How Long to Get Deposit Back?

Jugs82

Hey guys,

Moving out in Mid-July as the lease is up and am moving across the road - i have been in the property 18 months and there have been no problems, no damage to property etc.. so i would be expecting the deposit back without any hassle.

The thing is i dont really trust the agency we deal with - they arent v.professional (have to go to the office to pay rent, no direct debit, waiting ages in the office, takes forever to do anything etc..) plus i think he's peeved that we already have a place organised to move into and that we wont be using his agency.

So, i was wondering how long is normal to wait until we receive the deposit back?

Cheers in advance

J-blk

I would expect the deposit to be returned then and there on the last day as you hand over your keys back to the agent - that's exactly what I arranged with the last place I was in. We arranged an inspection about 4-5 days before we were right at the end of our tenancy, agent came into to look at the place and communicated to us then if there were any damages that they would be withholding any of our deposit for (they weren't). Then on our last day, he came by again, gave us a cheque for the full deposit amount and we handed back the keys. In fact, I'd be very concerned about handing back the keys and leaving with no idea of when the deposit will be returned...

IMO, there is no excuse for it to not be returned on the last day of your tenancy - after all, they're not supposed to spend the deposit on other things and not be able to return it promptly...

Jugs82

Thats what I thought but...

Their procedure is:

The agent comes inspects the house on the last day, takes an esb reading, cancels esb and says he will give us back the deposit after the esb bill is paid - of course it will be, it is been sent to my new address so im unsure what the hell it has to do with them?

D3PO

Jugs82 wrote: »

Thats what I thought but...

Their procedure is:

The agent comes inspects the house on the last day, takes an esb reading, cancels esb and says he will give us back the deposit after the esb bill is paid - of course it will be, it is been sent to my new address so im unsure what the hell it has to do with them?

rubbish. if they get an esb reading then they can work out what is owed for esb.

new reading minus old reading multiped by price per unit plus standing chargers plus vat viola .

Dont give them back the keys unless they have the deposit for you.

Jugs82

Thats pretty much what I think too

partyguinness

I moved out of a place recently. It was a case of dropping back the keys to the agent and they would conduct an inspection a few days later.

1. We left the place spotless and I took loads of photos of every room as I know what these feckers can be like for trying to keep back deposits.;

2. All electrical appliances were turned off so a meter reading was easy as it had stopped. I rang the ESB with the reading and a bill sent to my new place. I also told the agents what the reading was via email.

3. The inspection was conducted a few days later a we got our deposit back in full. About a week in total.

katieboo

I'm actually in the exact same position myself at the moment and am a bit nervous that there will be a delay in returning my deposit. I have been advised by the agency that the keys must be dropped back to their office on the day the lease expires and that they wil then organise a viewing to make sure there is no damages and then once they have confirmation that the final ESB and gas bills have been paid that then they will return my deposit.

I've found somewhere to move to and so will be transferring my accounts to my new address. I'm wondering if once you submit a final meter reading for the current house does the bill go with you then or have to cleared straight away as it's attatched to the house and not the account holder?

mikemac

J-blk wrote: »

I would expect the deposit to be returned then and there on the last day as you hand over your keys back to the agent - that's exactly what I arranged with the last place I was in.

+1

partyguinness wrote: »

I moved out of a place recently. It was a case of dropping back the keys to the agent and they would conduct an inspection a few days later.

Good for you but many agents and landlords will take that as an open invitation to rob your deposit.
House hasn't been painted in years? Hey, let the deposit pay for it!

Try to sort your deposit on the day, before you hand over keys. Any issues can be resolved there and then, not months later in a PRTB hearing

J-blk

At the end of the day, when you move into a new place, the agent expects you to pay the deposit right away - not a few days down the line or whenever the hell you feel like it... So why should returning the deposit to you be any different?

As for "procedure" being that they have to wait for ESB/Gas bills to be paid off, that is bulls**t especially since the bills are in your name. I can understand it for a house share scenario, where someone else is paying the bills, but if you are renting your own place and leave without bothering to pay off ESB or other bills, you're responsible for it, not the agent/landlord. Like others here have said too, I'd be very weary of leaving any place without the deposit returned - too many reports of misuse of the deposit to just trust any agent, especially one you haven't found to be very professional...

artvanderlay

I had a similar problem a few years ago with a reputable agency when first renting with my wife in Dublin. We were told by the agent that he had to get the deposit back off the landlord and then he would give it to us. He kept saying that it's not a question of us getting the deposit back but when, and he couldn't say how long. He dragged this out around a week and I had to tell him in no uncertain terms that if I didn't get my deposit back the next day I was coming to his office with a garda as he has stolen my money! Sure enough my deposit was there for collection the next day. Most of these guys are bull****ters by nature so my advice to you would be to ask him now when does he intend to return the deposit and have it out with him now rather than on the last day when you are handing over the keys. Also, your ESB bill is nothing to do with them. You take a final reading and submit it to ESB. They take the same reading and compare the reading to what's on the new bill they receive in their name or the landlord's, to make sure there is no difference between your reading and theirs. If he's acting smart with the deposit, a solicitors letter can do the trick as well and it's only a few quid! I actually think they try to keep the deposit until they get someone new to move in and their deposit replaces the returned one. They've got to be making lots of interest on all the deposits they are keeping. Don't give them an inch and don't ever trust an agent!!!