Tenants, landlords and damage deposits - its a prickly issue that can cause grief for all parties involved. Common sense and good intentions are a start, and elsewhere we have tips of our own to help you reclaim the money when you move out. As you can see from the points below, the key is being prepared from day one.
Moving In
- Document any scuffs, damage or imperfections in the property so that you’re not culpable when you move out. Take photos if you can and forward them to your landlord. Pay close attention to the outside facing walls, behind curtains and underneath furniture. Tables have been known to cover up carpet stains!
- More often than not, the landlord will leave a few tools, screws and bits of paint from previous jobs in the house. Keep these handy; you never know when you’ll need them! Paint is especially important for covering up scuffs when you move out.
- Our most important tip - make sure your deposit is held in The Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Your landlord should provide you with a reference number which you can check online. Don’t overlook this point; the TDS are there to help you.
During Your Tenancy
- Know your tenancy agreement - the landlord has probably warned tenants against things like blu tack and wall fixtures. If this is the case, stick to the rules! You’ve only yourself to blame if you get charged for leaving sticky residue all over the walls. If possible, we suggest you open a dialogue with your landlord and discuss what can and cannot be done to decorate the property. See our guide on decorating your rental home for more information.
- Inform your landlord about problems on an as-and-when basis. It’s better that they know about problems and deal with them, than find out about a dozen issues when you move out.
- Similarly, try to replace or fix anything you break. A replacement will probably cost less than an arbitrary deduction from your deposit. Email your landlord when this happens; accidents happen, and they’ll be grateful that their tenant is taking initiative.
Moving Out
- It barely needs mentioning - but give the property a deep clean! That means under furniture as well as the surfaces. Pay particular attention to ceilings (cobwebs), behind cupboards (mould) and grubby fingermarks by the light switches.
- Check and replace lightbulbs, where necessary. It might sound overly cautious, but we’ve known tenants who’ve been charged on account of missing lightbulbs.
We hope this has helped you reclaim most (if not all) of your damage deposit. Why not treat yourself to something nice with the extra sum? You deserve it.
