Land lady wants to paint the house - while we live in it!

butler_helen

Evening all, I wanted to check I'm not shooting myself in the foot before I get back to my LL tomorrow.

Basically our bathroom needed painting- not a problem as it's small. So then LL decided to get a quote to paint the entire house - 'just to gauge costs'. But now she wants to paint it all!

To cut a long story short, I don't want her to paint for the following reasons;

- we have large furniture which could get damaged and knowone has answered my questions on insurance.

- a stranger will be in my house whilst I am at work (handy man works weekdays only).

- it's going to be a lot of hassle.

- she didn't say please- she just assumed she could.

I asked if we could get a rent reduction pro rata per day for each one she occupied the house and was told 'no love she wants to put the rent up'. She cant do that until may so we are safe in that respect. However in may she will want to increase the rent - how can she predict the Market value of rent for the house 8 months early?

Is there any benefit to her painting before we leave? We will need to paint two Walls due to damage but there's very little else wrong with the Walls, no major scratches, it's just faded.

Would you take the paint offer or reject it? Can I even refuse?

If it matters ...we don't want to move out in may but if she increases the rent then we could get nicer for what she wants to charge or we'd pay more to rent bigger.

Thank you for reading my mini essay:)

Savvy_Spender_South

Tricky, it depends on T&C you signed on occupation.

I insist on Landlord access within 48 hrs within reason.

I would not paint until you leave, then i can charge you for the damage he he, But seriously, if she does, then she must make good damage, but i would hope there is a friend or such like who could house sit whilst the painters are in, its too much to leave them to it.

It is very reasonable to negotiate a date for painter entry suitable to both parties, but difficult to reject full stop.

G_M

I assume you have a fixed term contract till May 2011? So no rent change possible till then.

I disagree with 'Savy Spender'.

You are entitled to 'quiet enjoyment' of your home; ie no disturbance to your enjoyment/privacy. You can agree. You can negotiate eg on access times. You can refuse. Simple as that. Up to you.

But do everything in writing. If you agree, get written guarantees about any damage. If you want contractors to only work when you are there too, get that agreed in writing If you don't want the work done, and don't want anyone in the property at all, make that clear in writing. It is NOT difficult to reject full stop.

butler_helen

G_M wrote: »

I assume you have a fixed term contract till May 2011? So no rent change possible till then.

You are entitled to 'quiet enjoyment' of your home; ie no disturbance to your enjoyment/privacy. You can agree. You can negotiate eg on access times. You can refuse. Up to you.

But do everything in writing. If you agree, get written guarantees about any damage. If you want contractors to only work when you are there too, get that agreed in writing If you don't want the work done, and don't want anyone in the property at all, make that clear in writing.

Thank you! I hadn't thought of getting it in writing, would an email do?

I would rather pay for painting the walls we have 'damaged' ourselves in May, than suffer weeks of arranging times and then moving our stuff, then checking they haven't damaged everything and then checking there's no paint on the LL things too (carpet etc). There's no way we would be billed for painting the entire house and two tins of paint are less than £50 which is worth not having the hassle now.

However, she sees it that we are stopping her from improving the house and therefore stopping her from increasing her rent. The house would need a complete renovation to acheive the rates of the lovely newly done house next door (just £50 per month more). For example, the kitchen cabinets are falling to bits inside and the floors are all cracked and the skirtings are coming away (all on inventry).

However, there are a lot of council tenants in the area and she has said that 'the council would pay higher rent' - surely this isn't true? We are being priced out of the rental market by the council??

I'm so confused! I'm tempted to wait it out till may and move somewhere bigger for the same price as her rent increase (we're nearer the station at the moment, which increases our rent and decreases our space).

llh189

In my opinion having a LL who shows an active interest in maintaining your home is a good thing. Obviously not so they are popping round all the time to do stuff!

You will benefit from having a newly painted home, it will be freshers, easier to keep clean. You can't worry about what will happen if and when your LL might want to put your rent up.

My LL painted my place two years ago, smallish two bed cottage, all was done in a week, I didn't mind that I was at work, as if it was your own place, when would you get it done? They came at 8 ish, so I let them in, and they shut the door behind them in the evening, clean up all their mess and moved furniture as and when the needed to. In the week that they were here, it was a bit of a pain but jeez it was for only a week - what's that in the bigger scheme of things?

I'd let her paint - you'll benefit! Worry about next years rent next year!

G_M

NOOOooooo ! An email will NOT do! Especially if you are insisting on your rights (like refusing the LL/contractor access) rather than agreeing to something.

A letter, preferably recorded delivery, sent to the official LL's address which should be on your contract.

ps see Shelter on right to refuse access.

Savvy_Spender_South

G_M wrote: »

I disagree with 'Savy Spender'.

You are entitled to 'quiet enjoyment' of your home; ie no disturbance to your enjoyment/privacy. You can agree. You can negotiate eg on access times. You can refuse. Simple as that. Up to you.

G_M, you make a logical point but without first reviewing the contract, it would be hard to say for sure thet the LL cannot do this. I know i have the right (within reason as my previous post) to maintain MY HOUSES therefore if the kitchen is falling apart, i fix it, not a tenant. Equally if the walls are shoddy, i paint.

If a tenant wants to paint, they can and do, but we discuss and agree first. If i need to lay a new carpet, and its cheaper to do the full property, i do, if i can do them all at once and multi save, i do.

Take away the OP concern over ulterior motives, fact is the LL wants to paint, so with a reasonable discussion, there is no reason for this to become a problem.

butler_helen

Savvy_Spender_South wrote: »

G_M, you make a logical point but without first reviewing the contract, it would be hard to say for sure thet the LL cannot do this. I know i have the right (within reason as my previous post) to maintain MY HOUSES therefore if the kitchen is falling apart, i fix it, not a tenant. Equally if the walls are shoddy, i paint.

If a tenant wants to paint, they can and do, but we discuss and agree first. If i need to lay a new carpet, and its cheaper to do the full property, i do, if i can do them all at once and multi save, i do.

Take away the OP concern over ulterior motives, fact is the LL wants to paint, so with a reasonable discussion, there is no reason for this to become a problem.

I assume you are fully insured for all damage you may cause to your tenants possessions? I'm yet to get confirmation of this and so I will probably refuse on those grounds. Also, how can I claim if something is stolen? I have a whole house worth of stuff... i probably wouldn't notice until it's too late!

I've checked the contract, there's nothing on access except in emergencies and for fixing essentials.

I would LOVE to see someone move 4 wardrobes, a king size bed, several tonnes of books and a determined cat, to paint, it would take longer than 8-5ish per room (their suggested time). Plus I leave the house at 6.10am and get home at 7pm, I'd never meet them without inconveniencing myself.

Also, surely our 'fair wear and tear' is re-set? so at present we would have 2 years worth, but if she paints, we would need to paint whatever doesn't look new? i.e. we paint either way, so why do it at her convenience and not ours? (the hall is impossible to keep clean because it's so narrow).

Old_Git

if the place was a dump and you wanted it painted but LL said get stuffed would you be on here to complain .Be glad you LL is at least making a effort .

butler_helen

I wouldn't have rented a dump. If I had made it a dump, that's different. We haven't complained at anything cosmetic, just things which were damaging her house, e.g. gutters leaking and the shower being broken and leaking into her walls/floors. However, I do take your point.

I'm still concerned at damage and who moves my things and when they want to come in. I shall have another chat with the LL and if I still disagree will put it in writing, recorded delivery

sequence

I'd say no, but it's entirely up to you. I wouldn't want someone moving all my stuff and potentially damaging/stealing it.

There will be those who think you are mad to refuse, a landlord actually doing repairs is a rare thing (though in this case it's obvious that the LL is only interested in putting the rent up after improvements)

There will be those who think the LL has the ultimate right to decide (she doesn't).

If you're leaving, I'd say no anyway.