Renting a house

I've have been renting a house for the past year, but for numerous reasons unrelated to the house I have decided to move on to another house.

I have a bit of OCD when it comes to cleaning and house maintenance, and like a tidy, clean home. When giving up this house the owners came round to view the property prior to agreeing to reimbursing me the deposit.

But the feedback I had, and their suggestion of withholding my deposit was based on....

1) Cobweb on the landing light (a Victorian house with high ceilings)

2) A bulb didn't match the other bulbs in the light fitting

3) A bulb is missing in another light fitting

4) I haven't 'buffed' the draining board up on the sink.

I have never changed the bulbs, the missing bulb was like that when I moved in. I am shocked that the letting agency and owners could even suggest withholding my deposit, when the heating didn't work properly, the paint constantly peeled off the walls, the door didn't shut properly and one of the plug sockets caused the electric to trip off!

Is this normal, or was I just unlucky?

Wow, I'd say you were really unlucky. You hear horror stories where tenants have damaged everything. But it shows how tidy the place is if they could only pic up on cobwebs and bulbs....I hope you told them where to stick their bulbs!

I'm shocked, especially when you watch these programmes on TV showing you how tennants trash the houses.

Did you get your money back? I think this is unusual, and not the norm.

They will have a shock when 'normal' residents move in, I thought there was supposed to be allowance for normal wear and tear on a property, although not sure what that is defined as.

I di get my money back, but not before I went back and dusted the cobweb and buffed the sink. I also moaned and groaned about their pettyness.

They told me to make it my home, but I was too nervous to relax in the house, let alone, make it my own.
The owner used to live in the house, and by all accounts it was her precious home, so understandably she was twitchy about the care of the home.

If I ever rented again I would ensure that the owner bought the house purely for renting purposes, that way they would be a little more relaxed.

I rented once, never again, the stress of it is too much. Trying to get things fixed proved to be very difficult, and returning my deposit is an ordeal, they seem to drag their heals about it, and find resons not to pay you.

It's disgusting how long it takes, your money should be available to day after you leave the house, enough time for things to be confirmed okay.

Landlords can't withhold your money, they have to give an excellent reason to do so and an independent party has to agree to the complaint. So, if they are being unfair the independant party will rule in the favour of the tenant.