Landlord wants me to give him money out of DPS prior to end of tenancy.

[slightsaver]

Hello everyone.

 

I'm currently renting a house in Chester with an agent and at the moment I'm just looking for advise, the landlord is asking me to remove the money from the DPS and give them the refund code so he can place it in his own deposit protection scheme.

 

This sounds more like he wants to put it in his bank account, as he is not looking to place it into one of the schemes the government recommends, isn't this a legal requirement?

 

Also, I signed a 12 month lease on the property under the proviso that I would not need to sign another term at the end of this lease, am I obligated to as now it appears he is rather keen to get me to commit to another 12 months, and the fact I may need to work overseas in the next few months means I am not willing to commit to this term again.

 

Thanks in advance for any responses or advice.

[Planner]

The Government requires (not recommends) deposits to be registered in one of three schemes. Anything other than this does not meet legal requirements.

 

I would suggest to your LL that he uses his owbn money to protected an equivelant amount to your deposit, in your name in one of the other required schemes and provided you with the information. Once you have checked and are satisfied that an equivelent amount is protected, you will then allow the currently held depsoit to be released to him.

 

If he says no, then your answer should also be no.

[Kentish Lass]

Planner is quite right. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever for you to give the LL this information, or to allow your deposit to be removed from the DPS. Just say no.

 

You may have to come clean to the LL and say that your job MIGHT take you abroad during the coming year so you would prefer the tenancy to become a statutory periodic tenancy. Although legally under a spt you only have to give 1 month's notice, you could suggest that if the situation does arise that you have to leave, you will give him 2 months notice.

 

You can refuse to sign another AST but the LL could then issue a s.21 for possession. That would be a bit silly, since a tenant in the property is worth two "out there", but there is no accounting for landlords!