You are correct there!

I gather it is not that simple to get the deposit from the Tenant Rent Deposit Account and may well need court intervention.

There are also principles. If the tenents had come to me and said......."this is the situation.......bla....bla...bla"
Then I would have said lets put the property up for rent and if someone comes I am happy for you to pass on the tenancy as we all have isues and changes in life.

What these tenants have done is totally unprofessional.