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Asking Landlord/Agency For Home Upgrades--Any Tips?
Comments
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I'd suggest making a list of what you would most like the landlord to do, being realistic about the costs of works, the necessity of the jobs, and the level of disruption. Then think about what improvements you have made and are willing to do yourself.
Then invite the landlord round for a chat about the property, or if tgat isn't possible then write a letter. Explain how you've been there a while and intend to stay for longer a couple of years if pushed to specify) but the place is getting dated and worn in areas. How you would appreciate these tasks being done and if he's agreeable you'll fund these tasks (eg new lino and sliding door) yourself.
I think all new carpets, a new kitchen, a sliding door and removal of the artex kitchen and bathroom walls is an excessive ask. They are expensive tasks which would use up many years of profit for most landlords. The protect would probably let to new tenants easily without the artex removal and sliding door so there's no need for the landlord to do it. Plus considering the dust and small chance of asbestos I wouldn't want it done while a smsll child is living there. However if you stress how long you've lived there meaning he hasn't had to pay adverting and reletting costs and keep your request realistic then you never know.Don't listen to me, I'm no expert!0 -
As a landlord I do my refurbishments when the property is empty .
Last time I did it the tenant moved out on a Thursday I had new wooden floors and redecorated by Tuesday ."Do not regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many"0 -
I had artexed walls in the bathroom, I basically got boxes of plaster powder for a £1 from pound shops, mixed it up and filled the walls, then sanded down carefully. Walls are now smooth. Much easier than removal and because I did it myself, it got done. Its usually the recommended way of dealing with artex, I'm surprised you haven't googled and found this out.
If you damaged the vinyl, you can/should replace it. Look on ebay, its not enormously expensive. If you don't, it can't be that urgent.
Then you can concentrate on the hob etc.., stress that it might present electrical dangers.
I'm afraid at the rent level you are paying, you are asking for expensive repairs. Personally, I think you will be lucky to get them done. I know I lived for four years in a house much more in need of repair, paying £750-£850 in rent and didn't get anything done, no matter how often or persuasively I tried to ask.
But you can ask, of course. Like me, you'll probably find he does the things you've been asking for once you leave. I did point out to my LL that I probably would have been happier to stay if he'd done all this work (including rewiring, reflooring, repainting etc) a couple of years ago. As it was, I couldn't wait to leave in many ways.0 -
Try a different approach, ensure it is a permanent let and offer to do some of the work yourself maybeBlackpool_Saver is female, and does not live in Blackpool0
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If you've just had a new child and are planning to move in two years and want to save over that period, I'd suggest you simply leave it as is as keep saving.
You are risking a significant raise in rent just to get it decorated better at the stage when your child will likely be creating havoc and messing up anything nice, spill it stuff on carpets etc.
Save your money now and put that money into your new house you'll get the benefit from, not something you know is temporary.
It's even possible by talking to your LL you'll give him the impetus to ask you to leave, renovate and raise rents sooner than planned. Whereas if say in 12 months time he comes to you and says he's going to renovate and you need to leave, perhaps you can negotiate a delay in that.
If you ask now, why would he renovate for you when he knows you'll be out soonish, and then it won't be pristine for the new tenant ?0 -
Blackpool_Saver wrote: »Try a different approach, ensure it is a permanent let and offer to do some of the work yourself maybe
Don't think OP wants anything permanent he is saving to buy!0 -
Smedders11 wrote: »Hello all,
I'm currently a renter of six years, and the home we're in hasn't been redecorated or improved at any point during the tenancy, nor has it likely had anything done for several years prior to that.
The house isn't in a bad state, but it's getting dated and showing signs of wear, particularly in the carpets and the kitchen. We're reliable renters, never missing a payment, keeping the house well looked after and even improved (vastly improved both gardens and refreshed the paint according to the same scheme) parts of it. At the most we're likely to be renting for no more than two more years, and we feel that the lanldlords would definitely renovate the house when we leave considering it would have certainly been at least ten years since having any work.
Does anyone have any advice or tips on how to approach this? We currently pay £450pcm and have been for the entire tenancy, which I feel is below the market rate (haven't really looked). We wouldn't really mind paying a bit more for a nicer home, but do worry about probably getting a raw deal from it, and don't really want to walk into a situation we can't back out of--for example, bringing up the option of paying more rent.
What we'd like is the following:
1) New carpets. It's the same carpet scheme throughout the house, and it's showing some signs of wear, and is getting increasingly difficult to clean.
2) We currently have an open connection to our kitchen ( a gap smaller than a standard door). We would like to be able to close that off, with say a sliding door or something.
3) A new kitchen. Very worn. The kitchen hob and oven are dated, and an electrician recently noted we should have it replaced (starting to rust/corrode around the elements). The counters are frayed and the joints are worn. We've also damaged the lino (fully our fault, but it's cheap and not well fitted). There is also a fridge and freezer under the counter, which we don't use and was left by the LL/previous tenant.
The above three are the main points, but there's one other point we'd like to bring up if we feel the landlord is open to improvements: removing the artex on the kitchen and bathroom walls. We both hate it, and it's very, very difficult to clean. I've heard it's a horrible job to remove though, so perhaps may be unreasonable.
So yeah, any advice? Think we're being unreasonable? Should we bring up the fact we plan on leaving in a couple of years as it'll probably need some work doing, or should we keep quiet and play the good tenant?
Thanks!
1: You can ask for whatever you want. The LL is under no obligation to carry out any of your requests (unless they fall into safety categories or the property would be otherwise uninhabitable)
2: The LL can increase the rent without carrying out any of the work
3: Do you have it in writing that you can make any of the changes you've made (for example the garden) - if not you may be liable to costs in returning it to the original state0 -
I lived in a shabby property with a ramshackle collection of the LL's reject furniture at below market rent for some years whilst I saved a deposit; it had a private garden and was in a great location. As long as the heating and white goods worked, I genuinely didn't care about the ancient woodchip and ugly blinds.
Remember that the LL's idea of tasteful decor may differ wildly to yours and it's unlikely to be expensive, high quality stuff.
Just keep saving and remind yourself of the pleasant contrast when you get your own place.They are an EYESORES!!!!0 -
I'll probably just keep quiet rather than risk an excessive or fruitless rent increase. I understand the points with regards to saving now and putting up with it, and the rational finance part of fully agrees, but the family side thinks, 'we could certainly live in a more pleasant home'!
As for the suggestions to do it myself with permission, I really don't fancy the idea of throwing away my own money for someonesomeone else's benefit, and not least when I'd bet the very improvements I'm tempted to suggest will be carried out once we leave!
I feel that some have got the impression I intended going to demand these. That's not the case. Rather, I wondered if any landlords or tenants have experience with trying to get something similar by offering a genuine request, one based on a reliable and respectful tenant and a landlord who will certainly want to do the same work when we leave.
I'll just keep my cards close to me now. Wait for him to suggest a rent increase (which we think we're overdue, even in the current climate) and barter for the improvements or just leave to somewhere closer to work, or just pocket the money for a mortgage.
Thanks again.0 -
If you are saving for a deposit and only plan on staying there another two years then why not stick it out for that time? It sounds like there isn't actually anything wrong with the house apart from just needing some cosmetic upgrading. As others have said you will risk a rent increase and you may end up wishing you had saved that extra money for any work that needs doing in your own house when you end up buying.0
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