Small update, We returned to the property and carried out the required tasks, on returning the keys the LA asked who to make the cheque out to so i'm starting to think we may receive a cheque in the post.

Thanks again for your reply i shall certainly do that, agreed that i'm probably reading too much into the situation just a long day ringing round the schemes etc when an admission followed by resolution in the first instance would have been enough to solve the problem for me. I'll let you know how we get on. Thanks again

Thanks MrShed, You are quite correct and i see it as no actual loss either, if my wife was to take the keys back to remove the cobwebs i assume in the eyes of the law we would be doing no wrong? The only reason i ask is i have after today lost complete trust in the letting agent through what i deem to be deception on their part. The last thing i would want is for them to make another claim to the tune of of the last one because she has been allowed back in. Cheers Tristesse

Thanks for your advice MrShed, does this count even though the tenancy has ended? A tenancy ending 06/03/10 should surely not be allowed to have the deposit protected 09/03/10 as this would make a mockery of the whole idea of a protection scheme? I would not consider going for it on prescribed terms alone. Many thanks

I have a problem with the letting agents for our previous home regarding the return of a deposit the story is as follows: This morning i recieved a call from the agent who was inspecting the property, they stated that the property was is a poor state of cleanliness and they would be witholding a large part of the deposit to get cleaners in (stated approx £600). I wholly dispute this as we spent two days cleaning everything from the carpets to the walls. I asked the letting agent which scheme the deposit was protected in, they stated the TDS. I contacted the TDS who had no record. I then contacted the other two for good measure - no record. On advice of TDS i contacted the agent for the reference number, they could not find it but half an hour later left me a message with a number. I checked this number online and found it to be a closed account for a property we rented 2 years ago (this deposit returned in full) so i contacted TDS to see if they had transferred it in some way, they hadn't. A while later i wanted to check one more time with the TDS and this time they found the deposit registered today @ 2:32pm. I explained to the TDS that the tenancy expired last week. I called the agent back and told them the number provided earlier was for the place we rented two years ago, our mistake they replied we will try and get the new reference. No need i said as i had contacted the TDS but what confused me i explained was the fact the deposit had only been registered today. They replied that they couldn't understand that and would look into it and get back to me. The agent phoned my wife (stating they had left me numerous messages - i had none) and that a 19 year admin assistant had remembered that over a year ago she had forgot to register the deposit and had indeed just got round to it - amazing, they stated there was no deceipt at all and said that actually the place wasn't so bad and would she like to go back into the house to clean some cobwebs and then they would return the deposit. I'm feeling very bitter about this and am considering going for the full penalty. I would like some advice as to wether this is practical and also if my wife should go in tomorrow to clean some cobwebs. Any advice would be much appreciated, Sincerely Tristesse

Hi Steve, Thanks for the reply, deposit was paid on the day of moving in which i've discovered was mid may 2007 so that should be covered. We are thinking that there will be no choice but to stay until at least mid Jan moving over the holidays really won't be an option unfortunately. I have demanded they move the loo off the garden and was informed they couldn't move it to the fenced off area as diggers etc needed access, the chap then went onto say that a lock up would be placed in front of the loo so that will hide it, they must think i was born yesterday as not only will there be a loo there will now be 'lock up' blocking the windows, the landlord has gone very quiet and is not answering my calls. As predicted no word on the lights accept the previous you've changed thats the problem i'll get someone out soon. Terrific. Best Regards

Hi Steve thanks for the quick reply. We moved in literally just after that date so hopefully the deposit will be protected although i've never actually asked the question. I thought that may be the case with the notice period and as such (with it being so close to Christmas) we would be unable to move anywhere quickly. I have checked the contract and there is nothing in there remotely related to the building works and other than a telephone call between myself and the landlord nothing to say building works would be taking place. The inventory on move in lists the two apple trees and plum tree that once formally stood in the garden, these have been taken out to make way for the house this will in no way reflect on us? Best Regards

Hi i wonder if anyone could offer some advice. We've been renting a property for 18 months now initially on a 12 month contract and now i'm assuming month by month. The landlord has just started building a new property on the land, although we knew about the building works approx 3 months ago and were shown where the building would be etc unfortunately it hasn't gone to plan. We have basically lost the entire use of our garden (were told we would lose just under half) and to add insult to injury the small peice of front garden we had remaining now has a porter loo on it (even more unfortunate that our front room windows are rather large bay ones and as such we have a panoramic view of the comings and goings) I have two small children and this is causing great concern now. To add to the problems we've had electrical faults in the house since we moved in particuraly with the lighting mains. None of the upstairs lights have worked for approx 6 months and previous to that we had no bathroom main light since we moved in, i had spoke with the landlord about this on many occasions and suddenly he has blamed it on me saying i've changed the lights fittings and put wrong ones in which has blown the lighting mains, this is not the case i have not touched any lights at all other than changing the odd bulb. He has a handyman backing him up on this saying we have changed the lights. There are a host of other problems with the house which i have been waiting to be fixed for well over 6 months and now i'm at my wits end. What i would like to do is say stuff it and move out, the only problem with this being notice period leaving us only days before Christmas to move into a new place and if the deposit is not returned very swiftly we really would be stuffed. Is there anything anyone can recommend? I really would like to move out asap but if we really have to stick to the one month notice or risk losing deposit then i can't do it. As we are still paying the same rent and have no gardens now can we rightfully ask for a redunction in rent until we can find another place? Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Many thanks

Thanks for your replys i was also shocked the letter from Lowell's actually states 'We are writing to you with the regards to the address outlined above which was provided to us by Experian the UKs largest Credit Reference Agency... Experian hold information on over 43 million UK consumers... They have informed us that you previously resided at xxxxx and we need to validate this information'. It then gives there 0800 number to call which I certainly shall not be doing... I have no idea what these chaps actually want and verbally at least i'm not willing to find out. I will draft a complaint letter tommorow and post it here for comments before i send it. The battles begun and I haven't even received my Credit File yet but still I've been reading some of the other threads here and do not feel in the slightest nervous any more. Not so long ago we were in very bad financial shape and some of the companies (MBNA in particular) would not only listen to my solutions they snubbed them at every oppourtunity at one point even claiming that i was being a criminal as i couldn't make the minimum payment. Move forward and things are better however i won't be subject to that again and certainly not through applying for my file from experian.

Hi, I've decided to start clearing my credit file of inaccuracies and applied for a copy from Experian (will go for this one first). A very brief history, 4 CCA requests sent over the last year none have returned any of the requested and all i believe have placed defaults. After applying to Experian they sent me a letter requiring I validate my address and provide ID in the way of a passport / birth cert. I'm not surprised about the address I've not long moved and not been placed on the Electoral Register yet although i did give all of my last addresses etc. The same day as the letter arrives another company lowell (i believe a DCA) sent me a letter saying they had been provided my address from Experian and i needed to contact them asap. This seems like madness to me Experian are willing to give out a new address and yet won't give me a credit file as i need to 'validate it'? I'm only glad i didn't put my phone number on the application form otherwise no doubt my house would transform into a BT switchboard. Anyhow is this worth a complaint or is it just typical and best to forget? Once the files arrive (haven't sent the ID off yet) I'll keep you upto date on my progress; have never done anything like this before so am kind of nervous but we shall see.

The old MBNA good cop, bad cop routine. These muppets did this with me. I also sent the letter regarding telephone harrasment which was ignored, fortunately we were due to move house several weeks later and i planned to change telephone number anyway but during the two weeks i had some fun with them just answer the phone 'all calls are recorded for litigation purposes' or variants there of until TS or your letters work in getting them to stop telephone harrasment. As for the Default etc i never received one from MBNA, i did from Wescot some time later however i took the normal route and CCAd Wescot to which they still haven't complied (this was two years ago!)

At the bottom it makes reference to the terms being contained on Page 2. Do you have a copy of page 2? Best Regards

My personnel credit is dreadful but managed to open a Barclays Business account (free for 18 months) with full Visa, Cheque Book no problems. I would not get a current account with anyone offering the same services.

Hi pinkmoomin, Please try to stay calm someone will be along shortly with more advice than i can offer. Alot has been covered on these forums about log book so search and read them threads in detail. The main way to go at the moment is the charges. SAR them and get hold of everything (CCA maybe an option worth looking at also), clearly you are in the position that if charges had not have been applied you would not be in the position you are. Is there anything you can do with the car? It will be worth looking at every possibility even if it means you have to catch a bus a few days to were the car is kept. Remember out of sight out of their hands. Whilst i commend you for taking action swiftly and suggesting a repayment schedule / reduction in added charges it is worth remembering that these charges are excessive and can be reclaimed in full and you should not accept these charges.

I'm really sorry to hear of your situation and as others have said it always shocks me the levels in which DCAs and the like will stoop. Below is a link to the National Debtline template asking creditors to write a debt off. It will need a bit of rewriting to fit your needs but tis a start. http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/temp/6300_53311.pdf Kind regards.