In my final year at the University of Leeds, I lived in a shared property rented from a company called Providence Properties. Since moving out, my former flatmate and I have done everything possible to get back our £300 deposits. We returned the keys, filled in the forms, cleaned the house to a state better than it was in when we moved in and sent in all final bills to show no outstanding balances.

We were told to wait a month, but have not heard anything from the offshoot company, Providence Lets, that is in charge of deposits.

ADAM COCHRANE, London

Your story will send a chill down the spines of students and parents everywhere. As if financial independence is not enough to cope with, there is also the prospect of being done over by unscrupulous landlords.

Unfortunately for you, you were a tenant before tenancy deposit schemes, to which landlords should now belong, were introduced in April last year. So were about 150 other students who have still not had their deposits returned by Providence, according to the Leeds University Union Student Advice Centre.

Troubleshooter calculates that Providence, essentially a tenant-finding service for local landlords, could be sitting on about £45,000 to which it might not be legally entitled. It claims that in most of these cases, including yours, the property was not left in good condition. Providence said that it has photos to support its claim, but when Troubleshooter asked to see them, she did not receive a reply. The student advice centre has also asked for invoices for cleaning and repair work carried out on the properties. Again, nothing.

Providence can cry innocent all it wants, but such evasiveness is hardly encouraging. In cases involving disputed deposits, it is up to the landlord to prove that there is a justification for keeping the money. Not doing so amounts to theft.

Andrea Kerslake, of the student advice centre, says that in her 14 years on the job, she has never come across deposit disputes on this scale. According to the website www.blagger.com, several students have already taken Providence to court and won. There is also a Google group called Victims of Providence, on which tenants share their woes.

Despite Troubleshooter's most persuasive protestations, you still have not heard a word. Your only remaining option is to take Providence to court.

There was a problem with my tax return last year. I had lost my P60 from the previous tax year, so I asked the tax office to confirm how much I had earned and how much tax I had paid. I then used this information to fill out my tax return, and at the end of February

I was told that I had overpaid and was due a rebate of £781.21.

In December the local compliance office contacted me to ask for the same information and then told me that I owed £630.64.

I feel I am being penalised for the tax office's mistake.

VAROSHA LAMB, Somerset

Yes, you are being penalised for the Revenue's mistake, but tax law and reason have little to do with each other, as anyone who has had to repay tax credits will tell you.

The incomplete information that the Revenue sent you resulted in you receiving the initial overpayment, but it still wants its money back.

After Troubleshooter got in touch, it apologised and paid you compensation for correspondence costs, as well as for its delays and “shortcomings” - a charming euphemism for total incompetence. It has also suggested that you contact its payment helpline, which will allow you to pay the debt in instalments.

I made an application for an Abbey current account. The application has since vanished without trace. The call centre staff have told me repeatedly that they will sort it out, then don't or hang up. I was switching accounts so that I could move money more easily from my Abbey 50-plus Saver account. I was under the impression that it would be keen for the extra business.

GILL HOLIDAY, Andover, Hampshire

Abbey said that something had gone awry with the processing. Troubleshooter suspects that this means that someone, somewhere did not press the return key.

After Troubleshooter investigated, you received a call from someone at Abbey who you described as “calm and nice”. This calm and nice woman informed you that Abbey has now found your account and activated it, giving you your new account number and sort code. To top it off, your account has been credited with £75, by way of an apology.

To tell us your problems, visit timesonline.co.uk/troubleshooter or write to Troubleshooter, Times Money, Times House, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1TB