Will LA be able to recover costs

[house275]

On behalf of a third party

He moved out of rented property at end of AST
Agreed with LL to not pay last months rent & for LL to keep deposit (amount equalled last months rent)
Couldn't attend check out as he moved miles away
LA are claiming dilapidations to property
Minor stuff but have sent a bill via email for £140

Ex tenant disputed the charges explaining that the items damaged were done so by previous long term tenant and had been highlighted to LA early in tenancy

These were not on original inventory but check out was done by different person and it appears they have recorded things in a different way
Copy of check out was also emailed,only differences are a supposed loose window handle (window handles were not tested at check in) some round marks at the base of one door (previous tenant had a sit up bar on door it was there when he viewed the flat,but check in just records it as marks on door,they claim the windows were not clean,but they were not clean on check in,and they have been domestically cleaned in the interim

Ex tenant asked for an itemised bill detailing what they claim needed cleaning or repairing,and explaining that as he couldn't be there he had photographed the property extensively and that he wasn't paying until they forwarded this proof

Got an email back saying pay in 7 days or we will take you to court but no itemised bill

He asked again twice still no proof just a total as before

Now he is staying with family as his potential new let fell through

He said see you in court i'm happy to let a judge decide
They then emailed back & he has realised they don't have his forwarding address

Will they really go after him for this sum ?
If he did not give them the address and they used a tracing agent would he have to pay that ?
Hes sure he can prove the condition on check out in court and not have to pay this fabricated bill
But he has just about had enough of the LA they are very unprofessional and have been a nightmare
I think he's hoping to forget about it & hope they stop emailing him




Please don't shoot the messenger I was asked I am not condoning it

[house275]

Any ideas anyone ?

[mind the gap]

It would look better for him if he did not disappear off the radar or have to be tracked down before a court hearing. This could make it look as though he were 'on the run'.

If he is confident of his case he should stay above board and be prepared to see them in court.

For £140, I doubt very much that it would come to that.

[house275]

Thank you I think he can't believe they are being so petty

He thinks its because he had a row with LA about not being there for check out
She told him he was "stupid" ! which he found offensive & unprofessional which he told her,she then refused to arrange check out for the day he left ,from then on she was very difficult about everything.
It seems she is try to prove some point by creating this bill
She refuses to itemise it or prove receipts to back it up


Which is why he doesn't want to deal with it any longer
He knows he can prove he left it as found
However hes worried she will spend money tracing him on her mission to prove his stupidity and he will have to reimburse those costs