Property damage and cleaning top tenancy deposit disputes

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.”