rent terms for a rented property moren than 5 years.

dannyp123

I have been renting the current property for almost 6 years now and planning to leave now in few months time.
Someone told me if you live in a property for long time (5 years or so) then any updating needed (e.g. paint, curtain change, carpet clean etc..) in the property will be done by owner/agent.
This property needs a updating like above, so I am wondering whether I am going to loose all my deposit as these estate agents seem to be rip off.
Is it correct the after 5 years or its owner's/agent responsibility to do the updating (e.g above work)??

BitterAndTwisted

The length of the tenancy has no bearing. The condition of the property and it contents need to be returned in precisely the same state at the end of the tenancy as they were at the beginning less fair wear and tear.

For the removal of doubt you should consult the Shelter website and read up on "betterment".

Werdnal

Obviously, after 5 years there will be more wear and tear that if you had a 12 months tenancy, but dirt, damage and neglected repairs are not wear and tear.

If the paintwork is looking "tired" and there are flattened areas of carpet this is normally accepted as you have had 5 years use of the property, but if there are excessive chips and scrapes in the paintwork, and stains on the carpet which a good qualift carpet cleaner could remove, this is not acceptable. Dirt which you should clean is also not wear and tear!

Firstly, did you have a signed inventory at the start of the tenancy? LL will need this to compare with the check-out inventory to prove the difference in start and end condition. Is your deposit protected in a scheme - if tenancy started after April 2007, then this is a legal requirement, so you can use the scheme to dispute deductions if you do not agree.

Have you always reported repairs and maintenance issues promptly?

When did LL/agent last inspect the property? You could invite the LL around to give the place the "once over" and advise you on what they expect you to put right, so you have a chance to rectify things before you leave. Also check the link mentioned above, and gen up on "betterment", so you know what the LL can and cannot reasonably ask you to pay for.