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Landlord deducting excessively from deposit

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  • 01-08-2009 9:54am
    #1
    mrziggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭


    Recently moved out of a house (I say recently..it was 2 months ago) and I just got my deposit back having been chasing the letting agent for it constantly since I moved out. I saw that there was 50 euro deducted from myself and my 5 housemates (that's 300 euro) for cleaning.

    Fair enough there were rubbish bags left out the back that the last guy who stayed there is taking responsibility for, and agreed to pay to get rid of, but the place was left spotless apart from that. By my best guess the charge to get rid of 7 or 8 bags of rubbish including labour might come to at most 100 euro (correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know how much dumps charge these days) and to clean a house from top to bottom should cost at most another 100 euro. So where did the extra 100 come from???

    Also, upon asking the letting agent for a breakdown of the cleaning bill, he said he didn't have the bill yet and that it was just a price agreed with the landlord. The letter that came with my deducted deposit says:

    "Bills:
    Cleaning waiting for bill
    ESB Tenants name
    Bord Gais Tenants name"

    How can they bill us for something they haven't been billed for??? Are they not legally obliged to have an invoice in writing before deducting us? They refused to give us back our deposit until they had written proof the bills were paid. Doesn't it work both ways?

    If this was the only issue then I might let it lie but add that to the fact that it took 8 weeks to get this much back, I think I will be pursuing this further. The other former housemates are just as annoyed as I am. Another case of landlords taking advantage of student tenants?


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    #2
    astrofool
    Registered Users Posts: 16,641 ✭✭✭✭astrofool


    You can ask for a bill with each line item.

    Did you take photos?

    How do you know the guy that left the bins out the bank didn't make a mess before he left?

    You should have got a closing bill from ESB and BG within days of closing the account/transferring it to landlord.


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    #3
    mrziggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭mrziggy


    The BG and ESB bills are no problem, I paid those and my housemates will each pay their share to me. The landlord isn't asking for any money in relation to those.

    Well I can't be 100% sure he didn't make a mess but I think I trust him enough.

    Unfortunately, we didn't take photos. I know that's dumb. In the house I have moved into since, we have taken photos of absolutely everything. I learned my lesson on that one.

    I'm going to be asking for an invoice first thing after the bank holiday for what was done on the cleaning. Starting to think we won't get anywhere without photos but it's worth a try.


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    #4
    J-blk
    Registered Users Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    mrziggy wrote: »
    The BG and ESB bills are no problem

    So why is the landlord listing "ESB Tenants name & Bord Gais Tenants name" in his letter regarding the amount he is deducting from the deposit (as per your original post)? Surely he does not mean that the actual transfer back to him costs him money? :eek:


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    #5
    mrziggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭mrziggy


    No I think that's just a template the letting agent uses anytime they give back a deposit.


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    #6
    Agent J
    Registered Users Posts: 1,909 ✭✭✭Agent J


    Are you PRTB registered?

    You should know if you were. Gotten a registration letter in the post

    If not then threaten to report them for non registration. Remind them its 5k fine otherwise.

    IF so then put in a claim through them. They cant take away unless its excessive.

    Play hardball on this if you think they are being unfair. A good deal of agents try this stunt and unless you take a hardline stance they will walk over you.


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    #7
    mrziggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭mrziggy


    Yeah we were registered. The agent was being ridiculous and basically hung up on one of the lads when he called him on Friday.
    "oh sorry I'm just driving there, bye"
    Maybe he was driving but I doubt it. Thanks for the advice guys I appreciate it.


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    #8
    shoegirl
    Registered Users Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭shoegirl


    Some landlords put it in as a condition on your deposit. Great way to encourage tenants to leave the place in a muck.


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    #9
    mrziggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭mrziggy


    Been in contact with Threshold who advised me to put the request for the invoice in writing. They said I am legally entitled to an invoice/receipt for any money deducted from a deposit. The agent will be getting a letter on Monday. I won't post the name of the letting agent here but it is one of the biggest ones in cork.

    PM me if you want to know which one it is. I'll be telling everyone I know to avoid them and I hope they lose a lot more than 300 euro worth of business because of it.


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