how to value deductions from deposit for damages

redkenny

Hi,

I'm a reluctant landlord, moved for work couldn't sell house etc. House is rented via agency deposit properly protected etc.

First tenant I had were great full deposit return no problem.

Current tenants joint tenancy have head a less than amicable break-up, which appears to have resulted in some damage to the property (i.e no issues before the break-up and one tenant still in property and no issues since)

The tenant still living in the property wants a tenancy in their own name, but I need to make deduction from the deposit held in joint names and get a new deposit from the remaining tenant.

What I am after is some guidance on how to put a value on damages and what sort of information the DPS schemes require to support claims for deductions. The are a list of small issue the remaining tenant is working to address, but the two big issue that can't really be repaired are:

Double wardrobe, cost approx £500 in 2006, was in perfect condition at start of tenancy, but now a door of each wardrobe looks like it has been hit with a axe making a hole threw the door.
Cushioned vinyl floor laid in 2012 at cost approx £400 has a cut threw the flooring that while relatively small can't be repaired as far as I am aware due to the type of flooring an detracts from the appearance of the whole floor.

If you could point me in the direction of some general guidance to follow or advise on the two specific example that would be most helpful.

Thanks in advance.

G_M

Get quotes for the work or replacements! Use professional people to quote for the floor repair.

Remember the 'betterment' rules'. If something is already half-way through its life, you cannot charge full price, only half price.

Do you have evidence

Double wardrobe, cost approx £500 in 2006, was in perfect condition at start of tenancy

? Inventory? Receipt?
How long would you expect its normal life-span to be? 20 years? So it is 7/20ths through its life so you charge 13/20ths of the repalcement cost.

redkenny

G_M wrote: »

Get quotes for the work or replacements! Use professional people to quote for the floor repair.

Remember the 'betterment' rules'. If something is already half-way through its life, you cannot charge full price, only half price.

Do you have evidence ? Inventory? Receipt?
How long would you expect its normal life-span to be? 20 years? So it is 7/20ths through its life so you charge 13/20ths of the replacement cost.

I've asked the management company to get a quote for/get the floor repaired. Have a receipt for the original floor. It won't be quite as good as new, but as long as it is possible to get hold of an off-cut from the original floor it does sound like cushioned vinyl can be patched.

The letting agents prepared an inventory and this includes a photo showing wardrobe in A1 condition at start of tenancy. I'm not sure if we have a receipt for the wardrobe. It was a long time ago, but we probably did keep it, just finding it is the problem.

So if purchase price was £500 and depreciate over 20 years that would value it at £325 now. The doors are beyond repair, but it could still be used as storage without the doors so would claiming 50% of the £325 be reasonable?
I'm hiring a van to replace the broken wardrobes with a second hand wardrobe we have been donated, would the van hire cost be eligible?

I'm not looking to maximize the deductions I make just feel I have to deduct something as a matter of principle, but expect whatever I claim to be challenged so need to be sure I'm following the correct procedures.

chappers

No it is useless as a wardrobe so claiming the £325 would be reasonable, I doubt you could claim the transportation costs, you are however being very fair as I suspect you could probably claim the full amount for the flooring.
Also well done for completely tying up the joint tenancy before starting a new one with the single tenant, but do remember you can chase your remaining tenant for the costs too.