When it comes to leaving a rented property, you’re probably looking forward to getting that hefty deposit back from a long time ago.
But many miss out on the full amount because of the state they leave the property in.
A survey by End of Tenancy London asked 3,304 about their experiences and 61% said they hadn’t got all their money back.
Of course, it can be hard to argue with your landlord about what is your fault – but sometimes there are things you’ve missed.
There are processes in place to challenge how much is deducted. In England and Wales, your deposit must be placed in a government-backed deposit scheme and when you move out, your landlord must provide a breakdown of the amount deducted. Once you agree the amount, they must return it within 10 days.
If you dispute the amount, the deposit will be held until the issue is sorted out.
The main reason for people losing money was not cleaning enough – 80% of those who had deposit deductions said it was because of this.
If your landlord has to hire professional cleaners, it can be costly – people surveyed said they lost an average of £200.
Beyond that, 68% said money was deducted due to damage to the contents of a property, such as holes in the walls or broken furniture, with an average cost of £320.
Other reasons included lack of maintennce – including mowing the grass or leaving sinks blocked up, with 49% saying they lost an average of £110 because they missed simple tasks.
Missing items from the property (30%) was found to be the fourth most common reason, followed by overdue rent when the tenancy ends (21%) and property abandonment (15%).
11% of people had unpaid utilities when moving out which stopped them from getting their deposit money back. On average this can cost tenants £500.
Pest infestations which could be linked to the tenant’s behaviour accounted for 7% of lost deposits, costing an average of £300.
Finally, 5% lost money because they had modified the property. If you want to paint or make modifications, it’s important to ask your landlord and get it in writing and check if they need you to change it back when you leave. It’s easier to do it yourself than to get hit with a hefty bill for a decorator.
Cleaning expert Ivan Ivanov, from End of Tenancy London, said there are some things you can do to avoid losing your deposit, but you need to think about it from the minute you move in.
Moving in
Before you even start to unpack, take a good look at the condition of everything already in the house.
Ivan explained: ‘In some cases, your landlord may give you a document to record the appearance. If not, create your own.
‘When moving into your new place, pull out your phone and take a walk around, making note of any damage to walls, floors and record any appliances that are not working. If you see something that looks amiss, take clear pictures, and email all the images alongside your concerns to your landlord.’
Emailing these with a date ensures that the landlord is aware these happened before you arrived.
When it comes to moving furniture around to suit your tastes, make sure you take care.
Put felt under it to prevent marks on the floor. It’s much easier to do this before you fill it with stuff.
If you want to hang your favourite picture, look for products like Command Strips, which can be removed and mean you don’t have to put holes in the walls.
Moving out
When it comes to moving out, you need to go above and beyond your usual weekly clean.
Ivan says: ‘No one wants to move into a home that looks lived in. To improve your chances of getting a deposit back, take the time to give your place a good cleaning before you leave.
‘This can include maintenance such as removing stains on carpets, scuffs on the walls, and cleaning the dirt off the baseboards around your place.’
Move all the furniture and clean underneath it. Make sure you don’t miss things like the oven or behind the sofa. Create a detailed check list and take time to go through it – don’t leave the cleaning until the last afternoon.
Make sure you do maintenance tasks like tidying the garden or unblocking the sink too.
If there are things that you know could be an issue, try discussing them with your landlord before you leave. You may be able to have more control over the cost.
Of course for reasons like unpaid bills, make sure you have your finances in order before you leave so you don’t get any nasty surprises there.
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Get in touch at metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/14/the-most-common-reasons-people-lose-money-on-rental-deposits-and-how-to-avoid-them-13267411/
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