Help with private rented property

[katie_lou]

I have just handed my notice in on a house that we rent privately . When we moved in there was a carpet in the raided and in the bedrooms that was already damaged (had paint on) , no inventory was done either when we loved in , anyway when I gave my notice in my landlord called and said we would not get our deposit back as WE had damaged the carpet . I made him aware that the carpet was like that when we moved in and was also like that when we viewed the house with the state agents .

He's refusing to release my deposit until I replace the carpet . I have spoken to one of my mums friends who use to be an estate agent and she told me that as there was no inventory done in the house he has no grounds as he can't prove that we damaged the carpet ( which we didn't ) .

Had anyone else been in a similar situation , it's so annoying as if I had damaged the carpet of course I would expect to pay for it but the bloody blobs of paint where already there

Xx

 

[Lolly85x]

How annoying! Did you point it out to the estate agent who showed you it?
I guess it's basically going to be his word against you.
His fault for not doing an inventory. But your fault for not complaining about the mark.
You should fight your case through the estate agents xx

 

[Titch85]

Have you not got any proof that you spoke to him or the letting agent about it? I follow everything up in writing, to back myself up. I accidently burnt the carpet with an electric heater in my last rented house, they just charged me £25 when I left.

Also, your landlord should not have your deposit, it should be with an independent company? This is so that he cannot withhold it?

 

[katie_lou]

Have you not got any proof that you spoke to him or the letting agent about it? I follow everything up in writing, to back myself up. I accidently burnt the carpet with an electric heater in my last rented house, they just charged me £25 when I left.

Also, your landlord should not have your deposit, it should be with an independent company? This is so that he cannot withhold it?

No , I spoke to the letting agent when viewing as he said the landlord was replacing the carpets anyway so not to worry about the paint .

It's held with a company called countrywide I think .

When we move this time I am going to take pictures of all the rooms as a back up incase this happens again xxx

 

[LoopyLouize]

You can legally contest this but just so you are aware, it goes to a solicitor who will automatically take up to 30% off your bond just for looking at it. Sorry in not much more help, just thought I'd let you know if it ends up going down that road x


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[Titch85]

Have you not got any proof that you spoke to him or the letting agent about it? I follow everything up in writing, to back myself up. I accidently burnt the carpet with an electric heater in my last rented house, they just charged me £25 when I left.

Also, your landlord should not have your deposit, it should be with an independent company? This is so that he cannot withhold it?

No , I spoke to the letting agent when viewing as he said the landlord was replacing the carpets anyway so not to worry about the paint .

It's held with a company called countrywide I think .

When we move this time I am going to take pictures of all the rooms as a back up incase this happens again xxx

I am really surprised that they didn't this time. I've got a book of pictures and comments that the letting agents did with me, I've got it all on a cd aswell.

 

[katie_lou]

Have you not got any proof that you spoke to him or the letting agent about it? I follow everything up in writing, to back myself up. I accidently burnt the carpet with an electric heater in my last rented house, they just charged me £25 when I left.

Also, your landlord should not have your deposit, it should be with an independent company? This is so that he cannot withhold it?

No , I spoke to the letting agent when viewing as he said the landlord was replacing the carpets anyway so not to worry about the paint .

It's held with a company called countrywide I think .

When we move this time I am going to take pictures of all the rooms as a back up incase this happens again xxx

I am really surprised that they didn't this time. I've got a book of pictures and comments that the letting agents did with me, I've got it all on a cd aswell.

I never got any of this but this is the frat time I have rented a property before so tbh I had no idea what should be done and not be done. At least I have learned thou x

 

[katie_lou]

You can legally contest this but just so you are aware, it goes to a solicitor who will automatically take up to 30% off your bond just for looking at it. Sorry in not much more help, just thought I'd let you know if it ends up going down that road x


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I hope it doesn't but I want my money back lol . I would not mind payin for it I I had done the damage but I don't want to pay for something I have not done , if I did contest it what would my chances be of winning x

 

[wifeywifey]

If its held by an independent agent you should have a "contract" from them. In that case fight it, the landlord cannot prove you did it and they will refund it all however it will take a while.

 

[Lolly85x]

And also, they cannot keep all your deposit? They can keep the amount it costs to replace the carpet. That's all.xx

 

[katie_lou]

Thanks ladies , I have a letter from the company that is holding the deposit they send us this when we put the deposit down last year . I am going to contact them today over it . Xxx

 

[babyem]

You can legally contest this but just so you are aware, it goes to a solicitor who will automatically take up to 30% off your bond just for looking at it. Sorry in not much more help, just thought I'd let you know if it ends up going down that road x


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I hope it doesn't but I want my money back lol . I would not mind payin for it I I had done the damage but I don't want to pay for something I have not done , if I did contest it what would my chances be of winning x

We had this but no damage etc. We had to get a solicitor, but like louise said, we didnt get it all back as we had to pay legal fees. X

My fat fingers can't spell! x

 

[PyscoFalcon]

Contest it hun but you might not get all your deposit back.

Our first rented place tried to charge us for skip use when gutting the kitchen (to make it wheelchair friendly) we contested and won but still had legal fees to pay which ended up about half the deposit.

 

[SpinSugar]

I had a property with countrywide. We did a really detailed inventory off our own backs as they didn't bother. When we moved out the tried to charge us for damage and dirt done before we moved on. We wrote and complained, so they let us off those charges but kept accusing us of other things. In the end they charged us £800 because we hadn't cleaned the curtains.
Awful company.
But this was in the days before the deposit scheme.
Contest in writing and see how you go. Good luck!

xxx