Urban Development Projects Ltd. made up their own construction company to deduct all of our deposit.

[lww92]

Hi,

 

We moved out of our flat which was run by Urban Development Projects Ltd. at the end of August and have been waiting to get our deposit of £650 since. I have been chasing our first point of contact who said that they have been busy with a music festival (I know) and that it would be done 'soon'. We finally got a quote from a company by the name of Urban Moor Construction Ltd. with a quote for £648 to:

 

Re paint areas to rectify scuff marks and damaged plaster work £365

This was literally a hole in the plasterboard which we had replacedbut not skimmed over. I more than expected deductions for this but not this amount.

There was also a few marks in the bedroom which needed painting over which were behind the wardrobe so we didn't see them until it was too late

 

Fill, sand and polish kitchen work surface where hole has been drilled £85

We had a space for the washing machine under the kitchen side but the plug socket was way too far under the sink, so one of the handymen on site drilled a hole through the countertop so that we could plug it in where the microwave goes

 

Deep clean flat ready for letting £90

There was a bit of soap in the soap pan and a small amount of buildup on the shower head which we didn't see.

 

I had a look at the company who quoted this (Urban Moor Construction Ltd.); their logo was very similar to Urban Development's so I searched them both in Companies House... Lo and behold, they're both registered to 51 Selby Road in Leeds!

 

Has anyone ever heard of a company doing this before? I can assure you that there definitely isn't £650 worth of repairs there so I feel as though they're trying to make a quick buck off of us.

 

Oh... Just had a very patronising phone call off of Marc, the MD. He said that if we take it to TDS, they will look at the pictures and throw it out and then he called me a d*ckhead. How lovely. Luckily the call was recorded.

[Steve__M]

For item 1, it sounds like genuine damage that needed to be repaired, so the question is whether the charge is excessive. Hard to tell without knowing the details.

 

For item 2, again it sounds like work was done to make a repair. But are you saying that the whole was drilled by an Urban Development employee?

 

For item 3, was there a checkin report that described the condition of the property, and a checkout report that indicated a "deep clean" was thereby required?

[raydetinu]

you must inform TDS that you have left and want your deposit back. It is up to the LL to justify any damage and to be fair.

You can let TDS adjudicate or you take LL to court and let a judge decide.

It would appear they don't want to give you anything back.

How long where you there?

[SiFg]

Contact the TDS and tell them that you dispute the amount that they are claiming.

 

Re the hole in the work top, you could add that the power socket is not close enough to the washing machine space so that future tenants are likely to require the hole in the work top as well - unless it is their plan to charge every tenant for fixing a hole that is required for them to be able to work their machines.

 

What condition were the carpets in when you arrived and what were they like when you left? Was there a clause in the tenancy that stated the carpets needed to be professionally cleaned on departure?