#1

Hello friends. Just moved, got an email from the old letting agent saying they were gonna deduct £200 from the deposit for a deep clean, have an email from them before we moved out confirming that the property wasn’t professionally cleaned before we moved in. That’s a substantial leg to stand on when it comes down to disputing this right? They said:

“The property was not professionally clean prior to moving into the property however the property was cleaned prior to moving in.
There will be no deduction to the deposit if the property is left in the condition it was found, we do take into consideration wear and tear.”

We cleaned thoroughly before moving out, what’s the deal when it becomes a matter of opinion like this?

#2

This is a pretty good overview for deposit conflicts:

Did they use a scheme? It’s illegal not to these days innit.

1 Like
#3

Did you send them the email confirming that the property wasn’t professionally cleaned?

I’d send that and confirm that the flat was actually left in a better condition than when you moved in. If they want to deduct for wear and tear, please confirm what parts of the flat are applicable to this.

#4

Yeah, just forwarded them the email they sent us confirming it wasn’t professionally cleaned and stated our case that we cleaned to as good a standard as the property was left to us in. Will wait and see I guess.

#5

Cheers Nikkers. It was in a protection scheme, aye.

#6

Good.

You don’t have any photographic evidence of when you moved in vs when you left? Was an inventory done listing the state of the property when you arrived?

In any case it sounds like they’re being total dickheads. Hopefully an email pointing out that it was never professionally cleaned previously will be enough. If they never did an inventory when you moved in I’m not sure how they can claim you’ve left it in a worse state tbh.

#7

Pretty sure they didn’t do one. It’ll be our word against theres I think. They’re just trying it on, it’s obviously their default to charge for a clean and they seem rattled already by the fact that I’ve forwarded them their own email. She said she doesn’t even know where the final property inspection is so she’s talking out her arse. The stupid thing is that the actual landlord is way too lazy to actually give a shit about making claims like this, it’s all just letting agents being knobheads as usual innit.

#8

Check your contract on this. Landlords can’t make deductions for reasonable wear and tear - damage, yes, but wear and tear, no.

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#9

:+1:

They’re just trying it on innit, she said: “I have checked the final inspection carried out by Sarah and Sarah has advised that a deep clean is required.”

I then forwarded her the email from Sarah saying it wasn’t professionally cleaned and she followed it up with: “Unfortunately at the moment I cannot locate the final inspection Sarah carried out, I have text her to find out where this is.”

So you lost the final inspection in the 15 mins between emails did you? Knobheads.

#10

Oh, and about the professional clean - again, what does it say in your contract? If it requires you to do a professional clean, then you should have done. If it doesn’t, then you shouldn’t.

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#11

Will need to check the actual contract but the email from them said: “If the property was professionally cleaned at check in, you will be required to leave the property in the same condition, failure to do so may lead to a deduction of your deposit.”

They then confirmed that the property was not professionally cleaned at check in.

#12

you will be required to leave the property in the same condition

This is unenforceable, unless it also says “same condition, allowing for reasonable wear and tear.”

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#13

It doesn’t!

#14

Well then,

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#15

In most cases like this it’s not the money itself that pisses you off is it, as much as it would come in handy, it’s the dishonesty and complete lack of tact. If a contract stated it was company policy to deep clean after ever tennant moved out and the fee for this was £200 lots of people probably wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

2 Likes
#17

that attitude is why we’re living under capitalism and not full communism pal

#18

How many cherry bakewells are you eating in one sitting?!

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#21

:grinning:

#22

Yup, exactly. If they’d said it’s £200 for I dunno, holes in the wall for picture frames or something I’d just suck it up but it’s so obvious they’re just trying their standard “get £200 out of these mugs” ploy that makes me want to challenge it.

#23

Had an old landlady try a similar trick. She ‘cleaned’ it herself before we moved in (it was still filthy) then tried to take £300 from the deposit for professional cleaning after we left! Joke was on her though cos I’d already had it professionally cleaned and had before/after photos and a receipt from the cleaning company. Even after that it took best part of 8 months to get the deposit back.

Tl;dr landlords and agencies are money-grabbing scum.