Renting From A Private Landlord

[sisternumber1]

If your sons and daughters or you are renting and giving a substantial deposit.

When you are about to move in but before any of your possessions enter the premises, go over the flat or house or bedsit with the landlord or landlords agent and agree the condition of the place, take photographs with date and time turned on. Then agree in writing that this is the state as of that date.

When you move out, make sure that you have cleaned the place and leave it in the same if not better condition then when you moved in, again take photos.

Make sure that all bills are paid and have proof of these.

You now you have proof to get your full deposit back.

This worked twice for my eldest daughter in her student days.

[Struggling_Simon]

Is this worthy advice supposed to be in reply to another post? If so ask a moderator to move to the correct location, as the the OP may not have seen it.

Just to add -
also list any items of furniture and their condition and take Gas/Electric/Water meter readings.

[GlasweJen]

erm, shouldn't this be in the lettings section?

[sisternumber1]

sorry for offending - just thought it was a useful tip and didnt know there was a letting section. I will keep quiet.

[GlasweJen]

Not aimed at you sister, was just thinking for the mods if they wanted to move it that's where it would go.

[dave]

I think it's ok here. This is a 'snippets of information' forum after all.

In fact, I think this is one of the few posts that have been posted in here that actually might belong here!

[Dons2008]

Hi all

! ! ! Draw up an inventory ! ! ! - 2 copies - and get them signed and dated... even note on it the state of the walls/carpets/taps in working order etc.etc. This is what I did after I had a real dodgy landlord in 2005 - she tried to keep my deposit on the basis that the sh*t-heap washing machine in the kitchen (that was full of mould and didn't work) was missing when I moved out.. (During my tenancy I had used my own expensive washer dryer in the property, I wasn't going to put my clothes in the dirty machine.... ew!)The agent told me that the landlord had left it in there as the previous tenant had left it there - I told them that as they hadn't done an inventory they would have to prove it even existed.. which they couldn't do and then they proceeded to threaten me.. I told the agent and landlord I was going to the RLA and National Association of Estate Agents to make a complaint about them - I soon got my 600.00 back...!

Do inventories people, its 5 minutes that make a lot of difference!

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