bond for rented house

[waterlicked]

we bought our first home and finally got moved in last week. we handed our keys back to our former landlord last week and all seemed well. i asked via messenger when we were going to get our bond back and he is refusing to give us it back due to damp caused by a leaking gutter. we knew we had problems with damp and he was made aware of this. after we asked for our bond back, he has since given multiple excuses for not giving it us back. he's trying to charge me for a faulty light fitting that he installed before we moved in, leading peeling off from the inside of double glazing unit in 1 room, and on top of this, he wants us to pay to have the walls replastered due to the damp. where do i start? are we due to our bond back or not?

 

[honeybee13]

Hi.

 

When you say it's a bond, is your deposit with one of the protection schemes?

 

HB

[waterlicked]

short answer is i have no idea. we moved into the property in december 2017 and paid 400 rent and 400 bond in cash to the landlord.

 

[honeybee13]

26 minutes ago, waterlicked said:

short answer is i have no idea. we moved into the property in december 2017 and paid 400 rent and 400 bond in cash to the landlord.

 

 

Well if your rental is that recent, I would say the deposit should have been protected. What does your paperwork from 2017 say and is there agency involved please?

 

HB

[waterlicked]

no agency involved, we saw it on facebook. we did have an agreement on paper somewhere. we are still dealing with the aftermath of moving house so i will try to find the original paperwork asap

 

[waterlicked]

winner winner chicken dinner! got the original document in hand. paid original rent and deposit on 11/11/2017

 

[waterlicked]

i've tried to find if my deposit was protected but i'm unable to find it on deposit protection scheme, my deposits, or tenancy deposit scheme. my landlord is refusing outright to return our deposit.

 

im getting bombarded by messages from him about us paying for the plastering to be redone, he's claiming some electrical problems need sorting even though everything is exactly the same as when we moved in, then he says the bathroom carpet is unusable, and the final insult, he's saying he's had to spend all week cleaning it even though our last job there was to give the place a full top to bottom clean. is there anything i can do?

 

[honeybee13]

Hi.

 

I'm not an expert but have you asked the landlord about the deposit being protected? Also, do you have photos of the condition of the place before you left?

 

I'll flag your thread for the site team and see if anyone can help.

 

HB

[waterlicked]

not got any photos but landlord was happy when we handed the keys in and walked round. he was aware of the damp because we sent him photos. id appreciate all the assistance i can get. thanks for your help so far

 

[AndyOrch]

Have you checked on the following ...?   Did you rent through a letting Agency ?

 

https://www.depositprotection.com/im-a-tenant/id-like-some-renting-guidance/where-s-my-deposit/

 

 

[waterlicked]

didn't go through any letting agency and yes i have checked that site. i can find no evidence of him protecting my deposit. i have spoken to citizens advice and they have pointed me in the right direction. we are entitled to our deposit back as all the things wrong with the property are the landlords responsibility, however, cab also told me that if they have not protected my deposit as they are legally required to do, i can claim compensation on top of our bond. they sent me a link to print and fill in form n208. could i do this through the mcol service instead, or does it have be by paper version?

 

[AndyOrch]

Afraid not...you cant issue a part 7 in this instance ...it must be a part 8 claim.

 

https://www.justicefortenants.org/using-an-n208-form-to-instigate-court-proceedings-against-your-landlord-or-agent-for-failure-to-protect-your-deposit-or-bond/

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-n208-claim-form-cpr-part-8

[waterlicked]

thanks for that. i'm on with it now. i will update you on any progress. thanks again for your help!