a query about an estate agency "screw up"

[the94west]

Hello, first let me give you a background on my issue.

 

I was with an estate agency renting trough a landlady, she was lovely, they were helpless.

After 6 months they asked for a renewal but we had agreed with the landlady to go on a rolling month to month without them being involved.

After another 6 months and we were due to leave, they hit us with charges of breach of contract £30x4, a renewal fee of £120 (we didn't renew? and a check out fee of £90 even though they werent present at the checkout and did literally NOTHING as the landlady was that ****ed off with their **** service that she moved to another estate agents who are doing a lot more for her than the first agency did.

 

Anyway background out of the way.... they wired me the deposit money to me, randomly, after many emails and phone calls to find out where the was - this was 5 weeks after we checked out. They didnt even detail what the deductions were for. i had to wait another week for another email for me to find out the charges (listed above) I have contemplated

 

Well today came and a cheque arrived for the same amount that they wired me... shining like a beacon of hope. My question is.... morals aside, they have ****ed me over. Where do i stand with this cheque? i want to take the money i am owed and send them back the rest.

[raydetinu]

for a start the EA cannot deduct anything from the deposit thats an agreement between the you and the LL and the LL pays ea for handling it.

Also any fees they may wish to charge you for must be in a contract between them and you or not valid; they cannot visit charges that the LL maybe liable for on you.

If they have paid you the deposit back twice, which i think that is what you are saying then yes send any excess back after deducting what you think they owe you from the deposit repayment.

However write explianing what you have done with a breakdown and why you have done it.

[Steve__M]

Yes, do it quickly and make sure it clears before writing back.

[Steve__M]

maybe start your letter "Thank you for agreeing that your deductions were incorrect. However, you have refunded too much money and I am therefore returning the difference" rather than admitting that you know they sent the cheque by mistake.