As a letting agent, you are responsible for protecting the property owner’s investment. This blog will discuss some of the ways you can safeguard the property owners’ investment. 

Deposit protection services can be used to protect both the tenant’s deposit and the property owner’s investment. The tenancy agreement plays a significant role in this. The agreement should clearly state the tenant’s responsibilities and that the tenant must keep the property in the same condition as at the start of the tenancy and to repair any damage caused by them.  

Communication with your tenants is also key to protecting the property owner’s investment.  

How can you justify a claim against the tenant’s deposit? 

You can justify a claim against the tenant by using the tenancy agreement. The agreement will usually include a clause which clearly highlights the tenants’ responsibilities i.e., maintaining the condition of the property. The agreement as well as supporting evidence of the clause being breached such as before-after photos of the property can help to support your claim.  

How can you ensure that the claim is fair? 

To ensure that the claim is fair, you should do the following: 

• Ensure the claim is reasonable. You should not claim for an entirely new bathroom if just one thing has been damaged.  
• Ensure that the right amount of money is being requested for a particular item. You should not ask for large amount of money just to clean surfaces or stains. 
• Your claim must be reasoned. You should provide supporting evidence which demonstrates the damage/negligence that has occurred.  

The information in this post is valid to the best of our knowledge on the date of posting. It is advised that you seek independent advice based on your individual circumstances. 

T +44 (0)203 488 1488 

E: info@ladybirdliving.co.uk  

W: https://www.ladybirdliving.co.uk/