I’ve Fallen Out With My Ex-Tenant Over Her Security Deposit
Written by The Landlord on 14 Feb 2009
It’s pretty amazing how a relationship can turn from warm apple pie to steaming shit over something as superficial as money. The situation I’m in so ridiculous that I don’t know whether to laugh and/or forcefully push my tenant into the arms of a psychologist.
In a previous article I talked about how a tenant of mine was vacating my property, and how an inventory helped me support my case to hold money from my tenant’s security deposit to pay for repairs. I had to make a £300 claim to replace the front door, which she savagely destroyed when she changed the front door locks.
Me and my tenant had a good relationship as far as Tenant Vs landlord relationships go. She wasn’t the perfect tenant by any means, but she wasn’t the worst either.
As for her personality, she was a nice woman from what I experienced. However, I always sniffed a hint of chav/pikey from her essence, even though I never saw her trailer park side. I could just tell it was there, lurking, always ready to pounce. Don’t get me wrong, she was always pleasant enough to me, but I just knew…Oh, I just knew.
So it came to no surprise when the junkyard dog started barking when her security deposit was returned with a £300 reduction. In my defense, the reduction was completely fair. When she moved into the property, the front door was in brand new condition. And when she left, it looked like this:
I immediately received a text from her (I imagine as soon as she opened her mail), saying that she can’t believe I took £300 out, and the door was already broken.
Firstly, she better believe it, and secondly, that’s a lie- the door was NOT split in half. I didn’t bother responding because I couldn’t be bothered with a text-war (as entertaining it may have been). I’m now just waiting for her next move- I’m actually expecting a barrage of phone calls and abuse.
I’m not entirely sure how far she’s going to take this; whether she’s going to try and take legal action against me or throw flower/egg bombs at my property. Either way, I’m standing guard, like a military man. I wouldn’t put anything past her. Hopefully she’ll just cool off and realise she’s in the wrong.
The whole situation is petty and unnecessary. What did she think the security deposit was for? It’s very purpose is to repair/replace anything which has been destroyed over the years of being a tenant. I genuinely could have charged her a lot more, because the tart left huge holes all over the walls where she used her pathetic knowledge of D.I.Y to put up picture frames with unnecessarily thick screws. I also let a lot of other small issues slide, like shit stains on the carpets and walls.
On that note, I’m glad the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme has been introduced. I don’t want to have to deal with moderating this kind of bullshit in the future, i’d rather get a 3rd party to cut through the crap.
Anyone else ever had problems regarding security deposit?
Finally, I recommend that ALL landlords do a throrough inventory of their property before a tenant officially moves in, so there are no misunderstandings when the tenant moves out:
The Importance Of An Inventory
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6 Comments - join the conversation...
Jools is right, there are quite a few examples on the TDS website of landlords who've lost because of the lack of an independent, professional inventory. You also need to get the tenant to sign or intial every page to say they agree it. Good luck with this one anyway.
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I recommend photos, with a digital camera it isn't hard to get a decent pictures of each room. The knowledge that you have photo will make people think twice about claiming black is white (although many will do it anyway).
I've been on the other side of this, as a tenant, and both of the inventories I've been given have been very substantially wrong - sent back with corrections (I let them know I had photos of everything). If professional inventories are compiled by estate agents I would expect them to be full of holes, like the ones I had, and no use at all if it comes to a dispute.
Unfortunately there are a minority of landlords who have used deposits as a bonus at the end of a tenancy.
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If the inventory is prepared by a landlord or agent then in case of doubt the judge would be likely to err on the side of the tenant. A professionally prepared inventory would help because it removes the doubt of bias.
All the best
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It's a private website and LL is entitled to his opinions. They're exaggerated to entertain and personally I think he's doing a good job doing so.
Quoting you, "I think he cheated this tennant out of her deposit", you perhaps overlooked at LL withheld £300, not the entire deposit. Furthermore, I think £300 is pretty damn reasonable, if you look at the damage to the door!
I'd also like to point out, that for tenancy agreement started after 2007, the term "going to court" would have to be amended to "going to arbitration", as all deposits must be held in a deposit scheme nowadays.
Given how loosely defined the term "wear & tear" is, I see myself being in arbitration ALWAYS whenever a tenancy agreement will come to an end for in my experience, tenants ALWAYS leave damages in excess of reasonable wear and tear and why should any landlord have to pay for that?
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I initially started this website because I wanted to document my every step from property idiot to property landlord,
in hope that people would find my site and help me along the way. I literally didn't have a clue about being a landlord
when I started this website.
The only thing I can suggest is that you come to some arrangement or be prepared to meet this person in the small claims court.
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