Furnished Rented House - What should be provided?

pimento

My son has finally found himself a student house for his third year. It's a four bed house (not a HMO) and the landlord is new to landlording and the house is being refurbished so we only saw it as a work in progress.

Son sent an email to clarify what would be provided from a contents point of view and was told that although bedroom furniture would be supplied, there would be no TV, vacuum cleaner or mop and bucket.

Is it reasonable to expect a student (or a group of students) to supply a vacuum or a mop and bucket? It's not the cost per se, but having to bring the stuff home at the end of the year. I have a feeling the landlord is thinking that they will just leave the stuff there at the end of the tenancy and he won't have to provide it for the next group of students.

It's hard enough to get a group of young blokes to keep a place clean let alone not giving them the tools to do it.

Should my son press for a hoover and a mop and bucket? As it is we'll be transporting a television 130 miles each way.

James_N

pimento wrote: »

My son has finally found himself a student house for his third year. It's a four bed house (not a HMO) and the landlord is new to landlording and the house is being refurbished so we only saw it as a work in progress.

Son sent an email to clarify what would be provided from a contents point of view and was told that although bedroom furniture would be supplied, there would be no TV, vacuum cleaner or mop and bucket.

Is it reasonable to expect a student (or a group of students) to supply a vacuum or a mop and bucket? It's not the cost per se, but having to bring the stuff home at the end of the year. I have a feeling the landlord is thinking that they will just leave the stuff there at the end of the tenancy and he won't have to provide it for the next group of students.

It's hard enough to get a group of young blokes to keep a place clean let alone not giving them the tools to do it.

Should my son press for a hoover and a mop and bucket? As it is we'll be transporting a television 130 miles each way.

The LL here is being a bit silly. While the basic fact may well be that the items are not essential for living, there are two essential ideas the LL has overlooked:
1. The items are, in one way or another, set-off against tax
2. Providing cleaning tools gives the LL a very good bargaining point, without which the LL would be hard pressed to push for additional cleaning charges (if necessary) at the end of the tenancy, and the absence of the items WILL result in earlier deterioration of internal finishes

Seeing as basic items are a few pounds in Argos, I can't see the LL point of view in withholding the items. Yes, they will break and need replacing. The electrical items will need PAT tests ... set the rent to cover this.

lazer

James_N wrote: »

The LL here is being a bit silly. While the basic fact may well be that the items are not essential for living, there are two essential ideas the LL has overlooked:
1. The items are, in one way or another, set-off against tax
2. Providing cleaning tools gives the LL a very good bargaining point, without which the LL would be hard pressed to push for additional cleaning charges (if necessary) at the end of the tenancy, and the absence of the items WILL result in earlier deterioration of internal finishes

Seeing as basic items are a few pounds in Argos, I can't see the LL point of view in withholding the items. Yes, they will break and need replacing. The electrical items will need PAT tests ... set the rent to cover this.

The items may be off set against tax but this does not make them free which is a common misconception, it lowers the profit from the rental, but tax is only 20% of profit, therefore 80% of the cost is still borne by the landlord.

I here this arguement quite a lot in shops etc when people are looking for donations for raffles etc, that as it is charitable it is 100% offset against profit - but again that doesn't mean it is at no cost to the business, as no business pays 100% tax on profit

pimento

In the scheme of things a mop and bucket isn't going to break the bank but having to carry one in the car from Essex to Hampshire (if I do have to buy it I definitely won't be leaving it there) will be a right pain.
Ditto the vacuum cleaner.

Don't get me started about the ironing board or the table and chairs that "may" be provided. If he doesn't provide them, I will suggest that my son gets a couple of cheap sofa covers as that will be the only place available to eat.

How should my son word a reply about the cleaning stuff?

pimento

Oh and he's charging the going rent.

James_N

pimento wrote: »

Oh and he's charging the going rent.

Then he's being tight.

Look for your PM messages

DannyboyMidlands

Jeez give the guy a break. He's a landlord not a surrogate mum.

Mop, bucket, ironing board, TV............what else? Fridge full of food, sandwiches made for lunch and willing to tuck your little soldier in at night?

James_N

DannyboyMidlands wrote: »

Jeez give the guy a break. He's a landlord not a surrogate mum.

Mop, bucket, ironing board, TV............what else? Fridge full of food, sandwiches made for lunch and willing to tuck your little soldier in at night?

that's unhelpful and silly. A responsible LL letting to students WILL provide these things. Also a check through on how things work. And a periodic check that things are OK - this cuts both ways, allowing issues to be resolved quickly.
Students CAN be great tenants - they pay up, they rarely fuss and they usually leave. But they can also be terrible. The key is managing them properly - and basic equipment is one aspect.

LE3

I do actually think you are expecting a lot to be provided. I have not had a vacuum cleaner provided in any of the rented houses I have lived in, student or none-student, and I wouldn't have used a mop that was there when I moved in anyway!
Seriously, a few ££ and you can set him up with everything he needs - in fact if your son buys the TV, then one of his mates can provide the vacuum, and another the mop & bucket etc ...

If the LL provides anything like TV, Vacuum cleaner etc he is obliged to repair/replace if the students break them. Some students can be responsible, others not so much. I totally understand why he wouldn't want to provide them! When I moved into my first student house I took with me an old vacuum cleaner that my gran had had, it was ugly but it worked. They are sometimes available on freecycle too.

DannyboyMidlands

James_N wrote: »

that's unhelpful and silly. A responsible LL letting to students WILL provide these things. Also a check through on how things work. And a periodic check that things are OK - this cuts both ways, allowing issues to be resolved quickly.
Students CAN be great tenants - they pay up, they rarely fuss and they usually leave. But they can also be terrible. The key is managing them properly - and basic equipment is one aspect.

Sorry sir.

phill99

When your son is in Hampshire he can get a mop and bucket for £3 from pundstretchers. You can get a vacuum from Tesco for £25. So between them thats £7 each. I know students don't have much money, but £7 won't put them into bankruptcy. And then just leave the items there.

Not sure hat there is a legal definition of what has to be provided, although a landlord who wants people to look after his investment may wish to provide cleaning items.