What to charge from Deposit of Dirty Lodger???

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Hi folks,

I've just booted out a troublesome lodger and he left the room in a very poor state, he'd blu-tacked all over the wall, despite it being in his TA not to, it looks like he hasn't cleaned it since he moved in in March last year, there's thick dust everywhere and he hadn't aired the room despite me asking him too, and the white blinds were really badly mouldy because of it (this was never a problem in the room before he moved in). I only discovered this after he moved out, as he never bothered to tell me that the blinds were slowly turning black. Also, the curtain rail has been pulled partly off the wall.

Can I get an opinion of what it would be reasonable to charge him for;

- cleaning of (filthy) room
- cleaning/bleaching of blinds
- fixing broken curtain rail (which he never bothered to inform me of)
- re-painting walls due to extensive blutack staining.

I want to be fair, and don't want to rip him off, but I do feel that I should be charging him for this as he's taking wee a little bit here. I have a full-time job and an injured arm, the last thing I needed was to be renovating a destroyed room!!! Bad lodger!!

Grateful for any advice

Debt_Free_Chick

£50?

However, what does the agreement you have with him state with regards to cleaning? And with regards to withholding money from a deposit?

I can understand you being cross about this, but might it be best to avoid further stress/confrontation and simply "move on"?

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Thanks Debt-free Chick,

I'm at a minimum going to charge him for the paint, as I have no intention of being left out of pocket by the naughty little bludger! But wasn't sure about the rest. I just feel that he shouldn't get away with leaving it in such a state, as it's caused me so much hassle.

The TA states that deposit will be returned subject to inspection of room, and that any damage should be no more than "reasonable wear and tear". It also states that the room should be thoroughly cleaned before being vacated.

Oh...and it also categorically stated NO BLUTACK!!! Too ambiguous for him, apparently!

Maybe I should give him his deposit back, but wee on the cheque first

Jowo_2

I hope you have a signed inventory in place that details the condition of the room at the outset? If your lodger challenges your deductions in court, you have a very weak defence if you can't prove the condition of the room at the outset of the tenancy. If he accepts the deductions, its fine for you but if he disputes it through the small claims court, landlords generally come off worse where no inventory/schedule of condition is in place.

Broken curtain rail - unless you can firmly attribute this to an accidental breakage or negligent use of it by the lodger, put this down as a fault.

Slinky

I'd want more than £50 for doing that lot.

jmt

When a one of my tenants moves out I usually charge for the items like paint at cost and then my hourly rate at national minimum wage to complete the jobs that need doing. I recently charged my tenant £125.38 - 6 hours cleaning, light bulbs and a new kitchen tap and fitting (she damaged the work surface and the new tap covered the damage so cheaper than replacing work surface) .

I prefer to do cleaning and decorating myself and IF I take longer then the total cost would still be cheaper as I don't know of a cleaner or decorator that charge less than national minimum wage.

Radsteral

why being a tenant on your house , should i pay for your paint?
there will be a mark here and there always and since yours is a bussiness then you should fork some of your profits to make it more atractive to new tenants.
my landlord , after 1 year wanted to charge me 400 to paint the flat, then he said 300 then 200 then 100 then we went to court and seing my pictures, the judge repeated exactly the same words as i said in court.'' yours is a business, therefore some of the profits will go through regenerating your flat, i have paid 12 months with no delay, lived for 12 months and as i lived there, i m entitled to touch the briliant white walls some times and black marks on paints are not a damage , they are wear and tear.

same went for the carpet.
the greyish carpet , the cheapest possible , and she expects after a year of me walking up and down the stairs to be....''spotless''
i understand bluetack and proper damage, but bits here and there, the landlord should pick up.
whos bussines does only profit without ocurring an expense?

IDProtected

Perhaps you could get quotes from professionals for rectifying the damage, and use these as a negotiating point?

Jowo_2

Radsteral wrote: »

why being a tenant on your house , should i pay for your paint?
there will be a mark here and there always and since yours is a bussiness then you should fork some of your profits to make it more atractive to new tenants....
whos bussines does only profit without ocurring an expense?

So you support this lodger leaving the landlord a filthy room, with broken and mouldy fittings and stained walls?

I look forward to you becoming an extremely mellow landlord who is happy to repaint and recarpet the property after every tenant check-out, plus cleaning it from top to bottom. You'll be really popular with tenants if you fling open the doors during the viewings saying 'Leave it how you like, I'm happy to take the hit with all the expenses associated with the dirt and damage. Fill your boots. Live like a pig.'

Scabs

Radsteral wrote: »

why being a tenant on your house , should i pay for your paint?
there will be a mark here and there always and since yours is a bussiness then you should fork some of your profits to make it more atractive to new tenants.
my landlord , after 1 year wanted to charge me 400 to paint the flat, then he said 300 then 200 then 100 then we went to court and seing my pictures, the judge repeated exactly the same words as i said in court.'' yours is a business, therefore some of the profits will go through regenerating your flat, i have paid 12 months with no delay, lived for 12 months and as i lived there, i m entitled to touch the briliant white walls some times and black marks on paints are not a damage , they are wear and tear.

same went for the carpet.
the greyish carpet , the cheapest possible , and she expects after a year of me walking up and down the stairs to be....''spotless''
i understand bluetack and proper damage, but bits here and there, the landlord should pick up.
whos bussines does only profit without ocurring an expense?

I have to agree with you here, the OP sounds like they have not got on with the lodger (booted out troublesome lodger).
The lodger stayed there from March last year so to complain about "thick dust or bluetack marks" sounds like a huge case of being petty.
The lodger paid you money for over a year and you complain about a few quid.

KeepYourChinUp_2

Scabs wrote: »

I have to agree with you here, the OP sounds like they have not got on with the lodger (booted out troublesome lodger).
The lodger stayed there from March last year so to complain about "thick dust or bluetack marks" sounds like a huge case of being petty.
The lodger paid you money for over a year and you complain about a few quid.

Radsteral wrote: »

why being a tenant on your house , should i pay for your paint?
there will be a mark here and there always and since yours is a bussiness then you should fork some of your profits to make it more atractive to new tenants.
my landlord , after 1 year wanted to charge me 400 to paint the flat, then he said 300 then 200 then 100 then we went to court and seing my pictures, the judge repeated exactly the same words as i said in court.'' yours is a business, therefore some of the profits will go through regenerating your flat, i have paid 12 months with no delay, lived for 12 months and as i lived there, i m entitled to touch the briliant white walls some times and black marks on paints are not a damage , they are wear and tear.

same went for the carpet.
the greyish carpet , the cheapest possible , and she expects after a year of me walking up and down the stairs to be....''spotless''
i understand bluetack and proper damage, but bits here and there, the landlord should pick up.
whos bussines does only profit without ocurring an expense?

If he hadnt used the bluetack HOS wouldnt be asking about paint you two are bringing petty your making profit off me/my ex-landlord statements into it when HOS has asked what would be fair. Do you not clean when you leave accommodation?

He was paying to rent a room not for a room and maid!

HOS - paint+bleach + the couple of hours work it will take you! If he disputes it ask him if he would like to hire a company in to rectify it then you will return his deposit :rolleyes: