Problems with a Landlady and deposit, please help me!

[jj1986]

Hello everyone! I had a problem with my landlady two days ago. I left my flat on 11 of this month because she has afraid about some problems. i changed my stuff to other room and i left the place. She promised me gave me back half deposit (225 Pounds) and she told me that i can keep my stuff there till the end of the month. She changed her mind and also the lock so my stuff was inside the house and i couldn't take it. finally i spoke with her and she let me take all my stuff but she never gave me back the money. she was waiting with some people at the house trying to intimidate me. she was laughing all the time and saying to me that i had never been living there and she is not going to give me back the money. She didnt do contract for me. i didnt know but someone told me that she has a council flat and she can't rent it. What can i do? she's a really bad person and i did a favour to her and she has been laughing to me all the time. i have proofs about i lived there like bank letters and all the transactions ( paying her the rent) im desesperate and i wanna act because she is gonna do it again with more people. many thanks

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I'll move your thread to the lettings forum and hope the guys there will be able to help you. I'll send you a link by PM.

 

My best, HB

[jj1986]

thank you so much!

[Pam Dell]

Report her to the council that own the property.

 

Ensure she doesn't know where you live etc. first.

 

She can't be trusted having brought support in numbers with her.

[Pam Dell]

What do you want from this situation?

 

Your money back?

 

IMO I doubt you'll get that, it would be a lot of time and trouble for £225. And even then, you're unlikely to get money from her.

 

Sometimes things are not worth the effort.

[raydetinu]

It would appear your only action would be to write and ask for deposit back and then take her to court.

Do you have proof of payments made, receipts etc. a contract.

[Snorkerz]

I left my flat on 11 of this month because she has afraid about some problems.

What problems?

 

i changed my stuff to other room and i left the place. She promised me gave me back half deposit (225 Pounds) and she told me that i can keep my stuff there till the end of the month. She changed her mind and also the lock so my stuff was inside the house and i couldn't take it. finally i spoke with her and she let me take all my stuff but she never gave me back the money. she was waiting with some people at the house trying to intimidate me. she was laughing all the time and saying to me that i had never been living there and she is not going to give me back the money. She didnt do contract for me. i didnt know but someone told me that she has a council flat and she can't rent it. What can i do? she's a really bad person and i did a favour to her and she has been laughing to me all the time. i have proofs about i lived there like bank letters and all the transactions ( paying her the rent) im desesperate and i wanna act because she is gonna do it again with more people. many thanks

 

I presume you lived in the place with the landlady?

 

What favour did you do for the landlady?

 

Did she say why she was keeping half of your deposit? Did she later say why she was keeping all of your deposit?

[Guest jamesatshelter]

Hi,

I work for Shelter, the housing charity.

You may be able to take her to court if she didn't protect the deposit in a government-approved scheme.

You could get compensation up to 3x the amount of the deposit.

Shelter is campaigning on this issue at the moment and we may be able to offer you free legal assistance to do this.

Contact me on james_mills at shelter.org.uk if you'd like to know more.

Regards

James

[Snorkerz]

Hi,

I work for Shelter, the housing charity.

You may be able to take her to court if she didn't protect the deposit in a government-approved scheme.

You could get compensation up to 3x the amount of the deposit.

Shelter is campaigning on this issue at the moment and we may be able to offer you free legal assistance to do this.

Contact me on james_mills at shelter.org.uk if you'd like to know more.

Regards

James

Please note that this advice only relates to Assured Shorthold Tenancies, not lodgers or assured tenants.

[Guest jamesatshelter]

Correct, thanks for pointing that out Snorkerz.

See the Shelter website or call our helpline on 0808 800 4444 for advice if you have a tenancy other than an AST

[Snorkerz]

James, I didn't intend to be 'cocky' (as I now think I may have been) but it is by no means clear that jj1986 has an AST - there are hints at 'excluded occupier' and the last thing jj1986 should be doing is confidently spouting irrelevant law at the landlord - that will have nothing but negative effects.

[Guest jamesatshelter]

Didn't think you were being cocky there Snorkerz!!

You made a good point - I perhaps should have pentioned this in my post.

jj1986 has been in touch with me directly and we have offered legal advice on the best way to proceed.