Moving out of rented, patching things up...

Gorgeous_George

A landlord's tax affairs are his business and of no interest to the tenant.

Fair wear and tear is permissible. Damage and dirt is NOT fair wear and tear.

After three years I would be looking to redecorate anyway so if my tenant asked me, I would not deduct anything from the deposit for a few scuff marks or grime around a light switch. The damage to the door might be minor enough to be ignored too. However, come to me spouting off about rights and my tax allowances and I might have a different view.

FB, ask your landlord to have a look around and to let you know what needs to be done. Two adults should be able to come to an agreement without any bitterness.

Good luck.

GG

terryw

mustrum_ridcully wrote: »

@FATBALLZ I don't think many tenants are aware of the tax break. Hmm, I wonder how many LL 'pocket' their wear and tear allowance and just pass on the cost of new fixtures and fittings to their tenants through increased rent...

What tax break are you referring to?

Callie22

Magic erasers can be excellent for cleaning scuff marks etc. They're also brilliant for getting limescale off taps and general grot off things like plastic windowframes. You can get them from Wilko's, or I think some pound shops stock them. Obviously try them first in an inconspicuous spot, but they're definitely worth a go.

chewmylegoff

mustrum_ridcully wrote: »

@FATBALLZ I don't think many tenants are aware of the tax break. Hmm, I wonder how many LL 'pocket' their wear and tear allowance and just pass on the cost of new fixtures and fittings to their tenants through increased rent...

100% of landlords renting furnished property out pass on the costs to their tenants.

it's like, you know, when you go to a shop, they sell the thing you buy for more than they paid for it.

this is a common feature of businesses, not quite sure why you think a landlord should be any different. they are not charities.

the wear and tear "allowance" is just a simplication of the tax system. the underpinning principle is that the cost of assets should be matched to the income they generate.

instead of having an enormously complicated capital allowances computation seeking to spread the cost of each piece of furniture over its useful working life, the landlord, instead of being able to offset these costs against tax, gets an allowance of 10% of the rent as a tax deductible 'expense'.

chewmylegoff

marks on the walls can be reasonable wear and tear, or can amount to damage. just to add a rubbish bit of anecdotal evidence, during the check-in for the current property i am in, the inventory clerk pointed out several marks on the walls and said that they were just wear and tear, and that any landlord should expect to have to repaint a rental property about once every three to four years.

it would be rather unreasonable of a LL to rent a property out for three years and expect it back in a pristine condition. if you want the property to stay pristine, then don't rent it out.

just make sure you take photos of it all so it cannot be exaggerated later.

Meatballs

Tearing is damage, wearing is damage.

Fair wear and tear just depends on the extent and amount of damage in relation to the time spent in the property. After 3 years you'd expect a few accidental marks on the wall that don't come off and require repainting for a pristine look.

franklee

FATBALLZ wrote: »

I've lived in various properties over the past 20-30 years and I have enough experience to know the way this property is put together and decorated makes it extremely susceptible to these sort of marks, and its more or less impossible not to make them unless you don't actually go in the place on a regular basis. I've never experienced it in any other type of property. Have you ever lived in a crappy new build flat? The materials used are the cheapest of the cheap.

If it's still the original builder's paint job it may be deliberately thinned down paint which is what they use on new plaster. This type of paint finish marks very easily and is difficult to wash as the paint itself is easily washed off. Such a finish is only meant to be for the first year and then repainted. Could that be what you've got?

taxsaver

All this talk of a 10% tax allowance and LL's pocketing it and in effect ripping off tenants is total nonsense.

Firstly it ONLY applies to FURNISHED lets, which are very much the minority. Secondly, it is only one of two methods of accounting for the depreciation of furnishings supplied by the LL. If he adopts this method then he is NOT able to offset against his taxes any of the costs of actually replacing such things as beds, lounge and dining suites etc., etc. thus the 'tax break' is very soon eaten up!

superbabe612

Sorry if I'm hijacking this thread, but we've been renting my current house for 2 years and we'll be moving out in the next few months. We've made a fair amount of marks on the walls and I was dreading having to repaint the whole house before we leave - but some of these posts make me think we might not need to?! If we just wipe any dirty marks away, would that suffice?

And what can I do about the dreaded blu-tak peeling off a bit of paint with it?

talulahbeige_2

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

FB, ask your landlord to have a look around and to let you know what needs to be done. Two adults should be able to come to an agreement without any bitterness.


GG

Assuming that the LL is an adult who isnt greedy and sees it as an opportunity to get something for nothing