Tenant's deposit

[purpleme12]

Letting agent/landlord says they want to keep all my deposit

Not asking for more from me but are saying they have had to pay out a lot more than the deposit.

£430 for cleaning it says. Because it needed a deep clean she said. I did clean the property but did not pay for a professional clean? Can they do this?
Even the end of tenancy quotes have not been that much so I'm confused about the price.

They claim redecorating cost £1200. I thought they couldn't claim for that when I lived there for 5 years?

Was your deposit in a protected scheme ? You can challenge the amount they are requesting.

Yes it is

They also saying the carpet needs to be replaced in the lounge and hall and stairs and landing. 'because of a strong pet smell'
I refute that but the carpet was coming up every time you hoovered anyway.
How can this be right?

They cannot bill you for a professional cleaning.
They cannot bill you got redecorating after 5 years.
The carpet would be debatable.

But you need to talk to the company through which your deposit is protected and raise a dispute. They are usually very helpful.

Fair wear and tear is expected. If you were there 5 years, they would expect to replace cheap carpet and to decorate.

I would ask for the details of the scheme that the deposit is held within and state that you will appeal the decision to withhold your deposit on the basis of fair wear and tear for a lengthy tenancy.

Did the agents supply you with details of the deposit protection scheme when you moved in, plus ‘how to rent’ booklet, gas cert, etc etc? Was an inventory done?

If you like, if you feel it’s reasonable to withhold a sum of the deposit but not all, you can tell that what you’re prepared to pay and that if they want to withhold more you will go down the appealing via the deposit scheme route. Stress the fact you were there 5 years and redecorating and carpets after that time (especially if not new when you moved in) are general wear and tear.

Ok so they would be able to bill me at all for the cleaning?

Probably worth disputing. Decorating after 5 years? Wear and tear, as would be recarpeting imho (I'm a landlord).

£430 for a professional clean sounds a lot and another cost the landlord should suck up.

I’m a LL and I think that assuming you’re telling us the full story and there’s not more to why they want to withhold the deposit, such as more significant pet damage, then standard wear and tear to the carpets, plus some scuffing of paintwork which means a redecorate before next tenants, is totally to be expected and has to be budgeted for by the LL. your rent money has already paid for that.

Just checking, but are you sure there isn’t further damage related to your pets? Sometimes pet owners don’t quite see it!

Sounds like you might have a good case, if it really is standard wear and tear and you can trust the deposit protection scheme.

Request the dispute resolution procedure through whichever scheme holds your deposit. Do not agree to the money being paid to the landlord without doing so.

The deposit belongs to you unless the landlord can satisfy the adjudicator that you owe him. So the burden is upon him to produce evidence, especially an inventory and photographs of the state of the place on your arrival and at your departure.

As for the issue of the decoration and the carpets the landlord is unlikely to be successful from you say. You are quite right that the life span of new decoration and carpets will be taken into account. So for example if the carpets were last replaced 10 years ago they would be due for the placement now anyway, and would therefore effectively be regarded as having no value, so whatever you and your dog did to them could not have caused the landlord any loss.

Did you have pets, was it a condition to deep clean on leaving? Ll cannot claim for betterment or wear and tear. How long did you stay?

Usually if you have pets there is an agreement for professional clean at end of the tenancy.

The landlord can't claim for new carpets or decorating. If the carpet was expected to last 10 years and is 5 years old you pay 50% for example.

How thorough was your cleaning? Ie was the cooker left greasy and nasty? Did you reach dirty, dusty places and wipe down skirting boards?

You don’t need to use a professional company, yet decent cleaning does take several hours or longer if lots of dirt built up.

They can charge something for cleaning if the standard really was sub-par. However, the figures mentioned seem extreme and would be many many hours of work. You don’t seem to be suggesting it was left in a disgusting state that might need this.

Personally as a LL, if tenants have been there 5 years, I’d expect to decorate and to put down new carpets and if someone had made some kind of effort with cleaning and they’d paid their rent without trouble for 5 years, I wouldn’t be interested in pursuing them for a couple of hours extra cleaning. Sometimes though, these things with follow up if deposit are related to other matters such as ongoing rent arrears or wider damage related to pets.

Were you surprised Op and have you previously had a good relationship with the LL and agency?

You need to request it via the scheme, if you haven't already done so. Then, when the landlord responds to the request stating that he wants to deduct, dispute it. The deposit-holding company will then review and make a decision for you.

You were given this advice in your last thread. Where are you up to in the process?

To answer some points above,
It's just the carpets 'smell' strong pet smell they're trying to claim for, no other damage. The dog died early 2019 unfortunately. So just two cats.
Every time I hoovered the carpet came up. The carpet bits stuck in the hoover.
The inventory has no photos, just comments.
However the check out has comments and photos

We’re pets part of the tenancy agreement or did you later bring pets in that we’re not known about?

Yes, it’s true that agreements with pets often have a clause for a cleaning company to do a deep clean. Did your tenancy request this or is there a case that the pets were unknown about throughout, and the LL/agent became aware when property was vacated due to smell and damage etc?

There is often an issue when tenants bring in pets and it hasn’t been agreed in advance. It happens if people feel the pets will be refused and it is usually the case that pets like dogs do create some damage or extra costs. If it’s known at the start of the tenancy, this can be factored into contracts, but when it isn’t but the pets are sneaked in, it is to be expected there might be some extra costs. That isn’t unreasonable.

I'm not surprised but that's because I don't trust landlords and letting agents. I am surprised by the amount of things and money they're trying to claim for.

Pets all known about

Honestly, don't even talk to the landlord or the agent about it. Just go straight to the deposit scheme and lain through there. That's what the scheme is for. The landlord would need to provide evidence for everything they're claiming they need, but thats not for you to worry about. The scheme deal with it all

@NoWordForFluffy
I want aware at that point exactly what they were claiming for. I know they wanted to keep my deposit but not what for.
So I am further on than last time

And rent paid on time

They also trying to claim for a some weeds - £200 for the garden
A professional gardener did the garden 3 weeks before I moved out it was perfect. 3 weeks of growth.
The most I paid for that garden to be done was £30
And they're charging £200 for 3 weeks of growth

Were pets part of the contract?

And regarding the carpet coming up and getting stuck in hoover….you should report this. That gives a chance for LL to rectify the situation. By not, a minor issue can lead to big damage. Perhaps if the carpet issue was reported, they would have come and stuck it down. By not, if you’ve hoovered for a long period, the carpet may have been pulled up and ripped and this could have been avoided. Perhaps if it had been reported, a new carpet would now not be needed.

However, given it’s 5 years, a deposit scheme is likely to rule that carpet may have needed replacing anyway. Unless there is major pet damage to the property, I’d think you will get a good sum of the deposit back, even if something is withheld for professional cleaning for pets.

Sorry cross post.

You clearly feel the charges are extortionate and unreasonable, so go down the deposit scheme route. Tell the agent you are doing that. Sometimes in that situation they will start to negotiate…and it’s up to you if you want to or not.

Ensure you’ve got a written record of the fact you had a gardener in and the date etc and note down how many hours of cleaning you did.

Did your contract require professional cleaning because of pets?

Ok thank you

I don't mean the edge of the carpet coming up coming up.
I mean threads of the carpet coming up I'm not sure how that can be rectified sticking down?

Seeing as they didn't bother fixing two fence panels or the back door either I really don't think they'd have been bothered with the carpet. The reason a house like that allows pets is because it's not a 'done up really nicely' house

It sounds like they're taking the piss. But don't come here to moan about it! All your points need to be made to whoever holds your deposit.

I understand what you mean. Often people with pets have to take the more shabby properties because they are the ones that allow pets and are priced to reflect pets. LLs cannot expect them returned like the perfect houses they never were.

Ignore the landlord and take it up with the tenancy deposit scheme. Did you sign an inventory with photos when you moved in? If not, then they don't have a leg to stand on anyway.