To cut a long story short - My tenancy ended on 23/06/07. The landlord has had the place professionally cleaned and billed me for it, when I had cleaned the place myself from top to toe (I left it SPOTLESS) - an inventory was even carried out and NOWHERE was it marked that anything needed attention with regards to cleaning. Everything was agreed as clean and in good condition.
SO my questions are:
1) Havent I done my part as a tenant?
2) What is the law with regards to my deposit - can the landlord charge for things so petty, and things which it seems are more centered on his taste and opinion?
3) Should I not have been informed that I was going to be charged for these things before the landlord went ahead and got these services at my expense? Should this have not been discussed with me so that perhaps I could have atleast found cheaper services? (if I agreed this wasn't complete rubbish)
WHAT DO I DO? :(
2007-07-14 08:15:53 · 14 answers · asked by Layla 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
Oh and did I mention that the gardening costs included removing rubbish bags which I had left outside for the bin man????
Midnite rambler, I would deifnitely refuse to pay but the thing is that they are witholding my deposit (the agency). They sent me invoices with the charges incurred and a cheque for £600!!!! My deposit was £900 - £75 was for a chechout fee which I agreed to in the contract so that part is okay.... but I was charged £65 for cleaning and £165 for gardening!
2007-07-14 23:14:39 · update #1
Here are the clauses that refer to cleaning and gardening in the lease I signed:
"Keep the garden (if any) in good and tidy condition and cut the lawn area and hedges at least once a week during the summer months, regardless of whether the landlord has provided any lawnmower, grass cuttings device or tools."
"Yield up the property at the end of the tenancy in the same clean state and condition as it was in the beginning of the tenancy and make good or pay for the repair of or replace all such items of the fixtures, furniture effects as shall be broken, lost, damaged or destroyed during the tenancy, and pay for the steam cleaning of any carpets which may become soiled during the tenancy (reasonable wear and damage by fire expected)."
Let me just mention here that NOTHING was damaged or soiled and this was noted. As for the garden, I feel it was a matter of opinion as far as how cut back all hedges etc should have been.
2007-07-14 23:20:51 · update #2
You do not have to pay for those items unless they were spelled out that way in your lease. Since you carried out a joint inspection and nothing was listed on the inspection as being chargeable, the landlord cannot make any deductions against your deposit.
Send your landlord a letter, certified mail, return receipt requested, demanding the refund of the full security deposit without any deduction. Advise him that you will file against him in Small Claims Court if the money is not immediately returned. If he doesn't immediately refund the money, sue in Small Claims Court. You are virtually assured of a win.
2007-07-14 08:25:47 · answer #1 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
nah he can't do that without telling you first. If theres nothing in the tenancy agreement about you paying for a clean once you have gone, and he mentioned nothing before hand then thats it. At the very least if it did need cleaning he should of asked you to do that and you would quite within your rights to get the cheapest one you could. Anyway if he agreed with you it was clean and you have an inventory to reflect it. If he's taking it out of your deposit I would visit citizen's advice, otherwise just refuse to pay and tell him you will go to citizen's advice about it.
Good luck x
2007-07-14 08:24:12 · answer #2 · answered by CD123 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do you have a copy of the inventory that was carried out?Was the garden checked at the same time?Iff you have proof that all was as it should be then he has no right to take your deposit for cleaning etc.Some landlords are not very fair but on the other hand,I worked for a cleaning company who undertook moving out cleans on rented properties and believe me,some peoples ideas of leaving a place clean did not bear any resemblence to my idea of clean!
2007-07-14 08:27:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
First and foremost did u check the tenancy. Lots have a Professional clean at end o tenancy as standard. I f you can't prove it was cleaned u might have a prob/
2nd Did you take photos of the job u did when u cleaned?
If not then it will be hard to prove that it was just as clean when u moved out.
3rd. if you have done none of the above, learn from your mistakes, landlords will withhold depsits at the drop of a hat and unless you've coverd your **** with photo evidence and everything in writing it's hard to fight.
4th now you've moved take photo's and report all faults in writing (dated) and keep copies.
Good luck.
2007-07-14 08:22:19 · answer #4 · answered by Pijjin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Read your lease, and if it says that he can keep your deposit towards these things you are probably going to get no where. However, if it says that if you leave it clean and in good order and you have followed this then he cannot keep your deposit. Sounds like he/she is trying to just keep your deposit and apply it to these costs, which probably aren't real to begin with, but if they were incurred after you were cleared and released from the lease then you need to take it to magistrate court to get your money back or to avoid further billings.
2007-07-20 08:53:31 · answer #5 · answered by H. A 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He had no rights to do this without consulting you first. Did you have an agent? I suggest you contact the C.A.B in the first instance or www.shelter.org- you could take him to a small claim courts for the monies. Did he present you with proof that he did have them professionally cleaned. Why did he not go around the place with you when you moved out and discuss it? He is in the wrong if this wasn't discussed with you.
2007-07-14 08:46:49 · answer #6 · answered by Ellie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is the landlord holding your deposit, and using YOUR money to have it cleaned for his inspection, if so then he is at fault, and should return your deposit. As long as you left it in a satisfactory clean condition., he cannot refuse to refund the deposit.
2007-07-14 08:26:37 · answer #7 · answered by xenon 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi,go to citizens advice.I think the Landlord is out of order.Good Luck
2007-07-22 02:08:54 · answer #8 · answered by Ollie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Talk to Citizens Advice
2007-07-20 00:45:57 · answer #9 · answered by Weed 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
as a tenent you have done you job... the landlord has no right to charge services to you unless it was aberitration that stated you had to pay.. and you do have to the right to choose which company you would have liked to use... and he cant charge you once you guys have agreed that it was clean enough... the only thing you can do is go to abertration and file a complaint right away..
2007-07-14 08:40:54 · answer #10 · answered by Shayla D 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋