Landlord demanding rent for after we've left!

[fiona_coady]

Hello,

We've just had a nightmare year of renting. in a reasonably expensive flat we've experienced periods without heating, periods without hot water, periods without any water and a major flood mostly due to an old and ill maintained boiler. We've had requests for things to be repaired ignored and despite having paid a cleaner to come for 3 hours a week every week have been accused of keeping the flat on a "filthly" condition (we are 3 pretty tidy girls).

As we approached moving out - mostly to get away from this landlord we anticipated problems so offered to have the place professionally cleaned (it wasn't when we moved in but we figured this good will gesture might avoid further problems).

We agreed with our landlady that since she hadn't relet the property the cleaning team would come in a couple of days after we left so they could do the most thorough job with our stuff out of the way. She was thrilled at this idea.

The cleaning team missed the first appointment to do the house as they had a car crash on the way there. The agency organised a replacement team for the next day but the landlady is now demanding rent for the half week between us leaving and the cleaning being done as the property was in an "unrentable condition".

She agreed to this and made no noises about extra rent - otherwise we obviously would have had it done before we left. Can she do this?

Also, she is claiming lots on the damage front. There is a small mark on the wooden floor from a high heel (we which concede was probably us) but she wants to sand down and revarnish the whole floor!

Finally the large sash window in my room was broken when we moved in, i told her about this last november and she said she's fix it (it was broken such that when you released the catch to open the window the top pane of the sash window crashed down to the window sill as the catch was the only thing holding it up).

She hasn't had it fixed, despite us having a massive heatwave and me repeatedly saying the problem was the hot weather. On the day we were moving out someone helping us move opened the window to air the room and the pane of glass broke. She wants us to pay for the repairs. Our friend couldn't have known the window was broken by looking at it but she is saying it was carelessness. This seems unreasonable to us - what can we do?

Is there anything we can do? All advice appreciated.

[blacksheep1979]

Has she got a deposit from you? If not tell her to whistle.

If she has, unfortuantely you are probably going to have to pay for the window and a sum for the floor (but no more than about £50). As to the hlaf weeks rent just state plainly NO, if she had no tennants to move in then she is not out of pocket.

If she doesn't give your deposit back (if she has one) ask for a detailed list of charges with invoices/receipts from whoever carried out the work and if there is a difference between what she can prove and what she has refunded request it back (pointing out you have no problems with taking it to court) and failing that issue a small claims court proceeding.

[fiona_coady]

Sadly she does have a deposit of £2500 and we've had no sign of any of it yet.

Any advice on what we do next?

[blacksheep1979]

ask for prrof of the charges ie invoices/receipts, preferably on headed paper and pref VAT receipts from whoever carried put the work and then request the difference back

[Nightmare4banks]

fiona_coady,in reply to your posting and in my opinion:

REGARDING THE CLEANING:

1.That is a bit over the top for wanting three days rent.I would suggest that you see that has the flat cleaned at your expense deducted from you deposit monies because at the end of the day you should vacate the flat to be as reasonably tidy as possible.

REGARDING THE DAMAGE:

1.You are liable for the high heel mark in the flooring.This would probably involve replacing the wooden floor board and not a massive project.Again this repair would be deducted from your deposit monies.Rent out carpeted properties in the future!

2.The window pane again you broke it and therefore you should pay for a replacement from your deposit monies.


Now I Also read in your posting that you had suffered times with no hot water etc

Remember it is a criminal offence for a landlady not provide a yearly Landlord Certificate for the boiler and all the other gas appliances in the propertry.

There is nothing stopping you from suing this former landlady for not providing an adequate service i.e.rubbish boiler and damaged sash which caused you to have to pay for the broken pane etc.

Finally this should teach her a lesson not to treat here tenants with contempt.

I hope you find this information useful.

If you need any help or have any questions,just ask.

Keep us posted.

All the best!

[bevcarlyle]

I wouldnt agree to pay anything for the floor as you are entitled to leave the flat having caused reasonable wear and tear. If a heel mark in the floor is the only problem then I would think that is fine. Can they prove it was one of you that did it and not a cleaner or anyone else?