Tenant deposit

[purpleme12]

When you hear from the tenant deposit scheme is that when the landlord tells you why they're keeping your deposit? I thought that you were supposed to get an itemised thing through for what they're claiming for? Is that shown through the tenancy deposit thing?

I've requested it back via TDS
I'm a bit scared

I have requested it back by TDS

But the letting agent has emailed saying they want take the deposit because the carpet will either need replacing or cleaning due to damages and strong pet smell. I don't believe there was a strong pet smell but I can't prove that can I?
The carpet was so bad quality and/or old that every time I hoovered the carpet came up and got stuck in the hoover. It's been doing that for ages.
And she said the property needs a deep clean inc appliances. I did clean it myself. The house did look a bit grubby eg skirting boards but I think that's because it needs painting again. We lived there over 5 years. I didn't redecorate in that time. Is this something I should let go of, can they claim for this or not?
It said the garden was untidy/weedy. A professional gardener did the garden 3 weeks before we moved out so the garden is just how the weeds have grown back in that time.

Ignore the letting agent, just wait for the TDS to response.

*respond

The deep clean thing is an old con. With one or two exceptions, every agent / landlord I’ve rented from has tried that one on.

I’ve always made a point of returning properties cleaner than when I moved in but it’s amazing what lengths some of them will go to to try and grab the deposit. If the landlord has already sold the property then they have no intention of sending professional cleaners in. Ditto with the carpet.

Hold your ground with the DPS scheme.

Ok so I should wait for him to respond via TDS
i honestly expected to get a breakdown of costs if he was going to charge me something
I've seen through the window that the lounge has been repainted. Which I thought was strange as they've got a sale going through. Maybe the buyer wanted it touched up?
I think the buyer would want a better carpet than we had. So can't see why he'd buy a new carpet for them?