Issues with previous landlord

sn

Hello all,

We moved into our new house on April 2nd and quite happy here!The day we moved in,we cleaned up our old apartment as much as we could.The landlord came to check and asked us to clean a few specific parts and we did it right in front of him.He gave us the deposit then and he had also given us a good reference letter a few weeks back(he stays right on top of us and was a frequent visitor and used to have dinner sometimes )

Today he has sent a threatening mail to us that his current tenant(and his friend) wasn't happy with the way we left the house and he spent around 120 euros for cleaning the house!! He also happened to mention about our cooking ways(Asian cooking) which we think is an unnecessary comment.So now he wants us to pay him 120 euros or he's threatened to call up our new agent and withdraw his good reference letter.

It's not about paying money but it's about change of mind people have.He should've checked everything properly before he gave the deposit.And I believe that every landlord has to do a bit of cleaning once a tenant moves out.Will the new agent create problems if this guy calls up?

Please advice us what to do.We are in a fix.:mad:

Paulw

Do nothing.

You did what you were supposed to do, and the landlord approved of the cleaning and gave you back your deposit. End of dealing with him.

If he retracts his letter, I doubt it will have much impact now. You are already moved in to a new place, and as long as your current landlord has no issues with you now, I can't see anything happening.

Don't worry about it.

Amhran Nua

sn wrote: »

So now he wants us to pay him 120 euros or he's threatened to call up our new agent and withdraw his good reference letter.

Would that not qualify as slander?

Graces7

This happened to us too.

It just seeems that they change their opinion once a tenant has gone?

The new tenant of a house we had left months back told us that the landlord, who again had said that the house was fine, had told him we left it in a mess.

It seems to be the way some people are.

Just do nothing and walk away.

You did fine.

D3PO

ignore him. you dont have to pay for cleaning regardless.

sn

Thanks for the support guys!!! cheers!Will ignore him and see what happens.

Hockney

If you've signed a lease with your new landlord you definitely have nothing to worry about, it's a legal contract.

Sounds like an idle threat from the old landlord anyway, he has absolutely nothing to gain by retracting a reference letter and could only end up in hot water himself if you decide to pursue it as slander or the likes.

oneweb

I'm not speaking authoritatively here but I'd imagine once you get the deposit back he can't claim it back. If anything he should have deducted whatever expenses BEFORE he gave any of it back. Landlord's mistake and one which I don't think they'd have any luck backtracking on.

The current tenants are probably just trying to scam the landlord for which you shouldn't have to pay, particularly seeing as he was there with you to see the condition of the place.

sn

Well the appliances especially the oven was very very old when we moved in.We used it just for heating ready to eat stuff..So hardly there was any use from us.He says he had trouble cleaning it.I'm pretty sure when the new tenant looked at the condition of it,would've thought we spoiled it and the landlord would've kept mum about it thereby shifting the blame on us.

A bad workman always blames his tools!

And this guy did not even repair our gas heating when we asked him to during winter.There was no heating in the bedroom! We did not force him coz we already knew we would be moving out of the house soon and the month of Jan we were away.Now we think we should've been adamant on all the repairs.That was one cold tiny old house!

billybigunz

Have a bit of fun with this clown.

Agree to pay him and string him on for weeks with missed calls, meetings etc.

Amalgam

Do nothing. OP did he mention the Asian cooking issue in writing? Good grief, not very bright. Given the times we live in, some people would try and get mileage out of that..

Tigger

people are funny

ignore the idiot

dudara

sn wrote: »

Thanks for the support guys!!! cheers!Will ignore him and see what happens.

Don't ignore him - that's not particularly nice or fair.

Explain to him that he accepted the apartment as was when you moved out and returned your deposit to you on that basis. Therefore he is not entitled to anything else. The contract between you and your landlord ended when he returned the deposit.

Contact PRTB if you have any more questions - assuming that your tenancy was PRTB registered?

Graces7

dudara wrote: »

Don't ignore him - that's not particularly nice or fair.

Explain to him that he accepted the apartment as was when you moved out and returned your deposit to you on that basis. Therefore he is not entitled to anything else. The contract between you and your landlord ended when he returned the deposit.

Contact PRTB if you have any more questions - assuming that your tenancy was PRTB registered?

No way is this wise.

Likelihood is he is just sounding off.

If there is anything else, he will make new contact.

As others have said. all legal involvement and obligations ended when the deposit was returned.

sn

Well....we are thinking of not replying to his lengthy email but at the same time a bit worried if he calls up my current letting agent and withdraw the good reference that he gave and blah blah blah...

We know nothing will happen as we have signed the contract for 1 year tenancy..but would like to know whether by any chance my current landlord will ask me to move out just for this reason...??

Paulw

sn wrote: »

Well....we are thinking of not replying to his lengthy email but at the same time a bit worried if he calls up my current letting agent and withdraw the good reference that he gave and blah blah blah...

We know nothing will happen as we have signed the contract for 1 year tenancy..but would like to know whether by any chance my current landlord will ask me to move out just for this reason...??

Your current landlord can't ask you to just move out. You have signed a 1 year lease, and unless there are terms within allowing early termination of that contract, there is nothing they can do.

You could always respond to the previous landlord and say that you are taking a discussion with Threshold and the PRTB in relation to his claims. Let him stew on that.

sn

thanks Paulw for your quick reply....we hope all ends well...

rightwingdub

sn wrote: »

Well....we are thinking of not replying to his lengthy email but at the same time a bit worried if he calls up my current letting agent and withdraw the good reference that he gave and blah blah blah...

We know nothing will happen as we have signed the contract for 1 year tenancy..but would like to know whether by any chance my current landlord will ask me to move out just for this reason...??

Have you got in contact with your letting agency stating that your previous landlord has threatened to give you a bad reference even when what he's threatening to say is complete rubbish?

Graces7

rightwingdub wrote: »

Have you got in contact with your letting agency stating that your previous landlord has threatened to give you a bad reference even when what he's threatening to say is complete rubbish?

Bad idea; less said to anyone the better.

Lest the no smoke without fire idea creeps in.

If he acts - which is very unlikely indeed as this sounds like empty threats.. then your agency will decide if to contact you.

Your lease is signed and legally secure; that is all that matters.

Just keeping very quiet and waiting is best.

sn

Initially we thought of informing the letting agency but then as "Graces" said isnt it better to wait till i hear somethin from them??...because if i call them and mention about this..they might think that this guy has done something wrong