responsibility for rented flat

Jupiterx

Hello,

i rent a ground floor flat. in the last few months, i have noticed pock marks and scratches appearing on doors in the flat.
no kids/no animals here.

i called up the estate agents and they said if there were no markings when i walked in then it is down to me to sort it out. they recommended i get in touch with the council to get them to check it out. i spoke to the council and they said that they are not responsible for it. and it is the managing agents for the property which should send an inspector.

they advised me to take photos and send it to the managing agents who should send an inspector. in case the managing agents do not respond then i should call the council offices up and they would put me through to environmental health.

1. is it really down to me or the estate agents

2. how much would a standard door cost (is it really worth the effort chasing up the council to investigate the property)(. i mean if it is about 50 pounds per door, and 3 doors are affected, then i may think in terms of balancing the time vs effort (unless the council comes in and fixes the issue)

3. can i claim it of my home insurance

~Beanie~

I'm not really sure what you are saying in your post. Do you think that you have mice or something?

If it isn't a council house (which I'm guessing it isn't) then it really is nothing to do with the council.

poppysarah

You need to show a picture of this marking

paintpot

Hi there

Perhaps you could describe what the "pock marks and scratches" look like in more detail. Was the flat newly decorated before you moved in? It may well be down to the way in which the doors have been decorated e.g the wrong paint used for example, that is causing the paint to bubble. In which case, you can't be held responsible for that and in any case, whatever the cause, if you are not causing it then you can't be held responsible.

If you can take some photos and post them on here or tell us a bit more. These photos will also be useful for your own purposes in the future should there be an issue with who is responsible further down the line. Any maintenance issues should always be reported to the landlord or agent by the tenant in writing and keep a record of this for yourself to prove that you have indeed done so. Failure by a tenant to report a problem can result in deductions from the deposit if the problem has been exacerbated by your failure to report it.

Jupiterx

thanks for the reply

it is not a council property, i am renting through a lettings agent.

basically when i leave the property which will be in a few months, i dont want them to deduct money from my deposit for pock marks/scratches

i want the managing agent to send an inspector across to check the property and state the doors are being scratched or pock marked by some infestation. and this is not my fault.

In case the managing agents dont take responsibility, i was wondering if the home insurance would cover it.

in case this all is about 100 pounds or so, then it would be a lot of running around

Alybea

Are you sure they're not wear and tear marks? Like accidentally banging the hoover against the bottom of the door, brushing against the door while wearing a coat with zips etc?

olly300

Jupiterx wrote: »

thanks for the reply

it is not a council property, i am renting through a lettings agent.

I don't understand then why you involved the council.

Jupiterx wrote: »

basically when i leave the property which will be in a few months, i dont want them to deduct money from my deposit for pock marks/scratches

i want the managing agent to send an inspector across to check the property and state the doors are being scratched or pock marked by some infestation. and this is not my fault.

In case the managing agents dont take responsibility, i was wondering if the home insurance would cover it.

in case this all is about 100 pounds or so, then it would be a lot of running around

It's very unlikely that you have an infestation of something otherwise you would find problems in other areas of the property i.e. look at the skirting boards near the doors and the window frames.

1. Find out what is causing the marks- Most marks on doors and walls are reasonable wear and tear due to brushing against the doors with your hands, clothes and objects and hoovering. Shoe marks from closing the door with your feet aren't though.

2. Before you move out clean the doors. The majority of the marks should come of by rubbing with some washing up liquid and a cloth. Just make sure the cloth isn't too wet.

The pock marks won't come out but if the doors are cheap wood then it's not surprising they are there. If the property was done up before you rented it or is a new build then it's likely the doors where cheap.

3. Take pictures using a correctly timed and dated digital camera and keep two copies - burn one to CD/DVD and keep the memory stick/card/disc. Then if you have a deposit dispute you have evidence.

BTW pointing this out to the landlord now when it is reasonable wear and tear is more likely to make life difficult for you. Unless you have destroyed the property landlords tend to only notice the holes you have put in the walls.

The cost of replacing a door is not just the cost of the door it's the hanging cost. The cost of hanging a door can be a lot.

Why do you want to claim on Home insurance? Your premiums will go up and you will have difficulty if you have a more pressing claim i.e. burglary.

Jupiterx

thanks for the replies,

Alybea wrote: »

Are you sure they're not wear and tear marks? Like accidentally banging the hoover against the bottom of the door, brushing against the door while wearing a coat with zips etc?

i dont think so, some of them are too high to be the banging the hoover against the door.

olly300 wrote: »

I don't understand then why you involved the council.

because the estate agent told me to do so, my wife called the estate agents later on, spoke to a different person, and she said would ask the owner if she wanted repairs to be carried out.

olly300 wrote: »

It's very unlikely that you have an infestation of something otherwise you would find problems in other areas of the property i.e. look at the skirting boards near the doors and the window frames.

1. Find out what is causing the marks- Most marks on doors and walls are reasonable wear and tear due to brushing against the doors with your hands, clothes and objects and hoovering. Shoe marks from closing the door with your feet aren't though.

2. Before you move out clean the doors. The majority of the marks should come of by rubbing with some washing up liquid and a cloth. Just make sure the cloth isn't too wet.

The pock marks won't come out but if the doors are cheap wood then it's not surprising they are there. If the property was done up before you rented it or is a new build then it's likely the doors where cheap.

3. Take pictures using a correctly timed and dated digital camera and keep two copies - burn one to CD/DVD and keep the memory stick/card/disc. Then if you have a deposit dispute you have evidence.

BTW pointing this out to the landlord now when it is reasonable wear and tear is more likely to make life difficult for you. Unless you have destroyed the property landlords tend to only notice the holes you have put in the walls.

The cost of replacing a door is not just the cost of the door it's the hanging cost. The cost of hanging a door can be a lot.

Why do you want to claim on Home insurance? Your premiums will go up and you will have difficulty if you have a more pressing claim i.e. burglary.

[/quote]
i tried to clean one of the bruises, i think moisture seeped into the bruise and made it worse.

the property is new, some of the paint is even peeling

the scratches dont seem to be reasonable wear and tear. i am not sure what reasonable wear and tear is. can i post pictures of it on this site.

i thought is the claim for the doors goes to say 300-400 pounds then i might as well claim it on home insurance, would the premiums go up by that much?

paintpot

Please post the pictures.

I "think" from your first post and my first post that it may be a paint issue. If they are wooden doors with nots (sp?) in then if not properly prepared e.g undercoated they will seep out sap and turn yellowish and bubble/bruise or gloss painted straight onto wooden doors without undercoating may cause them to peel/bubble. Are they circular looking marks?

You should, in my opinion, not be thinking that this is your fault or even considering claiming on your insurance at this stage.

If you post pictures I think this will reveal more about the problem.

CHR15

Does anybody have any idea what a "Pock" mark is???

currynchips

Depends on the mark.
Did you take photos when you moved in? Are the marks dirt or dents? What would they cost for a professional to improve?

We got stung to the tune of £240 for general dirt and dust recently, lettings agent won the battle of minds here. This time round we have taken 100 photos and 7 days before returning inventory. They should not get a penny off our deposit unless we have some grave accidents whilst we are here.