Landlord claiming too much

[rigby44]

Hi

 

My girlfriend and I have just moved out of a property. It took the managing agents about 2 months to return our deposit. We kept on phoning and they kept on saying they were waiting for an invoice for work that needed doing.

 

We now have our deposit back minus £94. These are for replacing a toilet handle and a shower handle.

 

We left the toilet handle and shower handle in exactly the same state as when we moved in. We had an inventory, and it didn't mention them. The toilet handle was always rubbish and kept on falling off. The shower handle (to turn on and off the water) was always loose and had a chip in it.

 

We told the agents about the shower handle about 3 weeks after moving in. We didn't think to tell them about the toilet handle as it didn't seem important.

 

When we had the exit inventory (by a different firm than the entry inventory) he said the toilet handle looked like it had been replaced by us. It hadn't - it was still the crappy one they had put there.

 

My point is that I don't think we have any proof that the toilet handle and shower handle were in that state when we moved in. Both were certainly usable so we didn't think too much about reporting them or anything.

 

Do we have any grounds to contest these costs.

 

Many thanks

[MrShed]

Did you inform them in writing?

[rigby44]

No

[Ed999]

Read this thread: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/landlords-tenants/117572-unfair-deposit-deductions.html