Deposit protection

[pocketsizedwolf]

Hi,

I paid a deposit when I moved into my old flat a year ago. The amount was something like £1680.80. The letting agent protected all of the deposit except for that 80p, which they never explained where it went despite 3 or 4 emails for myself to them.

Is there a rule that says a letting agent needs to protect 100% of a deposit?

[Kati]

Re: Deposit protection

tagging [MENTION=15129]Crazy council[/MENTION] xx

[Crazy council]

Re: Deposit protection

Is there a rule that says a letting agent needs to protect 100% of a deposit?

, Yes,

can i ask Why. ?? seems not worth the effort over .80p

[pocketsizedwolf]

Re: Deposit protection

It's not and normally I wouldn't bother, but they're being a nightmare and now that I've left the property, they're charging anything and everything they can to get more money from my deposit for themselves.

[Crazy council]

Re: Deposit protection

Ahha, understood,

You can defend claims against your deposit if there not reasonable, and you can object charges as well. Some estate agents/LL do this though, they make people fight back for there money.

If you put down anything they have claimed for, and how much they charged, i can maybe help you object properly.

[pocketsizedwolf]

Re: Deposit protection

They charged:

£150 "check out fee", for someone to go around and take photos
£180 + VAT for cleaning
£90 + VAT for carpet cleaning
£100 to replace one broken freezer drawer
£50 for someone to go and "fit" the freezer drawer
£20 for the disposal of items left in one of the cupboards (these items were packs of laminate flooring used in the flat before we moved in)

This is all after we paid £270 to renew a lease a year ago.

[bluezulu]

Re: Deposit protection

If the amount protected is not the full amount stated in your tenancy agreement, they would have a problem if you decided to pursue a claim. You would be unlikely to be awarded more than the minimum penalty though, unless there were prescribed information failures too.

You should first object to the charges and use the scheme's ADR if necessary to get your deposit back and then just pursue the penalty once ADR is finished. You have 6 years from the end of the tenancy to pursue the penalty.