord over things like this?