Getting your deposit back: The Do’s and Dont’s
Finding the money for a Deposit, be that a traditional deposit or a Deposit Alternative Scheme is no mean feat; it’s important to take steps to ensure that you get it back when your tenancy is up. This article will provide you with useful tips to help you achieve that goal. So, let’s get started!
In order to ensure the return of your deposit, it is important to be aware of the top five reasons that landlords withhold them. By understanding these common complaints, you can avoid potential deposit issues and increase your chances of receiving your full deposit back.
The Big Five
Here are the top five reasons why landlords may withhold a tenant’s deposit:
- Failure to keep the property clean and tidy.
- Failure to maintain the property to an acceptable standard.
- Direct damage to the property and/or its contents.
- Rent is still owed when the tenancy ends.
- Damage caused by neglect or lack of upkeep.
You can avoid most of these issues, alleviating any concerns. However, it’s crucial to act promptly if you aim to retrieve your security deposit upon vacating. Our checklist is designed to assist you in staying organised and on top of things.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Deposit Returns & End of Tenancy Charges
If you want to make sure you get your rental deposit back, there are some important things you should and shouldn’t do. By following these guidelines, you can simplify the process and ensure that your landlord has no valid reason to withhold your money. Here are some essential tips to help you out:
Keep It Clean
It’s important to note that ARLA Propertymark found that almost 90% of Agents reported landlords holding back tenant deposits due to insufficient cleanliness. To avoid this, it’s essential to stay on top of cleaning. Incorporating cleaning into your weekly routine and not letting items accumulate for weeks at a time is crucial.
Vacuuming and dusting once or twice a week will only take a small amount of time and prevent the need for constant cleaning efforts. Starting off with a neat and tidy space is the key to success; if you need some pointers, our team have you covered – Our Top 5 Products to Keep Your Shower Room Clean and Sparkling!
If you have just handed in your notice or are about to, have a look at this handy Checklist to give you a full rundown on where to start.
Do Your Part
Housemates often face deposit disputes due to a lack of knowledge about their responsibilities. It is important to understand that as a tenant, you are expected to maintain the property in a tenant-like manner.
Your role involves performing certain maintenance tasks on the property, such as replacing light bulbs and keeping windows free from condensation. Failure to complete these duties could lead to your landlord withholding your rental deposit, so it’s important to stay on top of them.
Making Good
Although we suggest avoiding causing any damage during your tenancy, it’s important to address any issues if they do occur. However, determining what constitutes damage can be tricky, as even something as small as a nail hole could potentially affect your deposit refund.
So, what are your options? The simplest solution is to avoid inflicting such damage in the first place, but if this isn’t possible, it’s critical that you restore the property in the same condition it was left in.
To ensure that you return the rental property to the landlord in the same condition it was given to you, it’s essential to fill in any holes, make repairs, and take necessary measures. Taking photos of the property when you first rent it will help you keep track of any changes and provide a starting point for repairs; these will also be in your check-in inventory.
Keep Warm and Well-Ventilated.
Allowing moisture to accumulate in your rental house is another quick way to lose your deposit. Fortunately, this is readily prevented if two things are kept in mind: heat and ventilation.
Maintaining a steady temperature in your house during the winter months, as well as frequent ventilation, will significantly minimise the amount of condensation.
If the windows in your rental property have trickle vents, keep them open. If not, open the windows on a regular basis to allow fresh air to circulate and wet air to leave.
Remember that if you find condensation on the windows, you almost certainly have condensation elsewhere. Take precautions to avoid mould growth or damage to the window frames, which could jeopardise your rental deposit.
Be Truthful.
While we’d all like to prevent them, accidents sometimes happen…what you do afterwards may make all the difference.
If something goes wrong in your room, shower room or communal space, be forthright about it. Call your letting agency or landlord right away and explain the issue. This gives people alternatives and eliminates the problematic moment when they find information that has been kept from them.
Because good letting agencies work for both you and the landlord, being honest about any damage is always the best policy. Even if you don’t have a letting agent to report things to, the great majority of landlords are decent, honest people who realise that these things happen occasionally, so pick up the phone and talk things out.
Keep track of your finances.
Unpaid rent is another major cause for withholding rental deposits. All arrears must be cleared before the deposit will be recovered, so keep track of your money during the tenancy.
Talk to your landlord if you get into financial difficulties. Again, being straightforward about your situation will go a long way.
Simple, right?
Returning your tenancy deposit should not be an issue, especially if you follow the following rules and leave the property in the same condition that you found it.
Return the keys and provide your landlord with your forwarding address after your tenancy has ended, and your deposit will be returned to your bank account in no time.
If you’re seeking to rent in Ashford, Maidstone, Medway, or any of their surrounding locations, give us a call at 01233 367 367 or visit our site to see our current listings.
