Need advice - deduction from security deposit

Quorum

Hi two flatmates and I recently vacated our falt. We had each paid 300 euro security deposit and we each received 184.70 back.

The reason for the deduction was to pay for a day's cleaning by a company plus fees by the management company. But I don't feel that the way we left the property deserved that much of a deduction. They sent pictures that were taken, mostly all I can see is some cobwebs, with a bit of dirt around the loo (fair enough), and a bit of peeled paint. (see attached pdf)

The cupboard at the top there is outside, I never even looked in it in my time there, and the set of shelves in the photo doesn't even belong to the landlord. Seriously, one press just has a few bits of dried pasta in it. (I personally cleaned out my own press and hoovered my room). This just seems a bit harsh. Obviously a place is going to get a bit lived-in.

Is there anything that can be done here at all, or is this fair enough?

jd83

Are you serious? The place looks filthy. Your lucky they didn't take more of your deposit. Most leases state that the place should be thoroughly cleaned prior to been vacated.

Quorum

jd83 wrote: »

Are you serious? The place looks filthy. Your lucky they didn't take more of your deposit. Most leases state that the place should be thoroughly cleaned prior to been vacated.

My room was cleaned but I can't speak for the others, but actually those photos make it look a hell of lot worse than it was! The loo doesn't look great but other than that, all I see is cobwebs!

djimi

What fees did they try and deduct for the management company? Was there anything in your lease about this? Generally management company fees are the landlords own business; if they want you to pay them they can incorporate them into the rent (as most do Im sure) but if they try to ask for them as a seperate charge tell them where to go.

As for the cleaning you have left the place in fair state in fairness and Im not surprised that they had to get someone in to clean it. However, I would question how much they paid; cleaning an apartment should take no more than a couple of hours tops (unless it needed industrial level cleaning...) so if you have no already done so get the invoice from the cleaners and if they are trying to charge you for a full day then query it and if needs be open a case.

You are entitled to a full break down of all deducted charges btw; this means invoices or receipts that fully outline the money charged and what it went towards. If these cannot be provided then they cannot deduct the money.

Quorum

djimi wrote: »

What fees did they try and deduct for the management company? Was there anything in your lease about this? Generally management company fees are the landlords own business; if they want you to pay them they can incorporate them into the rent (as most do Im sure) but if they try to ask for them as a seperate charge tell them where to go.

As for the cleaning you have left the place in fair state in fairness and Im not surprised that they had to get someone in to clean it. However, I would question how much they paid; cleaning an apartment should take no more than a couple of hours tops (unless it needed industrial level cleaning...) so if you have no already done so get the invoice from the cleaners and if they are trying to charge you for a full day then query it and if needs be open a case.

You are entitled to a full break down of all deducted charges btw; this means invoices or receipts that fully outline the money charged and what it went towards. If these cannot be provided then they cannot deduct the money.

Thanks, I don't mind a bit being taken, but it did NOT require an industrial clean, nowhere near it. We got an invoice from some cleaning place, all it said was that cleaning was carried out for eight hours. They might have been there for eight hours but I doubt they needed to be!

Also the inspection was done 18 days after we moved out. And the exposed pipe in the bathroom and outdoor cupboard were like that when we moved in. And believe me, these pictures were taken to make the apartment look the worst possible.

djimi

Quorum wrote: »

My room was cleaned but I can't speak for the others, but actually those photos make it look a hell of lot worse than it was! The loo doesn't look great but other than that, all I see is cobwebs!

Did you rent the place together (as in are all of your names on the lease) or did you each rent a single room from the landlord? If all your names are on the lease then you are all jointly and equally responsible for every aspect of the lease. You paid a €900 deposit (not 3 x €300) and as far as the landlord is concerned he will not care a jot which one of you caused the mess or who was clean; you are all equally responsible.

Cobwebs are a sign that the place was not cleaned for the duration of the tenancy, not just that it was cleaned before moving out. A run around each of the rooms with a hoover would have sorted that but by the looks of it you didnt even bother doing that much. You really didnt help yourself here; even the evidence you have doesnt back you up at all. If the cleaning charges prove to be fair then I dont think you have a right to complain if Im honest.

djimi

Quorum wrote: »

Thanks, I don't mind a bit being taken, but it did NOT require an industrial clean, nowhere near it. We got an invoice from some cleaning place, all it said was that cleaning was carried out for eight hours. They might have been there for eight hours but I doubt they needed to be!

8 hours is extremely excessive for the cleaning of an apartment. I would have said 2-3 at the absolute most.

Does the landlord have any other apartments in the complex? Is it possible that this crowd cleaned a few properties that day and the LL is trying to pin the cost on you...?

Quorum

djimi wrote: »

8 hours is extremely excessive for the cleaning of an apartment. I would have said 2-3 at the absolute most.

Does the landlord have any other apartments in the complex? Is it possible that this crowd cleaned a few properties that day and the LL is trying to pin the cost on you...?

Maybe, I don't know. Yeah a few hours cleaning is fair. I've a feeling we're not going to get anywhere so may just have to leave it. A lesson learned.

djimi

Not necessarily. Im pretty sure it wouldnt take me long to prove that a cleaner could clean my apartment thoroughly three times in an 8 hour period, so if you have been billed for 8 hours cleaning then I would definately query that and take a case if necessary. You would want to have left the place in a near uninhabitable state for that kind of cleaning to be justifiable, and the landlord would want to have some very serious evidence of such a state if they are to try and follow through with such a deduction. I would definately persue it if you can.

ABajaninCork

OK, the place was left in a very dirty state, but no way should the landlord have had so much money off to clean.

I agree that you should get an itemised bill from the cleaners and challenge it.

Quorum

djimi wrote: »

Not necessarily. Im pretty sure it wouldnt take me long to prove that a cleaner could clean my apartment thoroughly three times in an 8 hour period, so if you have been billed for 8 hours cleaning then I would definately query that and take a case if necessary. You would want to have left the place in a near uninhabitable state for that kind of cleaning to be justifiable, and the landlord would want to have some very serious evidence of such a state if they are to try and follow through with such a deduction. I would definately persue it if you can.

ABajaninCork wrote: »

OK, the place was left in a very dirty state, but no way should the landlord have had so much money off to clean.

I agree that you should get an itemised bill from the cleaners and challenge it.

I will query it, it's worth a shot. But, and I know you only have my word for it here, the pics look far worse than it did in reality.

djimi

Im not sure much evidence is going to be required from you for this one; the cleaning bill is so ridiculous that the landlord would need to have some serious evidence that the place was a near warzone before they could justify the deduction! Fight your corner and open a case if needs be.

Lyn256

Did you pay €300 as your deposit or €900.

If €300 then the €115.30 for cleaning the apartment is only slightly excessive.

(When I moved house, I got a cleaner in to thoroughly clean the house for the new owner and it took 3 hours and cost me €42-standard 3 bed approx 1000sq foot)

So they could probably justify the charge-however if you were charged €715.30-then you have been rightly fleeced-def appeal it!

djimi

I think Im after misreading the OP; did you get back €184.70 each (€554.10 in total) or did you get back €184.70 in total?

My initial reaction was based on them deducting €716 from the €900 deposit. If indeed they deducted €346 then its a lot more reasonable. It still seems a bit high, and I would still query the 8 hours cleaning and the management fees that you are being charged for, but if cleaning was required then you are probably looking at €200-€250+ either way.