Hannah Cosh in London

I am not sure why I am posting this, aside from warning people, but also because as a cohort renters have so little power and I just want to get a little back! The flat was okay, it had mould when I viewed it, the landlady badmouthed the previous tenants (and this should, and now does, set off alarm bells) saying the mould was due to them not closing doors properly. On reflection I should have noted the bathroom was badly plumbed, needed an extractor fan (they don't even cost much, just invest some money!) and had too much equipment in it for such a small room. The flat was priced slightly under market rate for the area but not hugely so that does not make up for subsequent experience (everything is a pay off - dirt cheap rent - maybe I wouldn't expect somewhere amazing). It became clear over time that everything in the flat (unfurnished so I mean the vital stuff) was old and diy-ed by her dad. There isn't anything wrong with this until I came to move out. She treated me like a school child as opposed to a professional, single working tenant and it came off as unprofessional on her part. For example she decided to get a new oven, and as with all deliveries or checks for the flat,demanded I was there when it was installed. This was on a Sunday, over my 40th birthday weekend, I was tired, I work hard and when I messaged to say it needed to be rearranged as I had specifically said not the weekend she demanded, and I do mean demanded, that I stay in, I did. At that point, along with other behaviour from her, I resolved to move out. I gave a months notice and started the process. It has been horrible. She has taken more than half the deposit for no reason - claimed in writing, thus slandering me and my future rental prospects, that I 'had never cleaned the flat' (impossible in 3 1/2 years, pest control would have been needed! And surely she would have asked me to leave during that time...) and that there was smoke damage on the walls - um this would be because the flat is situated on a main road, opposite a bus stop and Hackney's main hospital and police station meaning constant traffic, and noise coincidentally as the windows were loose from yep the mould. I have never smoked or allowed anyone to smoke in the flat as I don't like it. It needed repainting before I moved in so clearly 3 1/2/ years later it definitely needed repainting. Surprise before I even moved out she was round, unannounced, with her dad who was going to do the repainting. She claimed £450 for that job alone from my deposit. Even the paint pots she dumped in the living room were not new. Essentially everything was done on the cheap and my health (the mould meant a freezing cold bedroom, blinds that fell down constantly and I paid to put up and me buying a humidifier) suffered in addition to not so much my bank account, money is money, but the stress and disbelief at being described as a terrible tenant just because she wanted to retain the deposit. A horrible, vile experience which I fear will impact my future living arrangements. Avoid if you can - this is the only comeback we as renters have - she could defame me via the DPS and I have no way of commenting on her behaviour. Neighbours were lovely though! The stabbings and bus stop noise/arguments not so much (of course the windows weren't double glazed!)