Fair use of Rented Flat

siliconbits

I have been living in a flat above an office with my wife for 3 months. The flat was fully refurbished prior to us moving in. However, for the past few weeks, we have noticed cracks appearing here and there. For e.g. around the door frame. I would like to know what do UK Laws actually tell about fair use of rented dwellings.

The issue that bothers me most though is that paint is flaking in the bathroom due to the fact that we are not opening any windows to let the condensed water go out - it is winter after all and I don't want to catch a cold.

Can the landlord/agency expect to receive the flat as it was rented i.e without any cracks, marks on carpet or on the wall etc? Are the occupants of the house (i.e. me) responsible for refurbishing the flat when we leave?

What is the tipping point where the landlord might refuse to hand me over my deposit for e.g. if there was a big wine mark under the bed which I've never seen before.

scorpio_princess

Landlords expect their property back in the same condition they it was in when it was first rented out, less 'fair wear and tear' - which would include natural wear of carpets and other furnishings accumulated through everyday normal use. Any Damage, either deliberate or through misuse would have to be repaired at the expense of the tenant.

From what you're saying about the paint flaking in the bathroom, this would be your responsibility - rooms need adequate ventiliation, no matter what the weather is doing outside! You don't need to have it wide open, just a little would do. You may be charged for this damage on leaving the property - it depends what it says on your tenancy agreement.

Wine stains on the carpet would definitely come under the 'damage' category (unless it was already there, in which case it should have been noted on the inventory) and you will probably be charged to have the carpet profesionally cleaned.

Hope this helps

Doozergirl

Refurbished houses snag just like new ones so it would be entirely unfair for the landlord to even try and blame you for the plaster cracking.

As for the bathroom, there should be an electric vent in there and this is something you should ask to have rectified because the condensation issue is likely to get worse - a stitch in time and all that!

You are allowed wear and tear of the property so no, the landlord can't expect it to be the way it was when you moved in but you should try to ensure that you tell the landlord of any issues that they need to attend to, otherwise they have no way of knowing!

If you damage something that isn't in the course of wear and tear, you should be responsible for it but even if you spill wine on the carpet, it wouldn't be reasonable to charge for a whole new carpet. If you treat stains quick enough, most of them come out, especially if you use a Rug Doctor.

siliconbits

scorpio_princess wrote:

From what you're saying about the paint flaking in the bathroom, this would be your responsibility - rooms need adequate ventiliation, no matter what the weather is doing outside! You don't need to have it wide open, just a little would do. You may be charged for this damage on leaving the property - it depends what it says on your tenancy agreement.

Thanks for your answer(s). The condensation is actually happening at the base of a vertical chimney like window with a dome like plastic cover.... Sounds a bit complicated based on the description. We've tried to open the window before but this didn't help. I will take your advise though and probably talk to the landlord openly about that.

silvercar

bathrooms are so prone to condensation, you need to open the window for a couple of hours every day IMHO.

sarah_elton

silvercar wrote:

bathrooms are so prone to condensation, you need to open the window for a couple of hours every day IMHO.

Agreed. And if you open the window for an hour after having a shower, and close the bathroom door, it doesn't chill the rest of the place particularly. I'm in a flat too.

I air it after showers/baths during the week, and leave it open all morning for at least one day on the weekend.

Bear in mind the bacteria that breed in damp environments. I'd rather have a draft than that! And just to be pedantic you can't catch a cold from a draft anyway.