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Legal matters

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Original poster

Can a letting agent charge me just for getting quotes for cleaning?

20 replies

MushroomTree · 19/02/2019 22:37

Just that really. I've recently moved and my former letting agents have said I've left the flat in a mess. (I haven't, but that's another thread).

They're now saying they'll have to get quotes for professional cleaning and I'll be charged 10% of my deposit for that. And then whatever it costs for the professional clean on top.

That's if they bother to get it done. I know from the previous tenants they charged a huge amount for cleaning and other things and then didn't get any of the quoted for work carried out.

OP posts:

ThePants999 · 20/02/2019 20:39

Did you take photos of how you left it?

Put in a claim through the tenancy deposit scheme for your full deposit, including said photos.

Strictly speaking, it doesn't matter what work they get carried out - if you leave damage/dirt that would cost £X to fix, they can claim £X from your deposit whether they actually go on to spend it fixing the damage/dirt or not. (But they'll need to prove to the adjudicator that you did, so if you didn't, that might be tricky for them.)

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 11:36

I'll be arguing about the cleaning. It's the 10% just for getting quotes I'm most annoyed about. They use the same companies each time so they know full well what the cost will be. I don't see why they should take an additional £150 (10% of my deposit) just for asking what it will cost.

OP posts:

ArfArfBarf · 21/02/2019 11:37

I’d definitely challenge that. That’s the sort of job the landlord is being charged 10%+ of rent for.

ThatIsNachoCheese · 21/02/2019 11:47

If you left the flat clean, and took photos that can prove it, then they don't have a chance in hell.
Ask for your deposit back, it's up to them to say if they want to take out of it and they have to prove why.

ThatIsNachoCheese · 21/02/2019 11:48

They can say whatever they like but the deposit scheme will decide and I don't think they will see that as something they can take out of your deposit.
Does the flat actually need cleaning?

Tutlefru · 21/02/2019 11:50

Argue it with the TPS. Definitely.

I really dislike estate agents for this. My friend recently vacated a property and I’m not kidding it was immaculate. They’d been there 7 plus years.

Out of a £750 deposit they got £40 back.

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 11:55

They've been awful. And I have 10+ emails from them of pictures of the "mess" I've left. We're talking a single grain of rice they've picked out of the grout behind the sink being described as "debris all over the worktops".

It doesn't need professionally cleaning at all. They're doing this because I called them out on trying to illegally take another months rent from me in lieu of notice that I didn't legally need to give them.

It's now just an attempt to claw back as much money as they can from me because they mistakenly think they're owed it.

I've told them I want my deposit back and the deposit protection scheme arbitrator can decide any deductions.

OP posts:

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 11:57

And I highly doubt the landlord is being charged anything for this because she owns the letting agency!

So instead of them trying to get the best outcome for both tenant and landlord is perfectly clear they'll just be trying to get the best deal for their boss.

OP posts:

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 12:13

And they've now come back to me and said they'll be charging me £300 if I want to dispute it with the protection scheme because of the admin it involves! So not only might I lose £400+ for the things they say are wrong but also £300 on top of that for daring to challenge them.

OP posts:

pineappletower · 21/02/2019 12:27

Good god, I have no knowledge of how these things work, but this sounds illegal. Can you tell them you've passed the matter to your solicitor?

ThatIsNachoCheese · 21/02/2019 12:44

They can say what they like but the TPS have to agree what they think are reasonable deductions. I would be seriously surprised if they allowed any deductions at all from what you've said. Cheeky fuckers aren't they?!

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 13:22

They really are the very definition of cheeky fuckers. And from the sums they've sent me they aren't planning on telling the TPS about the £300 admin fee.

OP posts:

ThatIsNachoCheese · 21/02/2019 13:45

They're idiots as well then! They don't have your money, the TPS does. So how do they think they are going to get this £300?

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 13:50

Who knows. Bill me for it at a later date I guess. Good luck to them. They've been very intimidating with their emails. Promises of the undisputed amount back today if I agree and threats of a dispute costing me an extra £300 And taking a long time if I don't.

OP posts:

Helpmeltb · 21/02/2019 15:28

No they can't. Just request your deposit back from tps and dispute any deductions they want to make.

FYI, my letting agent wanted to take money for getting a professional cleaner in despite all the cleaning stuff being kept in the garage. I disputed it on those grounds, said I didn't believe it had been professionally cleaned by them before I moved in and asked for evidence that it was (before moving in and after moving out). I got my money back without any problem but it does take a few weeks.

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 16:37

Helpmeltb thanks. This is what I've told them I want to do and now funnily enough there's a £300 fee involved in that.

It wasn't professionally cleaned before I moved in and the kitchen in particular was very grubby. Their response when I called and told was, and I quote, "what do you expect us to do about it?"

They're being petty because they tried to tell me I had to give 28 days notice to leave when I didn't and they know I'm right. So this is an attempt to take me for every penny they think they can get away with.

OP posts:

ScrumptiousBears · 21/02/2019 16:49

I was a landlord OP and have asked to claim monies back from the deposit. They are very fair and reasonable. As a LL they have to prove they professionally cleaned it beforehand with receipts and show photos of the state of it now. They will not allow the £300 admin fee, they'll see straight through that.

What I would say to anyone be a LL or tenant is to take photos before you move in and after you've moved out. Evidence is key.

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 16:54

It wasn't professionally cleaned, expect for the carpets and the oven. I had the carpets professionally cleaned before I left as it was stated I had to in my tenancy agreement.

They've been very clever in their pictures. The ones before I moved in are very wide angle. E.g. the photo showing "clean" cupboard interiors is taken from the other side of the kitchen where you wouldn't have seen any dirt, but the ones taken of the "mess" I left are very close up in corners.

That's if they took them at all. Some pictures they sent me show items they now claim are missing and so must have been taken before I move in. And none are date stamped so how am I to know that they accurately represent the condition I left the flat in.

OP posts:

moosesormeece · 21/02/2019 17:01

I know this is stressful and awful for you but part of me is looking forward to hearing that the deposit scheme did whatever the bureaucratic equivalent is of laughing in their faces.

When I moved out of my last rented place I just went straight to the deposit scheme to request it back, rather than going via the agency. I'd suggest you do the same as they've clearly shown themselves to be cheeky fuckers who will try anything.

Original poster

MushroomTree · 21/02/2019 17:07

This will be my next move. The figures they've sent me for the charges don't even add up correctly. I think they're assuming I won't notice.

I actually spoke with the previous tenant and they did the same thing to him. He came to a settlement with them in the end just so they'd stop harassing him. And I know they charged him for a full professional deep clean that they then didn't do.

OP posts:

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