Deposit scheme - made a mistake

[wattajessie]

Hoping someone can offer some advice. Did not put deposit into scheme - was not fully aware but am now. My mistake. New to being a landlord. Current tenants now moving out and I have suggested that I would keep £100 of their deposit as the house is an absolute tip and nothing like the state of it when they moved in. They have kicked off saying that my standards are too high - all potential new tenants viewing it have said that it is not clean enough so I am not the only one. They have also done their research re scheme and to avoid hassle I have agreed to pay back their full deposit and I will sort the house out at my cost.

An now worried that they will take action re my not putting the deposit into the scheme even if I pay back the full amount. They are also suggesting that I have been unreasonable landlord as twice during their tenancy I asked them to clean the house up a bit - granted their perogative if they want to live like that but it was filthy.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

[Melboy]

You have left yourself wide open havn't you. You will have to just hope that nothing further happens and indeed it shouldn't if you refund the whole deposit without question.

As regards cleaning you will always get a certain amount of cleaning to do at the end of any tenancy and I for one have never ever had a house handed back to me in what I would call clean and I have had to go through it again for a 'deep clean' ready for the next tenants.

As you are a newish landlord might I suggest a trip to any bookshop and buy one of the many books on becoming a landlord and what it entails and then you can be one step ahead of your tenants in the future as indeed all Landlord's should be.

Mel.

[Chestnut]

When you repay your tenant's deposit (in full), ask for a receipt.

Cleaning up after tenants is what landlords should do. You will want to start a new tenant off with property in condition you want it kept.

[wattajessie]

Thanks both for the advice - very welcome.