Hi im seeking some advice

We have been living in our rented property for 6 years and are moving out

We have informed the landlord and he visited the property to inspect the property so he could give us a reference

He gave us a reference ok but now he is sending us texts saying he wants to keep £500 of the deposit to replace the 2 faux sofas that we had already replaced 2 years ago

We replaced the sofas ourselves 2 years ago as the ones he provided we cracked and worn out, we texted him and he was ok with this and said as long as there are 2 sofas when u leave that would be ok

He is holding a £1100 deposit from us and we could do with as much as we can from it for furnishing are new property and i have to pay for a months rent as our contract isnt up till the 29th of may and were moving to are new property on the 3rd of may so i have to pay for 2 rents

We have also found out that it is not in a government deposit scheme and he has kept it in his bank over the 5 years we have been in the property

Over the 5 years he hasnt done anything to the property not even visited it

I also replaced his old worn out boiler for a new one because we were eligible for a grant and our gas bill was huge due to the old boiler being inefficient

Any advice would be great

Thxs

Was there an inventory when you moved in?

If not. send a letter before action to the LL for the return of the full deposit, within 7 or 14 days, and if it is not forthcoming start a claim with money claim online, and issue court proceedings.

if he contacts you to question what you are doing, just let him know that the potential fine for him not protecting deposit is 1 - 3 times the deposit (what he doesn't have to know is that it would cost you over £1000 in upfront fees to sue him for that part). And the best way for him to get out of that possibility is for him to return the deposit in full before the court proceedings start. If he does not return the deposit in full, the upfront fee for money claim online for the return of the deposit is roughly £35. it may have gone up a bit since I last did it. this is reclaimable when the judge rules in your favour.

If I have forgotten anything I am sure someone else will be along soon to add to this.

Hi thanks for the reply

Yes there was a inventory when we moved in which we still have

what did it say about the sofa?

1 2 seater chocolate leather sofa

1 3 seater chocolate leather sofa

Thxs

As there is no description of the condition of the sofa's and if there are no photographs as part of the inventory, then all you have to leave behind are 2 chocolate leather sofa's with 6 years worth of fair wear and tear, and as the life expectancy is estimated at about 7-8 years, I would say the LL has not got a leg to stand on, especially if you point out that you replaced them and the boiler FOC during the tenancy.

Many thanks for your rplies

Thxs