Property inspection

smub99

Hi all,

We have the estate agents coming round next week for a 'routine property visit', as it is coming to the end of our 12 month agreement and we are looking to stay longer.
The dilemma is that we had previously asked for the landlord's permission to wall fix a baby gate, as we have an open plan kitchen and living area, which they refused. We went ahead and fitted it anyway as we thought this to be unreasonable, with the intention of returning the walls to how they were when we received the keys.
We haven't had to deal with an inspection before so I am wondering what the best way is to deal with the situation:

a) remove the gate and fill up the walls before they come?

b) Leave the gate and make up some story that our baby nearly burnt himself on the oven so we had no choice, and we will repair walls before we leave?

Given that its coming to the end of the tenancy agreement the landlord could just turn around and serve us a notice, so we are a little concerned about that. What would be the best way to approach the situation?

pmlindyloo

smub99 wrote: »

Hi all,

We have the estate agents coming round next week for a 'routine property visit', as it is coming to the end of our 12 month agreement and we are looking to stay longer.
The dilemma is that we had previously asked for the landlord's permission to wall fix a baby gate, as we have an open plan kitchen and living area, which they refused. We went ahead and fitted it anyway as we thought this to be unreasonable, with the intention of returning the walls to how they were when we received the keys.
We haven't had to deal with an inspection before so I am wondering what the best way is to deal with the situation:

a) remove the gate and fill up the walls before they come?

b) Leave the gate and make up some story that our baby nearly burnt himself on the oven so we had no choice, and we will repair walls before we leave?

Given that its coming to the end of the tenancy agreement the landlord could just turn around and serve us a notice, so we are a little concerned about that. What would be the best way to approach the situation?

Obviously (b).

Your problem is that the LL refused permission but you went ahead and did it.

Anything in your tenancy agreement about holes in walls?

Your child's safety is the most important thing and although you and I both think the LL is being unreasonable you do have to face the possibility of their issuing a Section 21.

Let's hope the LA doesn't report back to the LL and you can sign the new agreement and have another year(?) of protection under a fixed term.

If the LA mentions it then go overboard and say you will get the holes professionally filled in and everything repainted.

DTDfanBoy

I would personally make good now, it shouldn't take much to pull it off the wall, perhaps hide the holes with a small amount of mastic so you can reuse them, then refit the gate after the inspection.

If you don't remove the gate and it's noticed at inspection your LL may take a dim view of you carrying out works you were explicitly told not to carry out.

smub99

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Anything in your tenancy agreement about holes in walls?

The only things from the tenancy agreement that could refer to this are:

"Not to decorate or make any alterations or additions to or in the Property without the prior written consent of the Landlord or the Agent which will not be unreasonably withheld."

or

"Not to hang any posters, pictures or other items in the Property using blu-tac, sellotape, nails,
adhesive, or their equivalents."

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Let's hope the LA doesn't report back to the LL and you can sign the new agreement and have another year(?) of protection under a fixed term.

Well I have already told them that I want to stay but would prefer a periodic tenancy, for the flexibility, so not sure if that would affect my decision?

DTDfanBoy wrote: »

I would personally make good now, it shouldn't take much to pull it off the wall, perhaps hide the holes with a small amount of mastic so you can reuse them, then refit the gate after the inspection.

If you don't remove the gate and it's noticed at inspection your LL may take a dim view of you carrying out works you were explicitly told not to carry out.

That was a thought, to re-fit after the inspection, but my concern is that I will need to keep doing this every time there is an inspection. Could this cause irreparable damage to the wall?

DTDfanBoy

smub99 wrote: »

That was a thought, to re-fit after the inspection, but my concern is that I will need to keep doing this every time there is an inspection. Could this cause irreparable damage to the wall?

It shouldn't, assuming you've put in a couple of wall plugs you should be able to use them several times, if you're screwed directly into timber you should also be alright providing you are careful not to strip the threads.

Guest101

It's funny what nonsense gets put into tenancy agreements.

Lord_Baltimore

Guest101 wrote: »

It's funny what nonsense gets put into tenancy agreements.

Such as clauses that attempt to protect the fabric of a property from tenants who don't pay a blind bit of notice?

I think you should leave the gate where it is so that the landlord can deduct an appropriate sum from your deposit for the wilful and unauthorised damage you have caused.

dodger1

Lord_Baltimore wrote: »

Such as clauses that attempt to protect the fabric of a property from tenants who don't pay a blind bit of notice?

I think you should leave the gate where it is so that the landlord can deduct an appropriate sum from your deposit for the wilful and unauthorised damage you have caused.

As long as the property is put back to it's original state as at the start of the tenancy before moving out then there is nothing the LL can do.

Guest101

Lord_Baltimore wrote: »

Such as clauses that attempt to protect the fabric of a property from tenants who don't pay a blind bit of notice?

I think you should leave the gate where it is so that the landlord can deduct an appropriate sum from your deposit for the wilful and unauthorised damage you have caused.

If there's damage, the tenant pays.

A clause saying you cant put up a poster, doesnt stop the LL charging for any loss suffered. - AT THE END of the tenancy

PasturesNew

They should just be visiting to ensure:
- you've not sublet to 37 illegal immigrants
- you've not ripped out the interior and installed a cannabis farm
- you've not painted the entire inside, walls and ceilings black and ripped up the carpets to burn in the fireplace you opened up where a gas fire used to exist.

Apart from that it's supposed to be your opportunity to point out stuff that needs fixing.

Stuff 'em. Brave it out and go for option (b) if asked.

jjlandlord

Many gates are held by rubber pads that are screwed tight on the wall. They usually do not even leave a mark on the wall.

Considering that such gates are common place, I would understand that a landlord would not be keen to actually screw a gate to the wall...