Just moved into rental home- NEED HELP please

skyjumper

hi all,

Just moved into a rental place yesterday with my family.

a couple of things I need some advise, not rented in the UK for a while.

Everything went through the EA and we were told that the LL will be managing the property. the day we got our keys ( yesterday) the EA went through all the basics including meter readings etc. and we signed the form.

1. the carpets are in a bad state, esp the ones in the bedrooms, we only saw it after re-arranging bedsteads - with lots of dog hair dust accumulated over a period of time plus there are more than 10 black marks - prob from cigarette burns - Can I ask the LL to get it cleaned again properly, coz I am going to be living there with a toddler and a 5 year old.

2. there are 2 cupboards - one in one of the bedroom(behind the bedstead) and other one one at the end of the hallway downstairs( where can hang our coats and leave the shoes) - full of bin bags packed with lots of stuff, either the LL or the previous tenants - looks like it been there for a looooong time. the problem is there are cobwebs in there are spiders coming out once in a while - we found out abt the spiders after my toddler daughter went after one last night - I would like both this place to be emptied and cleaned - is it the LL repsonsibility or I just have to tell the LL and do it myself?

3. 2 of the walls in the bedroom was stained with what looks like coffee or coke spills - when pointed this to the EA, she just said it will go with some sugar soap solution and some hand grease - clearly this should be done NOT by us, and the people who actually done it, where do I stand if I need to take this up with the LL and get it properly cleaned ?

4. the shower room drain is completely clogged ( just found out the first morning) and water is dripping out. I know there is some liquid which can be poured into it to get it cleaned, but again this should have been done before we moved in, so am I ok addressing this with the LL?

Sorry for the loong post , I don't want to sound like a difficult tenant right from the beginning of the tenancy and hence want to see where I stand before I address these with the LL.

Thanks a lot for your patience in reading this long post and thanks in advance for any suggestions..

pmlindyloo

First and foremost take dated photographs of everything that you have mentioned (and anything else). This will hold you in good stead when you move out.

Secondly, have you had an inventory done? If you haven't then this will be useful when you leave the property as without a proper inventory then the LL will find it difficult to deduct any money from your deposit.
If there is an inventory update it with all your concerns - sign each page and return to the landlord.

As to what you want to do about it then basically there are two options.

1. Clean it yourself (none of it sounds particularly arduous)
2. Telephone landlord but follow up in writing how you found the property. Ask what he/she wants done with the left behind property. You can ask for the cost of cleaning/landlord to get someone in to clean - up to you.

Since you have just started your tenancy you are not in danger of being given a notice to quit but if you ruffle feathers you may be ousted at the end of your fixed term.

Personally I would telephone first and say how disappointed you are at the state of the property and go from there.

I agree that all this should have been sorted before you went in there but it sounds as if the property isn't managed by the Letting agent so there was probably no check out done and no inventory made.

Up to you really - annoying and not good but will be in your favour as regards deposit deductions in the future.

You must sort out the left behind stuff though. Don't throw it away until you find out who it belongs to.

Just make sure you document everything that LL says - always follow up in writing - eg re: our telephone conversation on *** you told me blah blah. Keep a copy and proof of posting. This saves a lot of hassle at the end of the tenancy if the LL gets stroppy.

Hopefully you can sort this all out amicably.

19lottie82

In fairness this sounds like stuff you can sort yourself. It just needs a bit of elbow grease. However as has already been advised make sure you take dated photos before you clean.

Tiddlywinks

If you raise your concerns formally then stick to the points and be brief.

For instance, there shouldn't be bin bags of stuff in the cupboard BUT, as to the spiders, you get them everywhere... mentioning you have a toddler who found a spider will just make you sound 'precious' and hysterical.

Offer solutions... say you are happy to arrange for the carpet to be cleaned but you want to be reimbursed.

Send photos of the condition to have them on record.

To be honest, these things don't sound like the end of the world so approach your LL in a calm way and then you'll get to see just what s/he is like.

getzls

I would be careful of disposing things.
You don't want someone coming back and saying that rubbish was valuable and they were just going to collect it and gimmie £££ to replace it.

Unlikely i know but!

Tiddlywinks

getzls wrote: »

I would be careful of disposing things.
You don't want someone coming back and saying that rubbish was valuable and they were just going to collect it and gimmie £££ to replace it.

Unlikely i know but!

They only have grounds to say it's missing if there is proof it was there in the first place.

Nothing noted on the inventory? Then it didn't exist at the point of changing tenancy.

pineapple123

I would contact the Landlord and as others have said document and take photos areas of concern. Ask about the items left and permission to discard them.

My concern is if someone made a complaint about coffee stains, spiders etc etc and expected the LL to clean the carpet which the LL might consider to be OK at the LL own time and expense then they might expect the property to be left spotless when that tenant moved out and even expect them to pay for professional cleaning company, with small children its difficult to keep everything spotless and damage free so you could find yourself out of pocket at a later date.

skyjumper

thanks everyone for the time and advise.

as I mentioned, it's been a while since I rented in the UK and thought it was a normal procedure to have the place professionally cleaned before the commencement of the tenancy. I had it done when I had my own property and it was the tenants duty to keep it as the way it was given to them - of course, with some wear and tear. Just stuffing wardrobes with bin bags and having dog hairs all over the bedroom floor carpet, I just thought was a bit OTP, and I am gonna get it professionally cleaned, as my family is gonna be living in it, want to make it a home, rather than just a house.

and sorry, I was living in a place where we used to see spiders only in the zoo, so it was a bit of a shock when I saw our little daughter chasing one on the carpet.

but once again, thanks a lot for the advise and suggestions - will take pixs and speak to the LL. There is a short inventory, but all it says is the material things in the room, and their conditions, like - brown color carpet- clean - no mention of the cig marks or the dog hairs or anything else, so will add them as well....

Kynthia

If the inventory isn't accurate then you need to quickly amend it, take a copy and send one to the landlord.