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Original poster

Is this theft?

32 replies

juicy0 · 16/07/2021 10:27

Hi

Looking for some advice please.
DD and her housemates had found a house for next year at uni but received a letter last week to say the landlord had changed his mind and their deposits were returned. All fine. Except that the girl whose account the deposits were paid back into is refusing to give my daughter her share back as they have since agreed not to live together next year.
We have asked politely for it to be returned but she is refusing and says she has sent the money to her dad and we need to talk to him about it!
Is this theft? What can we do to get the money back?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

OP posts:
alexdgr8 · 18/07/2021 00:28

technically i don't think it's theft, but may be conversion or some other civil wrong.
tell university.

Motherofking · 18/07/2021 01:41

Yes this is theft. The money had sole purpose which was to pay for the deposit for the house . Since that purpose has not been completed then her keeping the money is theft. Get legal advice

Themeparklover · 18/07/2021 03:00

@alexdgr8 It is absolutely theft through withholding of returned funds. The girl in question should return the money immediately.

GreenClock · 18/07/2021 08:57

A formal letter threatening small claims action and the threat of a letter to the university will probably do the trick. Address it to her, not the dad, but copy him in.

Original poster
juicy0 · 18/07/2021 10:49

@Soontobe60 @RedHelenB the landlord changed their mind and returned the deposit as a result so the deposit was returned in full to the girl and she has distributed it to the other two but not to us.

OP posts:
Original poster
juicy0 · 18/07/2021 10:51

Thank you all, I have drafted a letter and if the money isn't back in our account today I will send an electronic copy to the girl and post a copy to her current student address. I will also report her to the university.

OP posts:
Original poster
juicy0 · 18/07/2021 10:52

One lesson to take from this for all parents of uni students, always ensure you pay your share of the deposit directly to the agent or landlord because then they have to pay it back to you. The mistake here is that they each transferred their share of the deposit to one girl who then laid the agent hence she got the whole deposit back and now this is she has a right to decide whether to return it🙄

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