Comments on: Day 16 – Should you take deposits and use an inventory?

By: Tessa

Tessa — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:32:21 +0000

@Anon If you are going to make a deduction from the deposit you ought to have a receipt to back it up.

However if the lodger is denying that it was them, that is not good. Maybe it would be better to ask them to leave and get a new lodger who is less destructive (or more honest about it if they break things).

By: Anon

Anon — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 15:31:26 +0000

Hi Tessa,

I live with my lodgers and there is some damage to floor tiles in the kitchen which they are denying were them. I want to take the cost out of their deposit – am i okay to do that? Also i have repaired other things that they have broken and not me at the time the damage was made but haven’t kept the receipts. Am i legally obliged to give them proof of the costs?

Thanks

By: Tessa

Tessa — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 06:24:02 +0000

@Gyongyi Makkos If she caused the damage then she should pay for putting it right. Provided the sums you are claiming are reasonable.

By: Gyongyi Makkos

Gyongyi Makkos — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:42:26 +0000

Hi Tessa
My lodger is leaving on Saturday.
A few months ago she started a fire in the kitchen which has melted the buttons on the oven and burned the doormat by the door and outside the door as the tray of nuts that started the fire was chucked out of the door.
Dhe has agreed to replace the buttons and I asked her to replace the doormats as well and to clean the oven from all residue the fire left.
I gave her a choice to replace clean things or I shall get quotes for all the above and she could pay or I can deduct it from her deposit.
Now she is being difficult and whats a solicitor’s notice for all the above which is totally ridiculous, I think.
Am I being unreasonable or have I got reasonable grounds to make her pay for the damage.
I would not like to be unreasonable with her but at the same time I don’t want to have to suffer finacial loss because of her damage.

look forward to hearing from you.
Gyongyi

By: Tessa

Tessa — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:32:23 +0000

Its really up to you, there are no rules laid down in tablets of stone about this sort of thing. My feeling is that it would be best to check the room over with her shortly before she goes and raise the issue then.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:06:30 +0000

Hi Tessa
I am a Lodge Landlord. My lodger has given notice as her course is ending. Whilst viewing the room with prospective lodgers I noticed water marks on the sideboard covered with paper (these peering from underneath the paper). I want to raise the issue with her – should I do this whilst she is still here or after she has left, as the lodger agreement states that the room will be check and deposit forwarded after leaving. An inventory was not completed.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Patricia

By: Tessa

Tessa — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 22:00:36 +0000

There is this blog. And my book: http://www.lodgerlandlord.co.uk/2010/02/22/my-book-the-quick-guide-to-taking-in-a-lodger/

By: Ann Jobins

Ann Jobins — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:19:40 +0000

Hi
I take in lodgers to help me with my rents I have an agreement that we both sign, when the lodger moves in. accordingly they pay me a deposit that is refunded when they move out and a month’s rent in advance. I have not secored their deposits in any scheme as they are lodgers, but the deposit and the fact that it will be refunded is mentioned in the lodger agreement and i also give them a receipt for deposit. I have a relative of a lodger threatening me saying he wants the deposit to be secured in a scheme or else he wont pay the deposit and says i cant ask the lodger to move out citing tenancy protection from eviction. No use talking to him coz he wont listen. Is there something in writing to show him that i dont need to secure the lodger’s deposit in a scheme?

By: Tessa

Tessa — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:35:07 +0000

Deposits taken from lodgers do not have to be protected. The tenancy deposit regulations only apply to deposits taken from tenants under assured shorthold tenancies.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:27:07 +0000

As someone that has a Tenancy with the company running owning my flat and my lodgers having given me a deposit, that I do NOT have to have this kept in a government authorised deposit scheme.