Final exit inspection and dispute with landlord

Tenancy Deposits

the "rogue" landlord - does he or does his partner own the property and who signed the original tenancy agreement? the unhappy landlord or the happy landlord or both?

I've not had this happen to me as I'm the landlord. however, from everything you have said I'm of the opinion that you are 100% ok to go to the TDS people and expect full payment.

The text should be sufficient to do this for you. Texts are good enough in Law to send people to prison for 30 years, they are good enough to get your deposit back.

On the Tax, that is a different issue and I would hand that straight to the HMRC. You can do this via their web site :

https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/TEH_Report?dept-name=TEH&sub-dept-name=&location=39&origin=http://www.hmrc.gov.uk

Re the GAS appliances , if he has a gas safe man that will write him a letter saying he has been trying to get into the property then you are on shaky ground. I'll just avoid this one and stick to getting your money back.

This is why I want the whole "letting" and "landlords" thing to be regulated, bonded and monitored so that I'm competing with people I know are decent and not this scum that think money can be made.

Every £1 they do not pay in tax is another £1 the revenue have to find from me, you and everyone else. While I love tax avoidance, for example I always buy the tax cafe books to make sure I claim all I can, I really really hate tax evasion. makes my blood boil.