Renting through agency-decorating charges?

sillylittlejill

Hi

I've been renting for a couple of years but not come across this issue before.
We're relocating to another part of town because I need to be closer to my elderly nana.
We've found the house, applied for it through the agency etc and everything was fine.
We were told she was redecorating as her previous tenants have left a bit of a mess (including a bright red room with pink carpet-nice!) as well as the kitchen wallpaper peeling off.
We went to see it again yesterday to measure up everywhere. Landlord wasn't there, only her husband. They've not decorated at all. Apparently they can't get their painter and decorator in before we move in (9th nov) so they said we were welcome to decorate and "put our own touch on it". I said that we hadnt factored that cost into moving. He spoke to his wife who owns the property and I had a call from the agency this morning saying they were willing to take £50 off the first months rent.
I don't understand how £50 is going to cover redecorating the kitchen, fill and repaint all the marks their previous tenants left all over the house, paint a room from red to cream/something plain.

Where do I stand? What should I say to the agency?
Hoping to pop in later this afternoon to speak to them

Thanks in advance for the advice

Mr_Moo_2

Ask for some more money? A professional redecorate is going to cost them more than fifty quid.

How much will the current decor put you off - if you're going to decorate get something in the tenancy agreement that confirms you can, failing that get something in writing from the LL confirming same. There's no point spending too much time and effort on betterment of a property unless you're going to be there long term, and that depends on you and your LL and the deal you strike.

Can understand your thinking though - Red & Pink ....

m0bov

You will be improving their investment, who is to say you dont get an S21 in the post once your fixed term is up. You would be entitled to return it to how it was when you moved in.

I would say they prolly did the same to previous tenant, I would get them to decorate in neutral colours either before or during you residency, Get it in writing.

sillylittlejill

We want to be there long term but this is starting to put us off.
I've got no idea how much it'll cost to decorate everything as I've never had to decorate anywhere before!
We've not signed the tenancy agreement before, will do that the day we get keys on 9th November but have paid a disgusting £200 in admin fees already!
Am I within my rights to tell them we do not want to decorate and they should get someone in to do it?
I'm happy to do the work but I don't want to pay for their last tenants mess (and I assume they deducted money from their deposit) so a bit confused as to why they think they're doing us a favour by "letting us put our own touch on the place"

m0bov

Get them to try another decorator.

Turnbull2000

Don't even think of decorating a property that's not your own. I've heard too many horror stories of tenants spending a small fortune, only to get evicted or face rent hike demands (as the property is improved).

If you're really fussed about decor and standards, I suggest you focus your efforts in jumping onto the property ladder.

hazyjo

As above - don't think about it. Will probably cost them £100-300 a room for decorator. And don't underestimate the cost of a tin of paint! At least £20-odd quid for something worth putting up (anything cheap will probably just need more coats). We used decent paint for a bedroom and it still needed three coats (2 tins). And that was one average sized room with wallpaper on one wall and 2 recesses!

Just say you're rubbish with a painbrush and you signed up while believing they were going to decorate. Also say you won't have the time and don't want to spend your weekendsd decorating!

If they say oh, it's not hard, we won't care how bad the cutting-in is, then tell them to do it themselves then if it's not hard.

HHonestly - don't underestimate the prep either! Don't do it!

Jx

[Deleted User]

Any agreement you do get.., get it in writing. You'd be better off losing the admin fee than paying to decorate the whole house (forgetting the learning curve and hours spent doing it when you have't decorated before). You will be lucky to get change from £300 even looking for bargains (been there done it).

I agree, this slapdash attitude would concern me. If they are like this about presentation of the property, and decorating, (and not keeping their word) what are they going to be like with repairs?

dimbo61

Having to redecorate the place and using a professional to do the job is all deductible expenses from profit of renting out!
Another crap landlord

Benji

dimbo61 wrote: »

Having to redecorate the place and using a professional to do the job is all deductible expenses from profit of renting out!
Another crap landlord

Very true, but that doesn't mean it won't cost the landlord anything - it just reduces the overall cost slightly.

Don't get me wrong, the landlord is in the wrong here and I think sillylittlejill could pull out of the deal and get her deposit back - though that might take a court case.

On the bright side sillylittlejill - your obligation is to return the property at the end of the tenancy in the same condition it was in at the start, less fair wear and tear. If the place is freshly decorated, more chance of money being kept from your deposit at the end.

dgtazzman

Tell them you'll happily take the £50 for the inconvenience of having their painter/decorator in after you move in. I wouldn't even remotely entertain the idea of decorating a rented house myself, who's to say they won't use it as an excuse to deduct from your deposit when you leave as it isn't the same colour scheme as when you moved in... Doesn't sound like it's a huge amount of work, so shouldn't cause too much inconvenience to have their guy in after you move to sort it all.