Fed up with not getting your full deposit back?
Diana Warr, residential specialist at Sanderson Weatherall talks through the issue of deposit returns and gives some valuable insight into how you can ensure you get the minimise deductions from your deposit.
At the start of the tenancy
Whilst getting back your deposit might seem a million miles away at the time, the best time to start thinking about this is right at the start of your tenancy. With cleaning of your old property and moving in to your new property we know this is a busy and stressful time for you but it will save you a lot of time if you cross check the inventory that your agent or landlord has provided you with.
To help speed up this process we have begun sending these electronically to ensure it’s as easy as possible for tenants – it also has the obvious added benefit of being more environmentally friendly. Tenants will also receive reminders from the inventory company to let them know that inventory is locked for editing after 7 days, whilst the invoice should be accurate it is your one time opportunity to check, so don’t lose it!
During the tenancy
Ensure that you report any issues within the property as and when you notice them. We use a dedicated repair reporting website called Fix Flow that makes it easier for tenants to report faults and monitor any ongoing repairs. Failure to report issues at the time of incident may trip you up at the end of tenancy as you could face being charged for these.
Most importantly, be honest! If you break or damage something, do not be afraid to report this and be own up to what has happened. It’s always better dealing with things head on, than waiting and facing increasing deductions for the issues. Having worked as an agent for almost 20 years I can honestly say that don’t worry, we really have heard it all before!
We know that everyone leads busy lives but it will save you a lot of time in the long run if you make time for a regular cleaning schedule.
At the end of the tenancy
Don’t be afraid to ask if you are not sure what is expected of you at the end of your tenancy term, many agents have guides as to what you need to do at the end of your tenancy in terms of cleaning. If you are no good at cleaning, ask your agent for details of their cleaning contractor then you know that the property will be up to scratch when you hand it back.
If you are intending to clean the property yourself, ask your agent to come and do a pre checkout inspection as this will help you understand anything you may have missed or still need to do.
Ensure when you are cleaning that you dry and polish surfaces as you wash them. If you don’t they will dry streaky and need to be done all over again, one of the most common issues we encounter at the end of the tenancy.
Always allow yourself time to go back to the property and clean once you have moved out. It’s incredibly difficult to clean around your packed belongings and you will inevitably miss a couple of things!
Finally be realistic in your expectations!! Whilst a large majority of tenants do get their full deposits back. The biggest area of contention is cleaning standards. Don’t necessarily expect to get your deposit back in full and if you feel the property wasn’t clean when you moved in, make sure you have the evidence to substantiate your claim.
Remember, agents are reasonable people and are there to work with you to ensure you get as much of you deposit back as possible. It is very common that tenants hand over a property in a dirty condition because a repair didn’t get done in the timescale you expected during the tenancy, this is a frustrating rationale as the issues are completely separate and if you were to take a case to an arbitrator, they would be unlikely to find in your favour.
Lastly please do not expect that you can hand a property back in a dirty condition because a repair didn’t get done in the timescale you expected during the tenancy. Diana comments that this is a common and very frustrating rationale for not complying with your tenancy obligations. These are two very separate issues and if you were to take your case to an arbitrator, they would be unlikely to find in your favour on that basis alone.
Please feel free to get in touch with our helpful team for any of your property needs, just call us on 0113 221 6019
