Renters - deposit question

In that case i would be charging them to replace the missing items and fixing the carpet and the wall - whatever that involved, either cleaning, redecorating, what ever. I wouldn't charge them for a professional clean as it wasn't done before they moved in - but would then expect the new tenants to clean it professionally when they moved out, if they are demanding it when they move in.

We've had quotes for a professional clean on our 2 bed flat ranging between £200 & £300. If the carpet is stained, then it will need to be cleaned, we paid £90 for 1 double bedroom, 1 small passageway & 1 lounge to be cleaned. Door knob = £5, Kitchen equipment/glasses etc (They should have repleaced with similiar. Tesco do cheap ones. It was lazy of them not to.) say £30 to replace. If the walls need repainting, then you will need to get quotes for that or price up cost of paint & your time to do it. I would get quotes from at least 2 companies for cleaning/carpet cleaning/painting and go from there.

When H moved out, we left the place spotless & he still had to pay for a professional carpet clean as we'd hired a machine to do it ourselves & that wasn't good enough. I don't think deducting the cost of above is unfair to be honest. If carpet was just grey from use, then the clean would be down to you (fair wear & tear?) but if it has stains on it, then that isn't really acceptable.

Just my opinion as a tenant & as a first time landlord.

Did the contract state that they needed to have the place profesionally cleaned when they moved out? If not, I don't think you can charge them for it. As FtG says, make sure it's a clause in the new tenants contract that they get the place cleaned when they move out, since they're insisting upon it when they move in.

If the carpet is stained, then perhaps get a quote to see how much it'll be to get it cleaned, and take that from their deposit. Can you get the agency to provide you with pics of the wall discolouration, so you can see if it's something you will need to fix (i.e get the wall repainted) before the new tenants move in. If it is, get a quote for that and charge the outgoing tenants for it.

I wouldn't worry about the wine glasses and kitchen equipment, but I'd probably get a new dorrknob fitted to replace the missing one. I assume the agency manage the property for you? they should have a handyman who could refit it and again you can charge the outgoing tenants for it.

One thing to consider is how long the tenants have been in the property for, and thus how much of the damage you can chalk up to being "reasonable wear and tear". Wehn our last lot of tenants moved out, H gave them their full deposit back (I'd have been a meanie and withheld a bit of it as the place wasn't clean at all) as they'd been there for 5 years and he felt the damage to the carpets etc was reasonable wear and tear for that period of time.

How long have they been there and did they do any tidying up?

Are the "problems" damange or just wear and tear?

If the answers are a coupe of years, yes and wear and tear then i'd giev the full deposit back. If it's 6 months, no, and damange then I'd start adding up yorur costs to fix it all and charge the lot. Find soem way of splitting it if it's inbetween.

You can't really expect to get a plae back in a fit state to rent it without any touch up but on the flip side the tennant should take some care of the place.

You've just reminded me, we are still owed the deposit from our last place. They said they'd mark it down as a zero on damage as we'd been there 4 years and it's a big building so they have stafvto come in and repaint etc but amost a month later- no sign of the cash!

Thanks all - lots of good advice. I feel much more prepared to talk to the letting agency now. Sounds like keeping 200-300 woulnd't be way out of line then to cover some repairs and half the cost of cleaning - its probably half what it will cost me in total.