Urgent advice New deposit required for 2nd lease?

Zveri

Hi
Sorting out details of a second lease. The second year renting in same house.
The landlord has just requested another deposit for the new contract. Is this normal? He already received a deposit with last years contract and he now wants another one for this years contract is this normal? That a landlord continues to build up deposits for each year of rent until you leave Sounds strange to me? But we're used to moving around a lot so never stayed two years in the one place before.

stargazer 68

Never heard of it. Im 5 years in my house and only paid one deposit.

Leo Dowling

That's not normal at all. He should carry over your deposit. If he wants a new one then ask him to give you back the old one.

pawnacide

This is ridiculous, a deposit is refundable and not a charge.

matrim

Do not give him a second deposit! One deposit is all you need. The only way I could think of him wanting a new one is if there was damage that you caused and he already fixed.

By the sound of your post, you are young enough. IMO he's trying to do you.

jackal

Absolutely not normal and I would ask him\her to spell out exactly what he is up to, and if I were you, I would be careful when you move out, as if he is chancing something like that, I would not be surprised if your original deposit is long gone.

Perhaps consider not paying your final months rent in lieu of deposit, as you are highly unlikely to get it back.

odds_on

A Second deposit? A landlord chancing his arm (and neck!). Never heard of that one before.

Incidentally, you don't have to sign another fixed term lease especially if you think you might want to move out during the next year. As you have been in the property for over 6 months you have acquired Part 4 rights (unless you were issued with a valid Notice of Termination which was rescinded) which, in part, means that you can opt for a Part 4 lease (though more insecure than a fixed term), which allows you to leave on giving the required notice in writing.

silja

Agree with the others, makes no sense. The only reason I could see if the rent has changed and he wants the deposit to reflect the new rent, then he should give back your old deposit and you give him one for the new amount. But even then it makes no logical sense.