Removing furniture not on inventory

msfi01

Hi,

We've been renting the same flat for many years and apart from two chairs, none of the furniture in the flat is on the inventory (bed, a table, other random bits). They've also not responded to several requests to repair broken appliances and are just generally unresponsive. We've asked for various items to be taken away and the landlord does not reply. Can we simply donate them?

We would hold on to the items that are in the inventory, but the rest is very poor quality and falling apart.

thanks!

lewishardwick

Does the inventory have any photographs showing items of furniture on the check in?

msfi01

Only of the two chairs. The other items were delivered after the inventory was completed and signed.

lewishardwick

Did you ask for said items? Did you sign for them? Do you have a paper trail between you and the LL/LA?

I'd be very wary of removing anything if it's ever been itemised in writing.

theartfullodger

It seems you know they are the property of the landlord.

In your shoes I would write to him & request he removes them.

msfi01

We've written on several occasions usually at lease renewal (they renew every year, we don't have a continuing lease) to ask for items to be removed, such as the bed, and the landlord has either not replied or refused.

This is the only paper trail.

TBagpuss

Worst case scenario is that when you move out, the landlords want the furniture back, and if you can't return it, they will look to recover the value from you.
Obviously you can limit this by taking photos of the furniture to prove they were in poor condition / inexpensive, which would reduce the amount that the landlord could claim for them.

You could also write to the landlord to ask them to remove the items and state that if you don't hear back within x days then you will assume that they have not further interest in the items and will take steps to dispose of them.
BUT this is not guaranteed - unless they give a positive yes then you can't impose an agreement on them, but if they fail to respond then you could potentially argue that you had a reasonable belief that they had agreed.

Although I can understand your frustration, I think that the issue of them not repairing things is separate to that of the furniture (unless any of the furniture is broken)

booksurr

so both you and the LL have correspondence documenting the existence of these items and yet, rubbish quality or not, you are now asking if it is allright to destroy/dispose of someone else's property without their permission?
REALLY?

Cakeguts

When you originally moved into the flat did you discuss with the landlord the furniture that you now say is broken? I can't make sense out of what you have written. Are you saying that you agreed to rent a flat and that then without you knowing anything about it the landlord just suddenly decided to supply some extra furniture? Or did you know that extra furniture was going to be supplied when you agreed to rent the flat?

Who are you thinking of donating this poor qualify falling apart furniture to? No one wants broken furniture.

If you knew that this furniture was going to be in the flat and you didn't want it why did you allow the landlord to deliver it after you moved in? Or are you saying that you have over the years bought your own furniture and you now don't want what the landlord provided?

You cannot just get rid of the landlord's furniture because it doesn't suit you to have it any more. If the landlord doesn't want to remove it he doesn't have to just as you don't have to continue to live in flat with broken appliances and broken furniture.

I would suggest that as you now don't like the furniture that was supplied and you don't like the fact that the landlord doesn't repair broken appliances that you now move to an unfurnished flat where you supply your own furniture and your own appliances.

G_M

* Repairing Obligations: the law, common misconceptions, reporting/enforcing, retaliatory eviction & the new protection (2015)