Property damage and cleaning top tenancy deposit disputes

Property damage and cleaning top tenancy deposit disputes

10:40 AM, 17th November 2022, About A year ago 4

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More than half of tenancy deposit disputes during the last year concerned property damage and cleaning, The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) reports.

The DPS offers a free, impartial dispute resolution service to help ensure a fair conclusion to a dispute without the need for complex or expensive legal proceedings.

The list of disputes when tenants and landlords don’t agree on how much of a deposit should be returned to the tenant includes:

  • Property content damage – 27.3%
  • Cleaning – 26.64%
  • Other – 14.55%
  • Redecoration – 11.77%
  • Rent arrears – 8.19%
  • Missing items – 5.34%
  • Gardening – 4.94%
  • Utilities/bills – 1.28%.

‘Most likely causes of disputes’

Matt Trevett, the managing director at The DPS, said: “Cleaning and damage, as well as the most likely causes of disputes during the last 12 months, are also closely related.

“By not cleaning, for example leaving the build-up of grease or grime in an oven to the point where a professional cleaner cannot rectify it, tenants run the risk of damage for which they are then liable, depending on the obligations set out in their tenancy agreement.”

He added: “To avoid disagreements and ensure a swift conclusion to the tenancy, we always recommend that landlords communicate clearly with tenants about their responsibilities to the property and that tenants abide by the obligations set out in their tenancy agreements.

“Less than 3% of our deposits fall into dispute, and we work hard to ensure there is a wealth of information online to help landlords avoid or deal with a dispute when it arises.”


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Comments

Monty Bodkin

11:15 AM, 17th November 2022, About A year ago

The Forever Tenant

11:57 AM, 17th November 2022, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 17/11/2022 - 11:15
That was 11 years ago, so might be different now. The schemes had been in place for only a few years so may be that Landlords were getting used to how to provide complete claim details.

Without seeing both sides of the claims, its impossible for me to say if there is a bias towards tenants or landlords. If anything I would have thought it would have been towards the latter as surely these organisations would want the Landlords to place the deposits there. It's not up to the tenants where that money is placed.

Amethyst

13:06 PM, 17th November 2022, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by The Forever Tenant at 17/11/2022 - 11:57
Sorry to disappoint you but it is not any different now. Recent and past experience with the DPS convinces me they are interested in very little the Landlord has to say or any evidence presented to them by the Landlord. Damage is always put down to wear and tear and I am still genuinely bewildered as to how two clearly jemmied doors of our property suffered 'usual and acceptable wear and tear'.

Freda Blogs

13:51 PM, 17th November 2022, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Amethyst at 17/11/2022 - 13:06
I agree - it's no different now. We remain the pariah.

I lose the will to live when I need to talk to the DPS. They are unhelpful and obstructive and offer no 'advice' (to this landlord anyway).

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