My dear @Uberbeeboo please try not to let this get to you, I know how stressful all this will be because you’re OBVIOUSLY a decent person.
your landlord however is NOT. You don’t need to leave “on good terms” and your LL is the one queering the pitch.
You’re buying a house, you’re NEVER going to need this crappy human again! No references, no inspections, renewal of contract…..nothing.
please don’t just roll over on this rent, his attempt at extortion is illegal. Tell him no.
and also you DONT have to allow viewings regardless of what a contract says, so pull that off the table now too.
Make sure you have the fully itemised inventory with photos of the check in and that is the standard to which you return his property. If it was professionally cleaned, do that. Get a receipt. If not, leave it as the condition it was given to you in. No better.
he can’t deduct anything from your deposit
also… if he is selling the property (get screenshots or the brochure) then he can’t say that there is anything needed to put right before next tenant. He’s trying to sell it ‘as is’ and the price it’s advertised for is based on the current condition.
ex inventory clerk here, have had this very situation where landlord trying to deduct from deposit when he’d already agreed a sale - thrown out.
as others have said, you may not feel it, but you actually hold all the cards here. He’s trying to shaft you.
and actually if you decided not to pay rent, he can’t automatically deduct it from your deposit.
my advice? Tell him no to the rise, and carry on as you are, but don’t allow viewings. If anything is said, tell him that you were being cooperative but he’s trying to screw you, so no more good will at all from your side. If he’s willing to waive a proportion of the rent - 25% or thereabouts - to compensate for the inconvenience of viewings, you’ll agree to them.