Conscientious landlords would always rather have a tenancy end smoothly. However, it is a reality of letting a property as a private landlord that money from a deposit will sometimes need to be held back to pay for damage or neglect that took place during the tenancy. This is not a pleasant part of the process, indeed negotiating a deposit dispute can be quite upsetting for some landlords. Not to mention the time and hassle it takes. Having a professional such as a letting agent negotiate deposit disputes on your behalf will ensure that you are not spending your own time and effort while still providing the best outcome for you.
Remain objective
Undertaking a deposit dispute can be a stressful experience. What often trips up landlords when negotiating for themselves is that they are too close to the issue. During other steps of a tenancy this is not a bad thing – it is good to be emotionally invested in your property and tenancy – but during negotiations it can be harder to make impartial decisions. Having someone negotiate on your behalf means they can push for the fair result you deserve, while remaining more objective since they are not as close to the situation. While it can be daunting to give up control, a seasoned professional will be able to argue effectively on your behalf while retaining enough distance from the dispute to remain objective.
Professional expertise
Navigating the DPS (Deposit Protection Service) is already a complex task. Attempting to pursue a claim when you have no experience doing this can be very difficult. Even one incorrectly filled out or missed document could be considered grounds for the claim to be rejected, and you only get one shot to get it right. Once a final decision has been made by an independent adjudicator, to challenge this, you would need to go to court. Professional letting agents will know the inner workings of this service and will be able to submit all the necessary paperwork at the right time. This saves you the time and effort of doing it yourself and makes it far more likely you will achieve the desired outcome.
Dedicated professional
Trying to find the time to pursue a claim on a deposit if you have a full-time job on top of your property portfolio can be difficult, if not impossible. Engaging a professional to negotiate on your behalf will ensure that you are not spending time and effort on something that you have less experience in. A letting agent will be able to devote more time to pursuing your claim while you focus on your own day-to-day tasks.
Gathering evidence
Sometimes having a professional on hand means not just receiving reactive help with a claim, but proactive advice to make the process less difficult in the future. A common piece of advice given by independent professionals like letting agents is to have a professional inventory of your property taken at the beginning of each tenancy. This will be undertaken by a third-party company recommended by your agent and will accurately and comprehensively record the contents and condition of your property. This can be then compared to the condition of the property during mid-tenancy inspections and, most crucially, at the end of the tenancy. If the condition of the property does not match that of the inventory, then you will have proof that money is required back from the deposit to rectify this. This is key evidence that can be used by your representative as part of your claim. In addition to this your letting agent can organise quotes and further necessary paperwork to assist your claim.
If you need to pursue a claim on a deposit, then consider engaging the services of a professional letting agent. Pure Lettings are a highly experienced team that provide a broad range of services including, but not limited, to representing you in deposit disputes. Our team works all over south London and Kent helping private landlords achieve the results they need. To find out more, call us on 01689 400100 or send an email info@pure-lettings.co.uk.
