Rental property - decor issue

starnac

We own a buy to let where the tenants have been living for 2 years now and the letting agents have just done their periodical inspection of the property. One of the points they mentioned on their report was that at the bottom of the stairs the wallpaper is starting to come away from the walls and a small part had ripped. Is it up to us as landlords to put right?

BitterAndTwisted

If it's coming away from the wall it sounds to me like this is your issue to resolve as it's pretty difficult to inadvertently cause damage in that way. It could have become ripped because it's right where people are walking past all the time. It's a ruddy shame that the tenants couldn't have mentioned this when it first happened or even, God forbid, bought some adhesive and stuck it back themselves.

starnac

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

It's a ruddy shame that the tenants couldn't have mentioned this when it first happened or even, God forbid, bought some adhesive and stuck it back themselves.

i did think the same thing myself.

BitterAndTwisted

Ah well, you've had two year's worth of continuous rent from these particular tenants so fifty quid to get someone to sort it isn't much in the great scheme of things. And imagine how happy it would make them to feel that you're looking after the place.

I think you should tell the agents to impress upon your tenants the importance of reporting these things when they happen. A happorth of tar etcetera

starnac

i have no issue fixing the problem as they are good tenants and obviously we would like them to stay there. i just didn't really want to spend money if it wasn't our issue

thanks for your help

myhouse_2

Of course it's your issue to fix - do you expect the tenants to paint and replace carpets too?
One thing to consider though is that this can happen if tenants are drying lots of clothes inside - often they have no choice though so it's difficult to complain to them about it.

Geenie

starnac wrote: »

i have no issue fixing the problem as they are good tenants and obviously we would like them to stay there. i just didn't really want to spend money if it wasn't our issue

thanks for your help

Starnac, as a LL, I would not be fretting over a bit of torn wallpaper. You truly cannot expect a property to not experience wear and tear after 2 years!

You state they have been good tenants, so you are very lucky. Wallpaper can come away due to damp and other factors, so why expect the tenants to pay for it?! This seems very petty to me.

If you want your wall paper pristine, don't rent.........or accept that it will not be the same at the end and deal with it. You have to factor things like this in when renting out, and don't expect your tenants to pay and keep your house as it was when you first let it out.

dizziblonde

I've seriously heard it all now... tenant bashing for wallpaper coming off the wall?

We had some come loose - came loose because the landlord refused to repair a water drip leak until had tbecome a rather large water drop leak... was that our fault as well?

clutton_2

wallpaper can come off the wall for many many reasons

poorly put on in the first place
steam in bathrooms and kitchens
people brushing against it
plaster crumbling behind it
children picking at it
old worn out wallpaper
damp from behind the wallpaper
liquids put onto the wallpaper

so i think we have to look at each case as it comes up

tamarto

Depending on how picky the agent is it could just be coming away for the wall with a teeny rip in it that the tennents hadn't even noticed, especially at the bottom of the stairs, i have no idea what my wallpaper is like there maybe if it was the middle of the wall....

It sounds like it falls under fair wear and tear, which surely every landlord expects, what with people actually living in the house :eek::eek:

dizziblonde

tamarto wrote: »

It sounds like it falls under fair wear and tear, which surely every landlord expects, what with people actually living in the house :eek::eek:

Hah nah - we're just meant to pay the rent and levitate in the corner being fed through a tube so we don't wear out the carpets or kitchen.