Carpet in rented property - lifespan and replacement

PurpleStripedSocks

Hello,

We're moving out of rented accommodation which we've been in for 4 years. Two of the carpets have been damaged by our dog (permitted on tenancy agreement) and need to be replaced. We will also be paying to have all carpets cleaned (including the damaged ones to cover ourselves) and for fumigation.

The carpet was a cheap, polyester type berber loop pile flat felt backed job with no underlay. What would the expected reasonable lifespan be on such a carpet? I've been reading up on apportion and betterment, so trying to figure out a fair lifespan to calculate how much to offer to cover the damage we have caused.

Also, are we allowed to get our own quotes for a like-for-like replacement+fitting ? Eg by taking a sample and asking for the closest in terms of quality, style and colour to two carpet retailers such as carpetright and a local independent. Our landlord says he has a guy he always uses (he is a tradesman himself so they put business each others way) and rejected our offer of sourcing a replacement ourselves. But what if this guy isn't competitive? The ballpark figure our landlord gave us was £600 which seems high for two low quality carpets.

Just to clarify: the damage is NOT fair wear and tear, it's our fault. Throughout the house the rest of the carpet is fine in the room we don't use but flat as a pancake/worn in the hall, on the stairs etc. Still "ok" though, it hasn't worn through to nothing.

Many thanks in advance for any advice. We aren't trying to dodge our responsibility as tenants, just trying to figure out a fair and reasonable amount to offer. Our landlord has said the letting agent says it's best for us all if we don't use the deposit protection dispute service as it will end up in small claims.

ThePants999

Of course they say that.

If you have a legitimate deposit dispute, you absolutely use the protection scheme's dispute service, that's what it's for. It'll only end up in small claims if you or the LL take it there, and given how unlikely they are to disagree with the conclusion of the scheme's dispute service, that's simply a recipe for having to pay costs.

HappyMJ

PurpleStripedSocks wrote: »

Hello,

We're moving out of rented accommodation which we've been in for 4 years. Two of the carpets have been damaged by our dog (permitted on tenancy agreement) and need to be replaced. We will also be paying to have all carpets cleaned (including the damaged ones to cover ourselves) and for fumigation.

The carpet was a cheap, polyester type berber loop pile flat felt backed job with no underlay. What would the expected reasonable lifespan be on such a carpet? I've been reading up on apportion and betterment, so trying to figure out a fair lifespan to calculate how much to offer to cover the damage we have caused.

Also, are we allowed to get our own quotes for a like-for-like replacement+fitting ? Eg by taking a sample and asking for the closest in terms of quality, style and colour to two carpet retailers such as carpetright and a local independent. Our landlord says he has a guy he always uses (he is a tradesman himself so they put business each others way) and rejected our offer of sourcing a replacement ourselves. But what if this guy isn't competitive? The ballpark figure our landlord gave us was £600 which seems high for two low quality carpets.

Just to clarify: the damage is NOT fair wear and tear, it's our fault. Throughout the house the rest of the carpet is fine in the room we don't use but flat as a pancake/worn in the hall, on the stairs etc. Still "ok" though, it hasn't worn through to nothing.

Many thanks in advance for any advice. We aren't trying to dodge our responsibility as tenants, just trying to figure out a fair and reasonable amount to offer. Our landlord has said the letting agent says it's best for us all if we don't use the deposit protection dispute service as it will end up in small claims.

Expected lifespan of carpet of that description is no more than 5 years. A LL should expect to replace that type of carpet after every tenancy. It's dirt cheap at only a couple pounds per square metre.

I used to work at the NEC in Birmingham and that carpet was used for exhibitions and had a lifespan of just one week before it was worn out. It was heavily used though and would see 5 years of normal household use within one week. It always seemed strange throwing what was new carpet last week out.

I would take a sample of the damaged carpet before you leave the property and let it go through to small claims. The LL is not entitled to betterment and you might end up only paying about £50.

G_M

I was going to suggest 10 years, but I'm no carpet expert so bow to happyMJ's knowledge.

Take photos and a sample.

Yes, get quotes for a similar carpet. Ideally written quotes that you can present if necessary to arbitrators/court.

ukcarper

Recently had a room 4m by 2.5m carpeted in that type of carpet fitted for £100 wasn't the cheapest.

PurpleStripedSocks

Thank you. My husband had the afternoon off so we got quotes from SCS and CarpetRight by giving them a sample of the carpet and asking for a like-for-like replacement including fitting. Written quotes were £215 and £250ish for both rooms inclusive. I asked for expected lifespan and both shops said in a rented property 5 years. So if we offer £50 (250 ÷ 5 = £50...we've been in over 4 years so compensating our landlord for one year of use we have deprived him of) that should be fair?

When we spoke about it before he said that the letting agent told him ten years for the carpet.... We want to keep things amicable but ten years seems a bit optimistic for a cheap carpet when we have heard 5 from multiple sources. But what if he is insisting?

Thank you for your advice so far. Especially that it will be fine to use the deposit scheme resolution if necessary. :j

theartfullodger

I am a landlord: I usually carpet my properties with the 2nd cheapest carpet (yeah, mean eh...). I expect it to last 3-4 & if it is OK any longer consider it a bonus.

The "fair wear 'n tear" with a dog is obviously more than one single little old lady with no pets.

I don't think landlord should be charging anything: Feel free to quote me & refer your landlord to this excellent site (he might learn sumfink..) and this thread..

PurpleStripedSocks

Well, thank you for the advice everyone.

We approached our landlord with our findings in an email, laying out our quotes and lifespan. The email finished with
"obviously the advice and quote that you have received is different to the advice and quotes that we have sought. Please let us know how you wish to proceed. It may be that the fairest way forwards for both parties is to allow the independent deposit service to decide an appropriate deductible sum? "

The reply basically said that our proposal was unacceptable and that their quote and lifespan was correct. No negotiation as the damage was caused by us. We aren't disputing that the damage was our fault.

So with the deposit scheme dispute service... Whose quote would stand? The quote they have provided is from the the same guy who originally fitted the carpet but it won't be the same carpet. As a tradesman this is a contact who he uses and says he won't use anyone else.

Thanks.

HappyMJ

PurpleStripedSocks wrote: »

Well, thank you for the advice everyone.

We approached our landlord with our findings in an email, laying out our quotes and lifespan. The email finished with
"obviously the advice and quote that you have received is different to the advice and quotes that we have sought. Please let us know how you wish to proceed. It may be that the fairest way forwards for both parties is to allow the independent deposit service to decide an appropriate deductible sum? "

The reply basically said that our proposal was unacceptable and that their quote and lifespan was correct. No negotiation as the damage was caused by us. We aren't disputing that the damage was our fault.

So with the deposit scheme dispute service... Whose quote would stand? The quote they have provided is from the the same guy who originally fitted the carpet but it won't be the same carpet. As a tradesman this is a contact who he uses and says he won't use anyone else.

Thanks.

Your quote stands. Don't worry about that. As long as it definitely is like for like.

If you cause damage to someone else's property you are not obliged to pay the most expensive repair quote offered. You can pay the lowest one and if they choose to go to the highest one then they can pay the difference and use them.

So yes the fairest way is for the dispute to go to arbitration and let them decide. They will be as fair as possible to both parties. They will look at all quotes including yours and decide how much you should pay...if anything at all. You've made a fair offer so just leave it now and wait for the decision.

PurpleStripedSocks

Thank you. Our landlord just made a rather threatening phone call saying "if we want to play, he'll play" and said theres nothing in writing to prove we have permission to have a dog. Thankfully this is not the case (we have it in writing) but I'm worried this is suddenly turning nasty when we just wanted to calmly and fairly negotiate a fair deduction

I'm now quite concerned about what will happen whilst we remain in the property for another week.

novelty-socks

PurpleStripedSocks wrote: »

Thank you. Our landlord just made a rather threatening phone call saying "if we want to play, he'll play".

Your landlord sounds like a bit of a !!!!! You sound like good tenants. Move out on time, leave the place in good condition, take plenty of photos and then let the deposit scheme deal with it. Good luck!