Advice Needed: RE house offered for rent in poor condition

MoroFenrir

I'd never ask a landlord to do something as menial as repair a door handle ....

I've repaired walls, doors, door frames and more myself.... I plan to replace the fence in the garden too as I don't like the one thats there it's a bit shoddy

The only things I wouldn't attempt are things to do with gas or electricity or plumbing

Repair wise I am talking something serious , Like if I wake up with no electricity , or water or the toilet doesn't work etc.

I just thought leaving the house unpainted meant he might be a cheap landlord, and I might struggle if ever I need essential work doing... but what you've all said about decorating makes sense... especially when combined with the fact that these are properties marketed at DSS tenants, so the landlord / agency doesn't take deposits, so has nothing to take out of to redecorate.

MoroFenrir

I don't mean holes in the walls like needs new plaster... just dents where furniture has been knocked against it , so it just needs some filler in it.

It's about right for the area, but they will accept DSS & Dogs , and we've been looking for houses for a year , most don't want either.

MoroFenrir

We've spoke to the agency, apparantley the landlord is very good for OK-ing repairs ,
he's also willing to put in writing in the contract that we can decorate the house how we want , change the fence and have our dogs

We're going for a second viewing tomorrow

Thank you for everyone's help , and the shelter & gov links

fairy_lights

MoroFenrir wrote: »

Basically every room will need repainting, and a couple of the carpets need replacing.

This would put me off. You could spend a lot of time and money decorating and carpeting the house - and what's to stop the landlord turning round after 6 months and giving you notice?

MoroFenrir

Nothing I suppose , previous tenant was in it for 5 years though and it's not cheap for the area, so it's not like they could get more rent once it's decorated.

It's not a sought after area , for most people that work or have to do a school run the area is terrible, bus service is practically non existant and it's 6 miles to the nearest shop

tlc678910

With electric heaters and single glazed windows I think it will be very expensive to heat this house (or very cold).

seven-day-weekend

Seeing as he lets to people on Benefits, he may not get as much money for it than otherwise and therefore does not want to spend money on cosmetics.

This doesn't mean he will not do repairs, because they are to do with the structure of his property.

MoroFenrir

We're still 50 / 50 , viewed again today , it's secondary double glazing

there's some condensation in the windows of two rooms, where the seals gone on the secondary glazing but estate agent says he won't replace that as it's just cosmetic.

It's passed its electic safety check and landlord is putting a new hob in the kitchen as the old ones scruffy.

There is what seems to be damp in one bedroom , and the living room below.

It doesn't look damp now, but we know from our house that when you paint over damp the paint flakes off which is what it's doing , estate agent is getting maintenance on it now to have a look, but they're fairly new houses for the area (past 30 years) so they can't see it being something majorly bad, most likely a roof tile or the insulation needing re-laying , and they said if we were to put an offer in then it would be done before we moved in.

We are still considering it , but looking at every angle.

On second look today, other than this damp issue it really is just all cosmetics , walls needing painting and carpets are scruffy , the previous tenant just hasn't cared for it

Landlord has said he will replace the main carpet in the living room as that's ripped, but the others are a bit scruffy but not damaged , so if we wanted to change them it would be down to us

Dan-Dan

"put an offer in" ?

Thought you were looking to rent it ?

Anyhow, sounds like a cesspit

MoroFenrir

Yes , Application would have been a better word.

It's not as bad as I've made it out to be , reading back on my old posts.

It just needs painting , and this damp issue looking at, all the other carpets would be ok after being cleaned and we have a carpet cleaner.

At the moment , we're waiting to hear about this damp , if the landlord will sort it, before we would be moving it, we might apply for it
Definetly won't if they don't do that.