Our workshops try to make it none!
Sometimes landlords deserve the deposit from a property, or a share of it. But when the new deposit protection laws came in, claiming it became a more formal process to make sure unscrupulous landlords weren’t just pocketing cash that legally belongs to their tenant.
Any new process takes a little getting used to. That’s why our senior team will be touring Scotland in March, conducting FREE workshops on how best to claim any money you believe you’re owed.
Deciding exactly how much should be awarded when the facts are disputed is the responsibility of our legally-trained Alternative Dispute Resolution team. They successfully work their way through over 6,000 cases each year.
Our chief adjudicator, Alex Coghlan-Forbes, will be at the seminars explaining the simple ways to avoid footing the bill when you shouldn’t have to.
The seminars are helpful, and free. To register your interest click here.
In the meantime – to help out – here’s our quick list of common landlord mistakes:
#1 No tenancy agreement. The deposit claim is based on the contract between the parties. There is no “standard” tenancy contract, so the first thing the adjudicator has to look at is what was agreed. If the adjudicator can’t see what the tenant agreed to, how can they say it was a breach of an agreement?
Top Tip: Get it in writing.
#2 No/insufficient check in evidence. Has your antique cabinet lost a leg since you saw it last? If it was checked by an independent inventory clerk at the start of the tenancy we’re in a much better position to support your claim.
Top Tip: Have an independent inventory taken.
#3 Check out evidence not gathered quickly enough. We see check-out reports compiled over a month after the end of the tenancy. Landlords then complain the property was “dusty” or the garden “overgrown”. Is that surprising?
Top Tip: With check-outs it’s the sooner the better.
#4 Work starting work before check-out evidence gathered. This can cast doubt as to whether any damage was present when the tenant left, or whether the contractor may have caused the issue.
Top Tip: Get evidence before it’s destroyed.
Interested in coming to one of our FREE seminars? Click here.