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Original poster

Landlord not returning deposit

52 replies

ElizabethDavid · 09/01/2025 12:18

Hi there

I would like some advice regarding the non-return of my deposit please. I rented an apartment for exactly four years. After moving out the landlord refused to return my deposit and asked for cleaning, decorating, dry-cleaning costs etc. I moved in during a Covid lockdown. A check-in report was completed. I was not present and did not sign the report. It was emailed to me one month before moving out. The landlord says she sent it to the estate agency and they should have forwarded it to me. I have a screenshot of the tenant portal showing the document is not there and I did not receive the document via email. The matter has been referred to the tenant deposit scheme. There was a check-out report which I attended. This was sent to me after the landlord had made amendments. The landlord was not present at the check-out.

Does the check-in report have to be shown to the tenant? It was done a couple of days before I moved in and sent to me via email during my one-month notice period.

TIA

OP posts:
CatsorDogsrule · 09/01/2025 12:33

I imagine it won't hold much weight if you weren't given the opportunity to review it.

You mention cleaning and dry cleaning costs. Did you clean the apartment to a professional standard/ the standard it was in when you moved in? Carpets, oven, curtains etc?

However, this is with the TDS, so they will make the judgement.

Good luck!

Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 09/01/2025 13:10

CatsorDogsrule · 09/01/2025 12:33

I imagine it won't hold much weight if you weren't given the opportunity to review it.

You mention cleaning and dry cleaning costs. Did you clean the apartment to a professional standard/ the standard it was in when you moved in? Carpets, oven, curtains etc?

However, this is with the TDS, so they will make the judgement.

Good luck!

I cleaned the apartment to a decent standard as specified in the tenancy agreement and check-out email.

The landlord asked for a professional clean. He moved in decorators a few days after I left and said he would be paying for the clean on their departure. During my tenure he raised the rent twice to cover the cost of decorating etc which never took place when I lived there.

OP posts:
CatsorDogsrule · 09/01/2025 14:09

A domestic level clean after 4 years might not have been acceptable, unless the curtains were machine washable, or you have receipts for carpet and curtain cleaning/ equipment hire.

I always paid for a carpet cleaning guy to clean the carpets and curtains at end of tenancy, as it is difficult to achieve a professional standard without professional equipment. The rest, I did myself and always got full deposit returned.

How did the check out report assess the level of cleanliness? If it was recorded as cleaned to a decent standard, I fail to see how the landlord can claim for cleaning.

I can't comment on the decorating during the tenancy, as you presumably agreed to the rent increases without the work being done.

good96 · 09/01/2025 15:32

ElizabethDavid · 09/01/2025 12:18

Hi there

I would like some advice regarding the non-return of my deposit please. I rented an apartment for exactly four years. After moving out the landlord refused to return my deposit and asked for cleaning, decorating, dry-cleaning costs etc. I moved in during a Covid lockdown. A check-in report was completed. I was not present and did not sign the report. It was emailed to me one month before moving out. The landlord says she sent it to the estate agency and they should have forwarded it to me. I have a screenshot of the tenant portal showing the document is not there and I did not receive the document via email. The matter has been referred to the tenant deposit scheme. There was a check-out report which I attended. This was sent to me after the landlord had made amendments. The landlord was not present at the check-out.

Does the check-in report have to be shown to the tenant? It was done a couple of days before I moved in and sent to me via email during my one-month notice period.

TIA

Yes - the check in report is always given to tenants. It is the landlord/letting agencies proof of how the property was handed over to the tenant at the start of the tenancy.

The reason it was emailed to you on surrendering the tenancy is so that you as the tenant are reminded of how the property was handed to you and equally how it should be returned.

You should have had the property professionally cleaned if that is what the agreement stipulated BUT I agree it sounds pointless if they were planning to do decorating works to the property after you left.

Why dry cleaning? Were curtains provided?

Decorating classes as ‘wear and tear’ so unless you’ve drawn over the walls or ripped the wallpaper or even re-decorated to your own taste without permission then you should absolutely not be charged for this. 4 years is a considerable long time, as a landlord myself, I will usually re-paint after 3/4 years to freshen up, change carpets after 10 years UNLESS significantly soiled and other works as and when.

Are you sure that the rent increase was to cover the cost of decorating works or the increasing mortgage rates… I’ve had to do it a few times on this reason…. not to make a profit!

Hoppinggreen · 09/01/2025 15:41

You are supposed to get an Inventory/check in report when you move in and you have 7 days to challenge it.
With no check in report the Landlord is going to struggle to claim for anything as he has no proof of previous condition.
Part of my job is to help Tenants get deposits back and when no Inventory can be found it makes me happy sometimes
I would say though if your contract specifies a Professional clean and you didn't then you may find them take the cost of one off your deposit being allowed by the DPS. However if it says "to a professional standard" thats easier to argue

LIZS · 09/01/2025 15:43

You can claim the deposit yourself from the scheme and the ll has to justify deductions which you can dispute. Do you have photos of when you moved in and out? He cannot deduct for wear and tear.

housethatbuiltme · 09/01/2025 16:18

Did you paint/decorate the rooms?

Did you cause any 'non standard' damage? (like holes in the wall from punching it)

If no to the above two then tell him to shove off on 'decorating'. Wear and tear is HIS responsibility to fix for the next tenant.

Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 24/08/2025 23:39

Hi all - After six long months I got the whole of my deposit back apart from a part-charge for professional cleaning. I moved 30 metres away from my original flat when I bought. I have forewarned the new tenants too. I also sent abusive emails to my ex-landlady. The greedy slapper was not happy! I also left reviews on the estate agency website so they took her off their books.

OP posts:
PrincessofWells · 25/08/2025 00:02

You sent abusive emails. Nice . . .

Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 25/08/2025 01:25

Yes I did and proud of it. The greedy landlady tried to rip me off. My sister died one week before I moved out. She thought I would not have the stomach to go to the TDS. I did. I won. I will make sure every future tenant knows what a greedy pig she is.

Also, I spent hours and hours compiling the claim. Time I will never get back. So off you fuck for judging me. I received my deposit back SIX months after I left.

OP posts:
KittytheHare · 25/08/2025 01:29

You sound like a lovely person.

Pandasquishy · 25/08/2025 01:38

I dread to think what state you left that place in. In a similar situation I was told I only had 14 days to ask for deposit monies back. If it took you 6 months that's the deposit company not landlord at fault. They knew from the start you owed them, they had to go through the middle man.
Maybe one day landlords will be allowed to rate tenants...That would save us all a lot of heartache.

Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 25/08/2025 02:15

KittytheHare · 25/08/2025 01:29

You sound like a lovely person.

I am. I just don't like being ripped off by landlords.

OP posts:
Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 25/08/2025 02:33

I left the flat in an immaculate condition despite grieving for my only sibling who died one week before I moved out. The slag of a landlady dodged my calls when I asked for the deposit back. However, I was clever - I had moved 30 metres away and saw her moving the decorators in. I talked to them and discovered that they had been told it was a quick turnaround job as the previous tenant had left the flat in a good condition. The TDS took six months to make a decision. Photographs of their van and of them working etc blew the landlady's argument out of the water. I had kept every message, email etc. She was fucked!

Luckily I can see my old flat. Every time there are new tenants I am going to knock the door and hand them a copy of the TDS report that was scathing. I printed off multiple copies at work! Plus leaving reviews on whatever estate agent she is using.

I spent hours completing the online TDS forms. There should be a 'one strike and out' code for unscrupulous cowboy landlords. It does not cost them anything to go to the TDS. I, on the other hand, had to wait six months to get the deposit back. The tenancy deposit schemes were introduced as the county courts were clogged up by scumbag landlords who thought tenant deposits belonged to them.

Reviews of tenants? I am mortgage free in my forties.
Thank God I will never be at the mercy of scumbag landlords again!

OP posts:
ElizabethDavid · 25/08/2025 02:34

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Friendlygingercat · 25/08/2025 02:53

Congrats in getting most of your deposit back and your persistence in persuing this claim and in highlighting the LLs behaviour towards a business partner. Claiming for professional cleaning and then moving the decoraters/builders in is a scam that needs to be highlighted. Warning new tenants and posting on all the review sites and social media generally is something I myself would do.

Pandasquishy · 25/08/2025 09:29

Glad to hear you have enough to buy your own property with no mortgage so soon after renting and desperately needing your deposit back.
When you have to pay over 2k to decorate your own property you might understand how much things cost.

CarlaH · 25/08/2025 09:39

Landlord or landlady - bit confused.

Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 25/08/2025 14:04

Er - the money was from a previous sale. No I was not desperate - I merely stated it took six months for it to be returned as the TDS have deadlines. Even if you submit the required information on time they do not do anything until the next stage.

Actually, the decorating was supposedly over £6k - the invoices looked a bit suspect and the decorating company had no online presence, no reviews, not were they on Companies House!

The property had not been decorated for eleven years when I left as saw a copy of a previous check-in report. Landlords need to factor that into their business model.

OP posts:
Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 25/08/2025 14:05

CarlaH · 25/08/2025 09:39

Landlord or landlady - bit confused.

It was a couple. Worryingly one works in the legal field (public sector).

OP posts:
Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 25/08/2025 14:07

Friendlygingercat · 25/08/2025 02:53

Congrats in getting most of your deposit back and your persistence in persuing this claim and in highlighting the LLs behaviour towards a business partner. Claiming for professional cleaning and then moving the decoraters/builders in is a scam that needs to be highlighted. Warning new tenants and posting on all the review sites and social media generally is something I myself would do.

I washed the net curtains and sofa covers - this was noted in the check-out report. The landlady tried to claim for dry-cleaning of the settee. Estimates were provided but funnily enough no receipts.......

OP posts:
heartmatters · 25/08/2025 14:11

Yeah calling people a slag isn't on OP. Raise your standards. Glad the deposit scheme found in your favour but you're coming over terribly in your recent posts.

Original poster
ElizabethDavid · 25/08/2025 14:25

heartmatters · 25/08/2025 14:11

Yeah calling people a slag isn't on OP. Raise your standards. Glad the deposit scheme found in your favour but you're coming over terribly in your recent posts.

I take your point. Con-artist may be a better word due to her persistent lying to the TDS.

OP posts:
PerspicaciaTick · 25/08/2025 14:37

My DD recently had to go via TDS to get her deposit returned. It took nearly 12months with lots of delaying tactics from the landlord, but she got there in the end. Persist, evidence everything you claim and make sure you stick to the deadlines.
Good luck.

justasking111 · 25/08/2025 14:43

You should have photographed it the day you moved in. The landlord needs to produce invoices for any decorating they say was done. I've known agents who've conned landlords btw. Contact the DPS and block it