I recently moved out of my flat in Salford owing one months rent!
This debt was forwarded to a debt collection agency in which I agreed to pay off a certain amount each month until the outstanding amount was paid off.

It was my intention to use my deposit on the flat to pay off this amount (or a good deal of it anyway). But the landlord refuses to release it, even with my permission to the debt collection agency!

My deposit is sitting there, when it could be used to pay off some of this debt allowing me to pay off the outstanding amount much quicker. It defies logic really. It's going to take me five months to pay it off at this rate, when with the help of the deposit would cut it down to just two! Meaning the landlord will recover the money much quicker. I'm lost as to why they cannot release to my deposit to the debt collection agency, there is no damage to the flat and I'm starting to feel their lies some ulterior motive.

Essentially, can anyone give me any advice on this issue? Should the landlord make use of the deposit to recover some of the costs? Why wont they? And where legally do I stand.

Cheers
Dan