Property damage and cleaning top tenancy deposit disputes
3 years ago | 4 comments
Short-term room rentals and damage deposits?
9:45 AM, 12th May 2023, 3 years ago
2
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Hello, I run a company that specialises in Airbnb holiday lets and short-term room rentals. Last year a lady contacted me and asked if she could rent a room on a monthly basis I took a damage deposit as she was only meant to be there short term. Fast forward she refused to leave the property for months. She was aggressive to other guests and ran up massive gas bills.
She was asked to leave on numerous occasions but refused to and one night she came home through the front door and then proceeded to smash the second door through with her foot.
The police were called and she agreed the damage will be paid for out of the damage deposit. They took her to a hotel and now, two months later, I have received a letter from a fee finder firm saying she wants her deposit back as I didn’t deposit it in a scheme.
She never had an assured short-hold tenancy that was never the plan as she was only meant to be here short term.
Any advice from the Property118 community is welcome.
TIA,
Melanie
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Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 1439 - Articles: 1
10:03 AM, 13th May 2023, About 3 years ago
What did your short term agreement state about the deposit?
Was it an excluded occupier agreement or a fixed term holiday let agreement?
Member Since October 2020 - Comments: 1162
5:25 PM, 16th May 2023, About 3 years ago
She may well have had an AST. There is really no such thing as a short term rental. There is such a thing as a ‘holiday let’, but its only for people who are genuinely on holiday and it sounds as though she wasn’t.
It doesnt matter whether you recruit people through a letting agent, an ad in the newsagent or Airbnb, if the conditions of an AST are met then thats what theyll have.