Hi everyone, Just wondered if anyone has any experience with getting your bond back from a Letting Agency? Basically, we are renting our house through an agency. When we moved in we gave them the bond and they said we had two options - they could register the bond with a bond scheme and then when we move out it will take a couple of weeks to get it back OR they could keep it in their safe and then when we move out we can get it back immediately. We decided to keep it with them so we could have it back straight away. Anyway, the house is damp and this is causing mould to grow on the walls and it smells damp. They sent a damp specialist round and he told them that we need a dehumidifier to try help the problem. This was in December last year. Anyway, we've kept asking them for the dehumidifier but no joy there. The damp specialist came round again a couple of weeks ago to do a repair (as he does both) and he was shocked that they still hadn't sorted it out. I told him that we had been opening windows etc and he said that will not help as it won't solve the problem. He said he would have a word with the agency and let them know how serious it is. He came back the next day and said he had told them and they were bringing us a dehumidifier the next week. Fastforward one week - no dehumidifer! Anyways, we are fed up of living like this. I have itched constantly at night due to the damp and it's getting worse. I'm worried it's going to affect DD's health so we have found another place to live and borrowed money off of OH's mum to pay the bond and first months rent. We move next week. DH gave our agency a months notice and they have told him that we will not get our bond back until we have proof that we have paid all outstanding bills. Now, we can not do this until we've moved out and also, it takes ages for the energy companies to send a bill so god knows how long we will be waiting. My question is... can they do this? There's nothing in our agreement that says that we have to show proof of this before return of our bond! Also, I've read it's illegal for them to not keep them bond in a protection scheme... is this true? Has anyone got any advice? We could do with having the bond back so then we can pay the final bills with that money as we are skint! We would not be moving if they had sorted the damp out. It's damaged some of my furniture and things that were near the wall. I hate this house so much and can't wait to get out of it. It's making me depressed to be living here, I am too embarrased to invite people round and feel so isolated here.