surely if the fridge was there when you moved in, then it's the LL's responsibility to fix it or replace it..? He agreed re the tree, so I don't think he can suddenly change his mind. Does he mention that it was agreed at all..? Re the hole in the ceiling, that's one thing that you/mum should have fixed - it's damage. It doesn't matter what will happen with the house after the tenant leaves because that's the LL's business and he has the right to expect damages to be paid for. ...and shouldn't your mum be afforded the opportunity to 'make good'?

It's rubbish, but unfortunately, if the LL doesn't want your ex and kids there, that's their right as it's their property. They're obviously nervous because of the change of circumstance, but if you've/she's been a good tenant then there's a chance you can talk to the LL and reason. Maybe offer a guarantor in lieu of insurance etc or see if they can get another policy elsewhere and if there is a price increase in doing so, meet the cost of the difference if the property is worth it? Hope it works out x

the assured shorthold contract we have for our tenants specifically mentions changing locks - that you are not to modify or install any locks without permission and you're responsible for paying for a copy of the new keys for the LL and agents. So be careful if you're thinking about changing locks (I know this because a previous tenant was a pain, left the flat but had changed the locks w/o our permission and didn't give us 'new' key - contract said she couldn't do that so she was billed for the locksmith and for the 3 extra sets of keys we needed cutting) I would send a strongly worded letter to LL about accessing your home and giving 'strangers' keys to enter without your permission or presence. Maybe talk to a neighbour and ask them to watch out for that? btw don't take it out on the workman... my OH experienced something similar this week, was given a set of keys to go into a flat to change a window and walked in to find a girl fast asleep in bed!! he was horrified, snuck out as quick as possible and knocked. imagine the trouble he could have gotten into!

How do you know that she hasn't put the deposit in the scheme? Did the agents say so..? Reason I ask is that we use an agent just to find a tenant and do the legal stuff, then we take over the management. The agents keep the deposit (and so register it with the scheme or whatever it is they do) - even though we 'manage' the property. So have the agents told you that they don't have the deposit safe? Contact them and ask for advice - you signed with them so I would think they have an obligation to you? They may even have different contact details for her, or an email address? Are there things that physically need doing such as repairs etc? Things you can justify holding rent back for..? Her being away or her being in debt isn't really something you could hold rent back for..? I wouldn't go admitting that you opened her mail by the way! You'd have been better returning to sender!!

No, I think it's unreasonable for you to expect your landlord lose money because your partner has a phobia. You didn't have to move out, you chose to. There was no reason why you had to move out - if your partner's phobia was so bad, she could have stayed with friends/family. That doesn't mean you had to. Mice are common, we've had them. Pain in backside but easily solveable by pest control. He's been generous in that he's agreed to pay for the pest problem - didn't even occur to me to ask our landlord to pay, so I think he's been reasonable with you.

Hi All We've given notice to quit in the house we live in. We've been here 5 years. When we moved in, the decorating standard was terrible. It was freshly done, but badly! Rushed and sloppy and cheap paint as it was all cracked. We decorated properly and got the house looking nice. My landlord has announced that we're not to decorate the place just yet (downstairs is fine, but upstairs needs freshening up and my daughter's room needs changing back to magnolia) as it "may be better to get it done professionally". Aside from the fact I'm offended (modesty aside, I've done a very good job in decorating, very tidy, decent paint and neutral colour - she's seen the standard down here so knows I'm not a bodger), I'm worried that she's going to deduct the cost from the deposit. Where do I stand with this? I know sometimes tenants decorate to a poor standard and so the professionals are called in, the cost deducted from deposit, but she seems to be biased towards using professionals even before I've even got a paint brush out! I'm not prepared to pay for a professional job just because she wants one. How would this work if she kept part of the deposit to pay for that..? (deposit paid before the deposit scheme came into play, an agency does hold it so I'm not sure if they had to register it with the scheme, but they didn't tell us about it so I assume not?) Thanks for your help.