Irresponsible Tenant

CloudCuckooLand

OP has obviously never watched Sarah Beeny explaining why you should kit out rentals with basic furniture...

OP, you presumably tax deduct for annual wear and tear? In which case, you can only ask for second hand values, not what it costs to replace the items.

Jowo_2

Please tell me it's a typo and the coffee table is £100, not £1000 - who puts a coffee table costing a grand in a rental property? I know Ikea gets a bad rep for robustness but you can get change out of £50 for one.

Oooh, blimey - Naos products are so exclusive, you have to get a password to view their products on their website

http://www.naos.net/site_en.html

StudentMoneySaver

Is the property in England or Wales? Is the rent below £25,000 per year? If so, is the deposit protected?

Badger_Lady

SMS, it says in the OP that it is

SandC

That's a damn expensive coffee table! Does the inventory specify that items are particularly expensive or is it just a standard thing?

Anyway, that issue will be decided for you - as far as the small claims court goes, well it doesn't cost much to take someone to small claims so I personally think it's worth it.

Please tell me you have replaced the coffee table at least with something cheaper though just in case of accidents with the new tenant?

Badger_Lady

Jowo wrote: »

Please tell me it's a typo and the coffee table is £100, not £1000 - who puts a coffee table costing a grand in a rental property? I know Ikea gets a bad rep for robustness but you can get change out of £50 for one.

That's what I can't fathom... I've got three coffee tables, all of which are brilliant:

1. Retro 70's style with a picture of the Taj Mahal on the front - £5 on eBay

2. A glass and metal three-part table with circles that spiral out so that several people in different places can reach it at once. £7.50 on eBay

3. An indian hardwood, very large table that my parents bought me several years ago and I look after dilligently with beeswax - £210

I can't even imagine what a £1000 table would be like, and if number 3 above is anything to go by you'd have to put a chainsaw to it in order to break it!!!

StudentMoneySaver

Badger_Lady wrote: »

SMS, it says in the OP that it is

How on earth did I miss that.

£1,000 for a coffee table is a bit steep for a rental property, especially in one where there rent (presumably, since the deposit is protected) falls below the current AST threshold.

darkblue_2

I haven't read the replies, but based on your initial message, the tenant has the full right to allow anyone into the property unless expressly stated in the tenancy agreement.

I severely dislike when landlords put 'no smoking' clauses in contracts. Who are you to dictate someone's life and habits?
The damage is your concern.

This is what a deposit is for. Ignore the fact he smoked or had an altercation. They are both his responsibility. Invoice him, retain the necessary money and forward the rest (if there is any left) and move on. Don't get hung up on the fact he had a private life which you happen to be aware of.

boxer3

Many thanks for all your replies. The coffee table's original value was £1500! So as you can see we have deducted a proportion for replacement purposes taking wear and tear into account. The same with the sideboard. None of you have offered any advice regarding the flooring.

The expensive furniture was in situe when we lived in the flat ourselves. We had to move due to work. The flat is also in a large development and although it does seem crazy to have such expensive items in a rental property... it has always been this fact that has made tenants choose our flat over the others available in the development.

Maybe what im trying to clarify (and I ask respectfully for legal facts here not personal opinions) is whether in the eyes of a small claims court, we should have asked for a much bigger deposit to cover the value of the items, (in which case no tenant would have been interested.)

Hopefully you can see what Im getting at here. I do thank you all again for your feedback.

boxer3

A reply to Darkblue... If it says no smoking in the STA then the tenant should adhere to that. Who was he to damage the property we have worked long and hard to buy. How would you feel if a friend borrowed your car and left cigarette burns all over the seats. I fail to see your reasoning here. I'd politley request you don't leave any more unhelpful and aggressive replies to my question.