Dave Smith wrote:
Someone moving out of rented flat, has cleaned it; but landlord is looking
to charge and take some of the original deposit money because they say it is
not clean enough.

Friends say take photographs and go to the small claims court to retrieve
money. But it might be difficult to show cleanliness with photographs
unless you are a professional?

Any suggestions as to the best course of action. He still has a few days
access to the flat.


Arrange a meeting at the flat with the landlord. Say that you want to go
through the whole property with him listing areas or items that need
cleaning. Clean them.
Next time photograph and/or video every damned thing before you move in.
My daughter had the landlord claiming that she'd 'irreparably damaged'
the big patio doors. But she'd photographed the doors and everything
else before she'd moved in and got the pictures signed and dated by a
solicitor (another solicitor; she's one). The landlord suddenly shut up
and paid the deposit back.
Landlords regard deposits as theirs by right, and will always try it on.

Bill