Renting: Issues with dirt and damage moving in

N1AK

Hello all,

I was hoping that someone could offer me some help and advice on the property we just moved into.

Firstly, the property was not clean when we moved in, cupboards, windows etc were all dirty and dusty. The cherry on the cake was the broken egg inside the extractor hood! I don't mind cleaning, but our contract states we must leave the property in prisitine condition and I don't see why we should have to leave the property 100x cleaner than it was when we moved in?

Secondly, various things need sorting in the house and I am not sure which are our responsibility and which are the landlords:

1. The main oven on the built in dual oven doesn't work (second oven is tiny).
2. The bath's hot tap has worn so it only works if you press heavily on it when turning, I am concerned about it leaking.
3. The bath has a hole where the overflow should go (there is a plug connected to an appropriate cover, but it can't be fitted without removing the taps.
4. The membrane inside the extractor needs replacing (blocked with previously mentioned egg).
5. The lawn is overgrown and flowerbeds include no flowers.

I think in general my view is that I would like to tidy the place up (I'm living there after all), but I begrudge the idea of doing a LOT of work and cleaning to make it a nice place and then handing it back to the LL/LA who couldn't even be arsed to replace a couple of missing bulbs or dust shelves!

I'd live to hear views or information you can share.

Fire_Fox

Take pictures of everything before you clean or complain, preferably dated photographs. Presumably you don't have a proper dual signed inventory stating the current condition of the place? If not the landlord will not be able to withhold your deposit as he will not be able to prove the condition of the place at the start of the tenancy.

Ring the letting agents and list all your complaints, get the name of the person you spoke to. Then follow up the complaints in writing by recorded delivery noting that you have photographs. I like your numbered list as it's very clear, add to this with your complaints about cleaning and lightbulbs. Send the letter to the landlord and copy to the letting agents.

Not sure why you are complaining about flowers?? It's winter and there is no legal requirement for a landlord to provide flowers .... pick your battles. All repairs are the responsibility of the landlord, any ongoing maintenance such as replacing a filter or bulbs are the tenants HOWEVER it is not down to you to do this on day one.

N1AK

Thanks for the reply Firefox, all useful. In the case of things like missing bulbs/filters when we moved in, is it worth it / how would we go about taking this up with LA?

We have an inventory from the landlord and are updating it with all the issues (it's actually pretty good for an inventory), I will phone them tomorrow and go in at weekend with amended inventory and 'evidence'.

The flowerbed isn't a biggie, what I was meaning to highlight was that what the inventory calls a 'flowerbed' is actually an area that has been laid with that black material for blocking weeds, virtually no earth on top at all and with weeds and general rubbish. I just don't want them moaning that there aren't any flowers when we leave (assuming we don't plant some, which we probably will).

Wickedkitten

It is a bit out of order if it really is that much of a state, but personally, it doesn't matter how clean a property looks, I end up cleaning it all anyway because you never can tell. I wouldn't bother about the missing bulbs or the flowerbeds really, but with the oven and the bath definitely do as Fire Fox suggests and send a recorded letter enquiring as to when they will be getting them sorted.