Tenancy Deposit Dispute Claims
If you’ve moved out of a rented house and your landlord has withheld your deposit without a valid reason to do so, we can help you settle your dispute and get the deposit returned. A deposit can be a significant amount of money, so waiting for it could affect your cashflow or leave you unable to afford to pay a deposit on your next home.
Tenant deposits have been the focus of new legislation and a great deal of media coverage in recent years and stronger measures are now in place to protect tenants. That doesn’t prevent some unscrupulous landlords from withholding deposits, but we can give you the professional advice you need to help recover your money.
Our specialist team provides expert legal advice in different languages to clients on a wide range of legal matters. We don’t charge any up front calls for speaking to us and we’ll clearly explain our fees before you decide to work with us.
What causes tenancy deposit disputes?
Even in the face of increased legal protection for tenants, some landlords still choose to withhold deposits. They may claim that you have:
- Damaged the property to the extent that it needs remedial work
- Fallen behind on your rent payments
- Left the property in need of specialist cleaning
- Failed to comply with your tenancy agreement in some other way
Your landlord must accept a reasonable amount of wear and tear to the property, fixtures and fittings during your tenancy. For example, carpets will wear out over time and paintwork will fade and need repainting. Landlords should not be withholding deposits for such normal degradation of the property. Many landlords will even clean the property and repaint some areas in between tenants.
If however, wear and tear is excessive, such as heavily stained carpets, significant damage to walls or broken bathroom fittings, you may struggle to get your full deposit back.
How can I claim my deposit back if my landlord is withholding it?
When you leave the property, we strongly recommend that you take photos or videos of the condition of all rooms. Even if there is damage and you feel that you may be charged by your landlord, photos or videos could prevent the landlord exaggerating the extent of the damage.
From 2007 onwards, Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) schemes were introduced to protect tenants. Landlords must pay your deposit into one within 30 days of the start of your tenancy.
You may be entitled to take them to court if they don’t pay your deposit into a suitable TDP scheme. Within 30 days of paying in your deposit they should give you a number of details of your tenancy. This will include the name and contact details of the TDP scheme they have used, and their dispute policy.
How can legal advice help me resolve my deposit dispute?
Before you take legal advice, we recommend that you try to resolve things amicably with your landlord first. If appropriate, you could also try the dispute process of the TDP scheme if your deposit was paid into one by your landlord.
If you find yourself still unable to resolve the dispute, we can discuss your circumstances with you and advise the best course of action. If we feel that we can help you, we’ll explain any fees and what you need to do.
How do I begin a deposit dispute claim?
Call us on 0208 1111 911 or contact us through the website and we’ll discuss the details of your tenancy with you. From that call, we can usually advise you promptly as to whether or not our services will benefit you. At the very least, if we’re unable to help you we can let you know who best to speak to about your dispute.
