How can I get back my money from previous landlord?

Question

When I came to UK I rented a small room and gave 400 pounds deposit. Now I changed room and my previous landlord don't want to return my deposit (he tell me that I must wait because he don't have this money now, but is more than month now). Unfortunatelly I don't have any letting agreement. What can I do in this situation?

Answer 1

Employ a solicitor to send a single letter explaining that the matter will be taken further if he doesn't comply with your request. It will probably cost you between £40 or £50, i had a similar situation - it worked for me

Answer 2

As a landlord I can see both sides:-

One of my tenants didn't give the required one month notice to the letting agents, then they didn't tell me straight off so I didn't know immediately. As I had put his deposit safely into an account which required one month notice, so I didn't spend it, I hadn't got the money ready exactly at one month - but I did a week later. I told the tenant all along (once I found out that he was going) what was happening and once he knew that he was ok.

But I think you're landlord is trying to trick you. If he has let the room again he has that persons deposit so he should be able to pay you back. In this case I agree with the person who suggested that you get a solicitor to write a letter, or tell the guy you'll take him to smalls claims court.

Don't use raised voices or threats of violence etc - no reason you should drop your standards of behaviour just because he has.

Since he's not using letting agreements, he may be trying to avoid tax (although if it is his own house he is allowed to earn £4250 from renting out rooms without having to report it). If you are not traceable, perhaps you could suggest to him that the inland revenue might be interested in his income from your money! Do you have receipts for your rent or deposit?

Answer 3

This problem was resolved years ago in Australia with all bonds being lodged with the Rental Bonds Board. At the end of a tenancy, the tenant makes an application to the Board and the money is returned. If the landlord considers that some or all of the bond should be paid to fix damage or to clean the premises or to cover outstanding rent then the landlord makes an application to which the tenant may respond. Determinations by the Board are binding.

This takes all the pressure off the termination of a tenancy and the restortion of bond money. I would have thought that other countries would be doing the same.

Is there a small claims tribunal? Lodge a claim with them and be prepared to back up your claim with any written agreements and receipts. Look for a local tenants' action group and ask them for help. See if there is a local legal aid group or community centre that will give you advice. You are not the first to be in this situation nor will you be the last but there are people prepared to help tenants like you.

Answer 4

Pay the seven-hundred money which comprise your apologies on the same time as you could - with the quantity of the verify+court docket expenses+criminal expenses, you should finally finally end up paying two times or perhaps three times the quantity given which you place a quit charge on the verify - which i could desire to assert seems fairly undesirable- and because he will possibly win his case you should finally finally end up getting your paycheck garnished and having a judgement on your record which will smash your credit. additionally maximum classic rentals do no longer enable deposits for use in the direction of lease- you probably did no longer substitute your strategies in some days - it replaced right into some months so based on the lease you actual could desire to a minimum of pay for the pro-rated volume of time you resided interior the residence - it fairly is that if the lease helps that. You have been fortunate he frequently occurring a clean tenant and did no longer carry you in charge for something of the term of the lease he could have sued you for a number of thousand money. you could sense like we are all coming down on you yet i'm advantageous you're a solid individual - take this as a lesson found out and pay the seven-hundred now or call ask for forgiveness and schedule charge preparations - provide your self an elementary and sparkling slate and flow forward. solid luck!

Answer 5

Landlords and deposit back. It doesn't usually happen. My sister just returned from studying in France. Despite all the assurances the landlord gave her of returning her £400 deposit.... when she was leaving he said that she had used excess electricity during her stay.

I couldn't be bothered flying out to France to deal with the fella, but I did daydream about it.

Answer 6

Without a rental agreement or anything proving you paid him, you may get nothing, ever. Sad, but there are some who will take advantage.

I am sorry your first part of life in the UK started this way.

--That Cheeky Lad

Answer 7

Grow a pair of balls and get medievil on his ***, other than that just swallow your pride and wreck the place. I found eggs under every mattress and fish in every small hole available a small comfort. If your allready out of the kip try pushing human waste in the letterbox or drive by drunken rages which involves just about anything.

Answer 8

Dear Marcin,

I rat your quesrion. And I'm very sorry about your letting agreement. If you can wait for him is good. other wise you must

go to the corts to make it with the law. or you can make new
agreement.

Answer 9

You will need to go to a small claims court.

Answer 10

Tell his neighbors his wife slept with you several times and he is a gay.