Getting deposit back

[angel0071987]

Moved out of our rented house officially on the 19th July and checkout inventory done by the professional company given by letting agent. Property was let by agent but not managed by them, so all issues with property had to go direct to landlady but they did renewals of contracts etc. Landlady was always slow to respond to repairs and issues but we managed and enjoyed 3.5yrs in the property.
On the 22 July got email from letting agent saying checkout inventory received from company and any deductions landlady wants to make have to be made within 10working days. All fine. 10days later heard nothing so contacted letting agent lady who emailed us in first place. She said she hadn't heard from landlord so would chase. Three days later chased again and told again no contact but she had rung her and been told landlady had been away but was visiting property at weekend and will make any decisions then and would get back to us although she was out of office but a colleague would help us. As it had been over the 10days any deductions would have to be put via dispute process with TDS. i contacted letting agent again at beginning of week asking again and was told nothing to do with them as they didn't manage property and to contact landlady direct. Despite all previous communications with them. So I emailed landlady asking and have heard nothing.
Any advice how to get deposit back. It's £1500 so a lot of money and we really need it back. If I start a dispute it'll take 28days?
Thank you

Its a difficult one.

Phone the people holding your deposit.

It is very unlikely that your landlady will contest so you are almost certain to get your money back following dispute. However it is really unfair if they are simply sitting on their hands failing to authorise the release. There may be a different procedure in cases like this.

Surprising the letting agent cannot help. I would also try to contact the landlord directly and explain that you have been good tenants and that you really need your money.

Everything for the checkout inventory stated same as checkin. Even though we left it substantially cleaner and better state of repair than when we moved in but man making inventory couldn't say that as it was his own judgement so just took pictures (which clearly shows this) and has to write and as checkin.

Sure. It is worth a phone call to discover whether the LL failure to respond within a set period entitles you to have the deposit released immediately. Or what the process is.

@Needmoresleep I already asked letting agent (who has to authorise release of it) that and she said she can only do it with landlords written consent

If it was me I would go to the agency, sit down, and tell them that I am not going anywhere until they contact the Landlord and receive an answer to why this is taking so long. They are taking a piss op. The Landlady does it because she knows that she simply can, and the agents don't care.

OP, what I am saying is that your deposit is held by a deposit protection service.

There will be a strict timetable for the release of the deposit, ie the landlord has to propose deductions within a set number of days, you then have a set number of days to object and so on. The Deposit Protection Service has a tenant helpline.

All I am suggesting is that you phone them with dates etc, and ask their advice. It is likely to be better than advice from random people on the internet. You can then quote this back to the letting agent as suggest that if they fail to release your deposit you will complain to whatever (ARLA?) trade organisation they belong to.

FWIW I would also refuse to pay for the check out inventory as they did not act on the results in a timely fashion.