Removing marks on walls - Student halls

devildog

becky-good comment re taking photos when you leave but as important is to take photos when you arrive too. Both times I have been asked to go through inventory of both halls/private accom for my eldest. Both times have found huge discrepancies regarding the state of repair/cleanliness etc. So to any student I would say do not take the inventory at face value, note anything that you find/or that you find is missing, open the cupboard doors and look, open the oven and look, turn the mattress and check for stains, just because inventory states chairs/sofas in good condition, pick up, turn and examine every cushion because if you don't note these things on the inventory you can be sure that you will be billed at the end of your stay.

beckythemadcow

devildog wrote: »

becky-good comment re taking photos when you leave but as important is to take photos when you arrive too. Both times I have been asked to go through inventory of both halls/private accom for my eldest. Both times have found huge discrepancies regarding the state of repair/cleanliness etc. So to any student I would say do not take the inventory at face value, note anything that you find/or that you find is missing, open the cupboard doors and look, open the oven and look, turn the mattress and check for stains, just because inventory states chairs/sofas in good condition, pick up, turn and examine every cushion because if you don't note these things on the inventory you can be sure that you will be billed at the end of your stay.

Good point! And it never hurts to write "stain on carpet" and "marks on walls" even if there aren't any initially visible, have always done this in halls, except at Unite, as it was brand new.

tbs624

beckythemadcow wrote: »

Good point! And it never hurts to write "stain on carpet" and "marks on walls" even if there aren't, have always done this in halls, except at Unite, as it was brand new.

My bolding. Shame on you: it appears that you perhaps have double standards.

The inventory is there to protect all parties and to establish the actual condition of the property at the start.

If you are prepared to lie on the forms, and ( as in your earlier post) claim that you have photographic evidence, and then hope that you don't get caught out , then you are just as bad as those who aim to wrongfully claim some of a Ts deposit.

For every LL who fails to show at a hearing, or fails to challenge you to produce your counter evidence, so allowing you to "win" there will be a half a dozen who will be prepared to see it through so your tactics may cause you to come unstuck. Doesn't show you in a good light when you are revealed to have lied.

beckythemadcow

tbs624 wrote: »

If you are prepared to lie on the forms...

I am not cheating any landlords! In university halls, I have covered myself as that they will not pick up something which was so small that I missed. A lot of students don't bother checking thoroughly, so my point was aimed at them, and the OP. Not to people living in private rented accomodation, to which I am sure the LL would know the condition of his property better than a Halls of Residence Manager who deals with 1000+ rooms.

Perhaps I could have worded it better. Now I have.

devildog

tbs624- I agree with you that the inventory is there to protect both parties BUT is works both ways. I honestly believe that students really haven't a clue when it comes to checking an inventory properly, they simply see a bed, chair, desk etc and take the inventory at face value even a small thing could pick you up charges-in my eldest's halls residence there was a bin but the inside of it was covered in rust, if it hadn't of been noted a charge could of been applied, the same with the walls(not all marks were put on the initial inventory)Now in 2nd year and in private accom(but uni managed) and 'apparently'checked a few days prior to key handover-items(like curtains were missing) the sofas/chairs at a first glance looked ok but moving the seat pads etc revealed that all of them were split/frayed/torn, oven was noted as 'good' condition but was covered in 'grease icicles', vaccum cleaner was broke, front and rear garden were covered in weeds 4' high, no wheelie bin, rubbish left in back from previous occupants, the list was never ending(took about 2 hours to go through and note it all) I am sure that the previous students would have been billed for all of this and in theory the money from those charges should of been used to 'put right' everything, but obviously they weren't. Smacks of back handers somewhere!!

melancholly

devildog wrote: »

I honestly believe that students really haven't a clue when it comes to checking an inventory properly

possibly true - not just of students, of a lot of people renting. the solution is for people to check the inventory and take photos, not to try and make things up to cover themselves! these aren't problems unique to student lets either.

taking two hours to check that everything is there seems pretty reasonable to me! you cover yourself and you do the right thing... and more importantly, your kids will know to do it themselves in any private rental they have in the future.