UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi,new to this forum but needing some advice.I live in Australia and we have a property in the UK.We let our property out to a young couple with two kids who were longtime family friends.They signed a tenancy agreement but we never took a bond as we,stupidly,trusted them.(new to the whole renting game,learnt our lesson big time) Our house is now for sale and they vacated a week earlier to the date they actually gave us (although paid rent up to date)before a family member was due to go round to do a final rent check.Now we have discovered there is a substantial amount of damage and they held onto the keys for a week.Our question is can we bill them for keeping the keys,for all the damages and for removing 15 bags of rubbish plus bigger items? We have managed to get their new address.

A tenancy agreement is a tenancy agreement, mine states house to be left as taken on, all carpets to be cleaned, curtains etc. Any damage to be paid for. If they left prior without telling you, then they are still liable for damage, if you allowed them to go knowing well the damage is done, not sure where you stand.