Keep deposit in lieu of final month rent

bs2014

I'm due to move out of the room I am renting in a house at the end of July. Rather than risk not getting any deposit back (since I've heard this is common and for no reason); I am thinking of telling the house owner that I will let her keep my 1 month deposit in lieu of July rent. Is this normal practice? My rent is €500 and there is nothing near worth €500 worth damaging in the room etc.

squidgeroo

nope it is not normal practice !!
A deposit CANNOT be used in lieu of rent and you are liable for paying the rent up to the end of the notice period unless otherwise agreed with your landlord/agent. It is recommended to give notice in such a way that it ends with the end of a rental period.

Browney7

What's your instinct regarding the house owner and their propensity to give the deposit back. Youre only a licensee so you have no RTB protections etc. Irish landlords tend to be fine and dandy until the tenant or licensee wants to leave in my own experience. Suggest a prelim inspection of the room now so they know theres no holes in walls etc and maybe suggest half rent half deposit and other half after you move out with deductions for bills etc. Landlord under no obligation to accept though

Ms Doubtfire1

would agree with browney. pre lim inspection, agree on any amount of damage ( if any) and pay that - withhold the rest. ONLY in agreement with the landlord

Djoucer

Found it to be common myself. Most of my previous rentals, we decided to skip last month's rent. Suited both myself and landlord.

wordofwarning

Djoucer wrote: »

Suited both myself and landlord.

I am sorry, but it does not suit most landlords at all. I know dozens of landlords and they would not allow it at all. Giving back a deposit takes about 30 seconds on internet banking these days. It is not a massive time saver to landlords getting a tenant not to pay the final month's rent.

Landlords are looking for 2-4 month deposits now, as they are getting burnt from tenants who think deposits are last month's rent and they are out of pocket on damages. Most of it is based on BS stories from friends of friends, friends who had their deposit withheld from the landlord(likely for damages, but that didn't get included in the passing of the story)

According to the RTB around 99.85% of tenancies end with no unfairly withheld deposit. You can withhold the deposit for an issue that will not likely arise. But don't expect a reference in the future

bs2014

Browney7 wrote: »

What's your instinct regarding the house owner and their propensity to give the deposit back. Youre only a licensee so you have no RTB protections etc. Irish landlords tend to be fine and dandy until the tenant or licensee wants to leave in my own experience. Suggest a prelim inspection of the room now so they know theres no holes in walls etc and maybe suggest half rent half deposit and other half after you move out with deductions for bills etc. Landlord under no obligation to accept though

Well they are rediculously tight people but at the same time extremely nice to your face. I imagine their should be no issues but tbh my experience of rental is that landlords are money hungry and very fake (this is my experience and not labelling them all the same); I think the prelim inspection is an idea to suggest and maybe 50%. At the end of the day, they still are quids in as if I decide to move out two weeks early, they still have 2 weeks rent to keep

thelad95

Pay the last months rent OP, don't ruin a good landlord reference.

ballyargus

I've had this arrangement with several landlords. Usually they've been in and out of the place over the course of the tenancy, have seen it near to the end of lease time and are happy with the condition of the place.

Finding a new place and the deposit for it are usually difficult enough for most renters without having the added strain recovering a deposit from a landlord after tenancy has expired.

I had one experience myself where it took more that 6 weeks to be reimbursed.

SteelyDanJalapeno

my last 4 landlords have been fine with this OP.

punisher5112

If you feel they won't give it back wait there till they refund it.

If it turns out they do you always have the rtb and they will have to provide receipts for anything they say is damaged or needs thoroughly cleaned.

I would suggest take many photos and a walk through video as proof you left it clean and in decent repair.

seagull

Try asking your landlord if they are happy with that arrangement. You might be pleasantly surprised.

bs2014

Little update: Only got speaking to the owner of the house....very funny how she doesn't remember me paying a deposit....I assured her I did and can produce the texts to show....clear case of "acting dumb". I paid a month deposit 3 weeks prior to moving in and was given strict instructions to pay asap at the time....its amazing how people can switch from being assertive to vague....anyhows....we've agreed to void July rent in lieu of the deposit.

Fol20

bs2014 wrote: »

Little update: Only got speaking to the owner of the house....very funny how she doesn't remember me paying a deposit....I assured her I did and can produce the texts to show....clear case of "acting dumb". I paid a month deposit 3 weeks prior to moving in and was given strict instructions to pay asap at the time....its amazing how people can switch from being assertive to vague....anyhows....we've agreed to void July rent in lieu of the deposit.

Speaking from ll point of view. Normally i would say pay your rent and then receive a deposit refund but if the ll is "forgetting" you paid the deposit, i would be weary.. You could always check your bank statement to confirm if money was transferred as well.

spaceHopper

She spent it and hasn't got it to give you back.

LuckyLloyd

Well played, good mutually agreeable outcome. You'd have been a long time waiting on the deposit otherwise.

riffmongous

Normal practice anytime I've rented in ireland

The_Conductor

Its not normal practice- and its one of the reasons that landlords are rapidly moving to 3-4 months rent as a deposit, as too many are getting burnt by tenants pulling this stunt.

As the OP has now come to an amicable agreement/arrangement with her landlord- thread closed.