What to do - damaged lino in rental?

flutterbyuk25

Hello all

I moved out of rented flat yday and discovered that my laundry hamper has appeared to have stained the lino in the bathroom :eek:.

So options are:

1. leave it and have LL take money out of depositi
2. replace lino - but I cannot find the same one but I can find similar
3. tell LL and see whether he would be happy with similar replacement or prefer to take cost out of deposit?

Room is less than 2metres x 2metres.

Which option is best?

Extra info - LL seems easygoing and but not very hands on. Property is in Wales. AFAIK LL has NOT protected deposit, we have had no written confirmation like I've had in past in other rentals.

Thanks in advance

19lottie82

Ask the landlord, he might tell you not to bother. If he wants you to replace it you can get Lino offcuts very cheaply. If you know someone who can fit it, you're laughing.

BitterAndTwisted

The best option would have been to have got this sorted before you moved out. Now that you are no longer a tenant you are in the hands of the landlord and whatever option they choose. Do not wait to speak to the landlord until after they've seen it. That can make people quite cross with you.

tbs624

Option 3

You say that you have physically moved out OP but has the tenancy itself finished?

In the absence of any info from the LL on deposit reg Ts should check online with each of the 3 deposit schemes - TDS, mydeposits , DPS

olly300

Talk to the landlord asap. Depending on the person s/he may:
1. Let you off, OR
2. Be reasonable about buying a new piece and fitting it, OR
3. Just take it from your deposit.

flutterbyuk25

Sorry forgot to say tenancy does not end til 23rd so still have a week to sort it.

Thanks for suggestions, will ring LL tomorrow

BitterAndTwisted

Excellent news. Lino's cheap.

tbs624

As overall cost is likely to be pretty low you may be happy with just coughing up in full but just for reference LL is not entitled to betterment so strictly speaking you could only be asked to meet a percentage of the cost of replacement. Depending on age & condition of flooring at the start of the tenancy,how long you have been in the property and the flooring's remaining expected "life" etc

Do check those tenancy deposit schemes - you may want to ask your LL to register the deposit now, whilst you are still a T, so that you have access to the arbitration servicein case there is an issue over any proposed deductions.The LL can register a deposit in just a few minutes.

Note that LL would need to be able to adequately prove the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy, usually by a jointly signed inventory, if he wants to make deductions.

The alternative is that you have to use the small claims court if you cannot reach agreements. Note that if he does propose deductions he should return the undisputed balance of your tenancy deposit to you pronto

flutterbyuk25

UPDATE

:j result. Showed LL the lino today and he said not to worry bout it as it's such a small room and the lino was old-ish (orginal with flat 6 yrs ago) so he won't be charging me for the replacement .

Thanks for your help!

Werdnal

Just goes to show that negotiation is the answer to many of life's woes. Not all landlords are dodgy, not all tenants are either. I would much rather a tenant told me about a problem, than did a runner and hope I didn't notice.

Great result

wantabetterlife

I would say he apreciated your honesty. I had a tenant once moving out and she strategically placed items on the worksurface when i was checking the property. When she left i realised she was covering two big holes she had burnt in the worktop and i had already given her the deposit back...raging. She phoned me a few days later because she forgot to take her satelite dish with her...at which point she got told to fe*k off. Moral of the story- just be honest