Bond bother
Question
We moved out of our old flat over a month ago. Our bond was returned to us one week after we left but now out landlord is demanding over £100 of it back to clean the sofa.
He says he'll take us to court to reclaim the cost if we don't pay. Can he do this even though we moved out such a long time ago?
Answer
Yes, your landlord can charge money for cleaning and he can take county court action to reclaim it even though the bond was returned when you moved out.
You could ask your landlord to provide you with receipts for the cleaning and then decide if you agree. If you don't agree with your landlord then he would have to take you to court to get the money.
If he does take you to court you'll get papers from the court and you will get a chance to respond to what the landlord is saying you've done. The landlord would have to provide evidence to show that it was likely that you caused the damage, such as a signed inventory, photos and receipts for cleaning that was needed because there was damage beyond normal wear and tear.
You can find out more and get help from a local advice service. In addition, the Court Service also has information about what to do.
Updated: 29/09/2008
Question answered by Shelter
