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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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 Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:34 pm Post subject: Flat Deposit - What's the safest method? |
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Hi,
I intended to begin searching for a room in a flat-share in London next week.
I was wondering, what is the best and safest method to hand out a Flats Deposit?
In the country where I come from, we usually purchase a debt-bond from the local post office, specify a certain amount and use that as a deposit.
This method is considered safe - for the tenant and for the landlord, although might require a bit more effort from the landlord if he would like to cash it in (a court order).
Is there a similar method for handling flat deposits in the UK? is this the standard method? (What is the standard method?)
I would not feel safe in handing a Large sum of cash to a landlord that might refuse to give it back even when the tenancy is over.
Another thing, Do you think it's possible to live comfortably in London with about 1900 GBP (net) per month (1 person)?
Thank you. |
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QMS
Joined: 28 Feb 2006
Posts: 2193
Location: Westminster (when at work)
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:21 pm Post subject: Re: Flat Deposit - What's the safest method? |
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| no47inline wrote: | Hi,
Another thing, Do you think it's possible to live comfortably in London with about 1900 GBP (net) per month (1 person)?
Thank you. |
Easy! Even with beer at over £3 a pint (depending where you drink!) and the cost of rent these days, you'd be struggling to spend all that! Feel free to give any surplus to me... |
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becjerami
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Hi, I can't comment on the flat deposit, but £1900 net per month for one person is pretty damn good and more than a lot of people in London have to splash about - you'll be fine! I reckon the minimum you can get by on (not saving anything but living just about ok) is about £1000 net per month. |
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HITCH
Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 1542
Location: People should learn not to give things away for free.
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montyzuma
Community Moderator
Joined: 25 Jul 2007
Posts: 1860
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:36 am Post subject: |
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| which is the law,fine. but there are a lot of crooks out there, read the forum. |
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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:10 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for your reply!
So if I understand correctly, I need to pay the deposit in Cash and the Landlord has to protect it using some sort of tenancy deposit scheme.
If he doesn't do so within 14 days, then I get the right to sue him.
Only question is, if I join a flat share do I sign an "assured shorthold tenancy" agreement?
What's considered an "assured shorthold tenancy"?
Thank you! |
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Miss Frisky
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
Posts: 866
Location: Norfolk
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:45 am Post subject: |
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| no47inline wrote: | Thanks for your reply!
So if I understand correctly, I need to pay the deposit in Cash and the Landlord has to protect it using some sort of tenancy deposit scheme.
If he doesn't do so within 14 days, then I get the right to sue him.
Only question is, if I join a flat share do I sign an "assured shorthold tenancy" agreement?
What's considered an "assured shorthold tenancy"?
Thank you! |
Hi, yes thats correct your landlord has to provide written proof of where your deposit is being kept, he can either apply to the government scheme personally or he can have an agent hold the deposit in an account for him, remember at all times the deposit is YOUR! money not the landlord and yes legally you must be added to the existing tenancy agreement, a shorthold tenancy is one that is for 3 yrs or less, read the tenancy agreement fully before you sign as some sections may have additional clauses that have been added by the landlord that may result in you loosing your deposit at the end of the tenancy, |
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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:01 am Post subject: |
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That's good to know.
Is it common to provide the deposit with a cheque? Or do they require (untraceable) Cash Bills?
So the only thing left is to verify the Identity of the Landlord.
I read somewhere that you should ask to see a Mortgage Statement...
Are there any other recommended ways to verify a landlord's identity? |
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FunkyT
Moderator
Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 125
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:16 pm Post subject: Re: Flat Deposit - What's the safest method? |
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| no47inline wrote: | Hi,
I intended to begin searching for a room in a flat-share in London next week.
I was wondering, what is the best and safest method to hand out a Flats Deposit?
In the country where I come from, we usually purchase a debt-bond from the local post office, specify a certain amount and use that as a deposit.
This method is considered safe - for the tenant and for the landlord, although might require a bit more effort from the landlord if he would like to cash it in (a court order).
Is there a similar method for handling flat deposits in the UK? is this the standard method? (What is the standard method?)
I would not feel safe in handing a Large sum of cash to a landlord that might refuse to give it back even when the tenancy is over.
Thank you. |
There is one method which we have found to be the safest...and that's meeting face to face. Have a look on the internet for their company and see if there are any forum posts. Best to deal in cash also, never use western union or money gram, as we have found this to be a favoured method of scammers. make sure you sign/take a copy the tenancy agreement at the same time and obtain a recipt.
Have a look at our Sat Safe section for more tips: http://www.gumtree.com/help/stay_safe |
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Miss Frisky
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
Posts: 866
Location: Norfolk
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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unless u are renting through an agent it is hard to verify the landlord is who he says he is, however, the tenancy agreement should have the landlords contact details on it usually the same page as your tenancy details such as length of tenancy rent amount ect...
always get a receipt for your deposit and your rent.
If your really that concerned i would suggest not going with that landlord and fins one you are more comfortable with |
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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Miss Frisky wrote: | | If your really that concerned i would suggest not going with that landlord and fins one you are more comfortable with |
Of course,
I'm not talking about anyone specific. Just wanted to find out if there are any general methods to verify that. I figured a good con artist can easily give a trustworthy personal impression...
Maybe an online property database with owners names on it, would be nice.... Someone should create a startup  |
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Dirty Boy
Joined: 13 Jan 2008
Posts: 1500
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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There is ... of sorts.
You can find out who owns a property (search for the details on this forum, if you want, using the search key above), but then, what's to stop a con man doing the same, and turning up with some fake ID in that persons name?
Possibly, you could equally ask fo several forms of photo ID, maybe like a passport. But, who can say, really. |
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impaired
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 189
Location: London
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| Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:08 am Post subject: Re: Flat Deposit - What's the safest method? |
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| no47inline wrote: | Hi,
I intended to begin searching for a room in a flat-share in London next week.
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I may be wrong but I'm not so sure the "Deposit protection schemes", other schemes, laws etc really apply if you are renting a room in a flat-share.
It is most unlikely there will be any contract. You will be a lodger not a tenant. You will just have to follow your instincts and hope you're deposit will be returned to you when you leave.
I rent out a room in my flat .. had 3 different people in the last 18 months. I ask for a deposit of £500 to be paid by bank transfer. No one has questioned this; in fact they have preferred to do it that way rather than handing over the cash. No way would I refuse to return the money when they leave .. I don't want a brick through my window and/or my car wrecked. |
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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:28 am Post subject: Re: Flat Deposit - What's the safest method? |
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| impaired wrote: | | I may be wrong but I'm not so sure the "Deposit protection schemes", other schemes, laws etc really apply if you are renting a room in a flat-share. |
Can someone please verify this or second hand this?
| impaired wrote: | | I rent out a room in my flat .. had 3 different people in the last 18 months. I ask for a deposit of £500 to be paid by bank transfer. No one has questioned this; |
Do you mean, you were subletting the apartment?
I do not intend to sublet but rather negotiate directly with the landlord.
I will never agree to Transferring money to a tenant (that isn't the landlord) - that seems like a recipe for disaster.
Do other people agree? or is this the way to do things in the UK? |
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impaired
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 189
Location: London
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| Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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Hi no47inline
I am the owner of the apartment. I actually state that in the ads I have placed on the gumtree flatshare listings. Some (possibly most) people choose not to live with the owner, whilst others would rather live with the owner … for whatever reason.
When replying to an ad ask if they are the homeowner. When you see the flat/house and meet them, you will have an understanding of the situation. There are sparsely furnished properties with people coming and going, and there are proud property owners just looking for a bit of help paying the mortgage. |
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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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| impaired wrote: | | When you see the flat/house and meet them, you will have an understanding of the situation. There are sparsely furnished properties with people coming and going, and there are proud property owners just looking for a bit of help paying the mortgage. |
Hi impaired, that's great and all - I can perfectly understand that. Though it might be a bit awkward living with the landlord (at least for me).
I still don't think I would agree to transfer a deposit without any sort of protection - do you have the deposit listed in the contract? do you give out a receipt?
Do people ask you to prove you are the home-owner? What kind of proofs do you provide? |
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impaired
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 189
Location: London
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| Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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| no47inline wrote: | | impaired wrote: | | When you see the flat/house and meet them, you will have an understanding of the situation. There are sparsely furnished properties with people coming and going, and there are proud property owners just looking for a bit of help paying the mortgage. |
Hi impaired, that's great and all - I can perfectly understand that. Though it might be a bit awkward living with the landlord (at least for me).
I still don't think I would agree to transfer a deposit without any sort of protection - do you have the deposit listed in the contract? do you give out a receipt?
Do people ask you to prove you are the home-owner? What kind of proofs do you provide? |
I can understand that many people would rather not live with the landlord … especially youngsters with an older landlord … would be a bit like living with your parents.
I print out an “agreement” which we both sign .. it simply states the rent per month, and acts as a receipt for the deposit.
No, nobody has asked if I am the home-owner. If they did I suppose I might show them some bills: utilities/council tax … but hmmm that would not prove I wasn’t subletting.
In this situation, I think you have to put your trust in people. You can have proof you are dealing with someone who they say they are, proof they own the property, a detailed “contract” worth the paper it’s written on, the debt-bond thingy you mention … and you still may not be able to prove you didn’t cause that supposed £xxx’s worth of damage to the property. |
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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Can someone please verify if the "Deposit protection schemes", other schemes, laws etc really apply if you are renting a room in a flat-share? |
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HITCH
Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 1542
Location: People should learn not to give things away for free.
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| Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Why don't you give shelter or the citizens advice a call. |
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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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| HITCH wrote: | | Why don't you give shelter or the citizens advice a call. |
Thanks for the help.
No, seriously. I was assuming since I'm not in the UK and all.. and someone might know for sure. |
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Bluey
Community Moderator
Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Posts: 4651
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| Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| no47inline wrote: | | Can someone please verify if the "Deposit protection schemes", other schemes, laws etc really apply if you are renting a room in a flat-share? |
Here is some information here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/index.htm
http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-7507.cfm?r=gaw&WT.srch=1&gclid=CM-v0t-jgpECFQjtlAodSDzS_g
My understanding is that it applies to all ASTs issued after 06 April 2007. ASTs are issued to tenants where landlords live out of the property.
It does not apply to lodgers, otherwise known as excluded occupiers (who live in the same property as their landlord and share amenities with them). So if you live with a landlord it isn't applicable.
And it would not apply to situations where tenants swapped in and out on an older existing AST that was issued prior to 06 April 2007 where a Deed of Assignment was signed to authorise the change in tenant on an existing AST. Therefore if you join a flat-share on that basis, it also doesn't apply. |
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impaired
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 189
Location: London
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| Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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I phoned up Shelter 08088004444 yesterday and – as Bluey explains – when a lodger with no contract is sharing amenities (kitchen/bathroom) with the owner the "Deposit protection scheme" doesn’t apply.
I learnt something else too: when a lodger with no contract is sharing amenities with the owner, he does have some protection when asked to leave … if he is paying weekly the owner/landlord has to give one week’s notice; if paying monthly, one months notice. I failed to ask from the landlord’s point of view. |
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no47inline
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks!
This is great news. It seems us flat-sharers have some protection after all.
Thanks again. |
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Dirty Boy
Joined: 13 Jan 2008
Posts: 1500
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| Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| You could also rent in a flat-share, where it is a group of individuals renting the property. That way, you'd be as covered as if you were renting it yourself (as long as your housemates were equally sensible about things too) |
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hectorian
Joined: 29 Jun 2007
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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Hi,
My assured shorthold tenancy ended 2 weeks ago however I didn't get my deposit money paid back to my account. I tried to contact the letting agency via e-mail but no one seems to bother answering me. Since I moved abroad I didn't want to call them since it was expensive so I wrote an electronic letters instead. How do I act in these circumstances to force them to pay me my deposit back? Please note I am currently living outside of UK.
Thanks. |
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