NEW CORRESPONDENCE: LA RESPONSE "We have taken into account that you haven't signed an inventory therefore no deduction regarding discrepancies of the inventory are being made, however you have both signed a tenancy agreement stipulating that the property must be returned in good repair and clean condition. See paragraphs taken from your tenancy below. "The landlord has taken into account the length of time you have been in the property and that tenants have been swapped since the original tenancy, he is only asking for a minimal contribution at this stage for the cleaning and is not asking for contribution for repainting and making good all the walls and doors. He has however said if you want to go down the Disputes root he will be asking for a contribution to these works. (12) To notify the Landlord in writing of the Tenant’s intention to vacate the Property and give the Landlord vacant possession and to return all the keys to the Property at the end of the Tenancy: to remove all personal furniture, personal possessions and rubbish and to leave the Property and the fixtures and fittings, furniture and furnishings belonging to the Landlord in good repair and clean condition. (13) Yield up the Property at the end of the Tenancy in the same clean state and condition as it was in the beginning of the Tenancy and make good and/or pay for the repair of or replace all such items of the fixtures, furniture and effects as shall be broken, lost, damaged or destroyed during the Tenancy (reasonable wear and damaged by fire excepted). The Landlord does not accept any responsibility for anything left at the Property by the Tenant at the end of the Tenancy. (14) Leave the furniture and effects at the end of the Tenancy in the rooms or places in which they were at the beginning of the Tenancy. Pay for the washing (including ironing or pressing) of all linen and for the washing and cleaning (including ironing or pressing) of all counterpanes. Please let me know your thoughts." MY EMAIL "Sorry for the delay in responding. We request that you repay our deposits minus the £70 each. However, because we consider the cleaning bill to be unreasonable and in light of the fact that neither I nor Will saw or signed an inventory, we respectfully ask that the £140 be referred to the deposit dispute resolution service." WHAT TO DO????

Just to check...there was an inventory signed by the original tenants, but not us - does this affect it?

Thanks for that Steve...very helpful

Hi I've had 3 mobile broadband since Dec 07. I (stupidly) signed an 18 month contract. I was living in Manchester city centre. The service was poor. I rang up serveral times to complain only to be put on hold/cut off. I put up with it. I've now had to move. The service is now non-existent. Is there any chance of getting out of this contract or will I simply have to pay for a service I'm not receveing till June 09? Thanks

anyone?

Hi It's a familiar story I know... We recently ended our tenancy and moved out. The flat was left in a good state, not great. Certainly better than any flat I've moved into. The LAs state that cleaning of the property will cost £140. I'm happy to pay some cleaning cost but this seems excessive. Plus its the principle of it. So many things went wrong with this flat which the LA took forever to fix (including no boiler for over a month during the cold snap in Feb) that we put up with that I can't really beleive they have the cheek to ask for this money. Neither I nor my flatmate ever saw or signed an inventory. The flat was rented by two of my friends orginally and one moved out and I moved in, then the other moved out and someone else moved in. The deposit is held in one of those new schemes. I'd like to know: 1. whether we have to pay 2. whether £140 is reasonable for a two bed flat 3. what legislation I can quote when challenging 4. if we challenged it, when we would actually get the money, i.e. the likely timescale Thanks! N.B. Email correspondence: 2nd EMAIL "Under no circumstances are you being held responsible for the bathroom we know this has been an on going problem. When the guys 1st took the property it was fully cleaned throughout including all appliances, windows and floors etc... We have had a quote for a full clean and it will be £140 so £70 each which will need to come out of your deposit. The landlord will be paying for all repairs in the property. If you disagree with this then your deposit will have to be sent to the disputes service to deal with and just so you are aware they take up to 6 months to sort the dispute out as we will have to submit evidence on our part and you guys will have to submit evidence on your part. Please let me know what you would like to do. kind Regards" REPLY EMAIL "This comes as a surprise. Whilst I can understand that a limited amount of cleaning may be necessary, to describe the property as being in "quite a bad state" is incongruous. The only location in the flat where the phrase "quite a bad state" could be applied is in the bathroom where with the absence of flooring, cleaning was not logical or possible. Furthermore any rubbish bags or mess that was left in the flat is that of the builders who were in the property working on the bathroom last week. We did not touch anything left by the builders as we were not told what was or was not needed by them. Whilst you have not explicitly stated as such, your email infers that the cleaning quote will be deducted from our deposits. However, neither I nor saw or signed an inventory for the flat. Without a signed inventory how is it that the baseline condition of the property prior to us moving in can be proved and thus how much should be deducted from our deposits be ascertained? Regards" 1st EMAIL "An out inspection has been carried out at the property and the property requires a full clean throughout. Whilst we appreciate there have been a few tenants moving in and out of the property it is in quite a bad state. We are in the process of getting a quote for the work that needs to be done then will come back to you. Regards"