Zhao v Li

Tenant wins · London · 2025-08-08

Adjudicator

John Cashmore

Dispute

Illegal Retention Of Money

Amount

<$5K

Landlord

Y.L.

Tenant

W.Z.

Landlord rep

Fengchun Zhou

Tenant rep

Haiyue Wang

What happened

The Tenant applied for the return of a $950.00 rent deposit after a planned tenancy did not materialize. The Landlord requested a review of the original order requiring the refund, claiming the Residential Tenancies Act did not apply because of a shared kitchen exemption (Section 5(i)) at a different property. However, evidence showed the payment was for the subject unit where the Landlord does not reside.

The ruling

The Landlord's request for a review is denied. The original order (LTB-T-082719-24) remains in effect, requiring the Landlord to return the $950.00 deposit to the Tenant. The stay of the original order is lifted immediately.