Furniture remaining in unfurnished rental flat

Up_For_Grabs

Any advice much appreciated. My Nephew has signed a lease to rent an unfurnished flat. He moves in at the end of the week.

There is a double bed left in one of the bedrooms. This is the only furniture left in the flat. He has asked the Agents to remove the bed and they say they can't.

I think that there may be difficulty in getting the bed out as this is a basement flat and not a lot of room to get furniture up and down the outside steps and this is possibly why they won't do anything.

I think an unfurnished flat should be just that. If they refuse to remove the bed what are the options? Can my Nephew charge for storing the bed as they certainly don't want to use it. Ideally they want the bed taken away before they move in.

They are new to renting and I think the agents are taking advantage.

One other thing. They have a dog. If the dog was to damage the bed what would be their liability for that damage?

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.

Pixie5740

Who is named as the landlord on the tenancy agreement? That is who your nephew has a contract with and that person is probably not the letting agency. Your nephew should contact the landlord and request the removal of the bed.

Whilst I agree that an unfurnished property should be just that I doubt your nephew could charge for storage. If the bed comes with the flat and it noted on the inventory then should your nephew, or his dog, damage the bed then he could have money deducted from his deposit.

Rental properties that don't kick up a stink about pets are few and far between so I recommend that your nephew tries to reach a compromise. For example, he could offer to dismantle the bed and take it outside if the landlord agrees to pay the council for a bulk uplift of the bed.

G_M

Is the bed on the inventory?
* if yes, then the flat comes with a bed.
* if no there are 2 options:
i) contact the landlord and ask for it to be removed
ii) use it for firewood. If asked where it is at end of tenancy, point to the inventory and say "What bed?"

The landlord must provide an address "for serving notices". However this may be c/o the agent.

Or use S1 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985

1 Disclosure of landlord’s identity.

(1)If the tenant of premises occupied as a dwelling makes a written request for the landlord’s name and address to—

(a)any person who demands, or the last person who received, rent payable under the tenancy, or

(b)any other person for the time being acting as agent for the landlord, in relation to the tenancy,

that person shall supply the tenant with a written statement of the landlord’s name and address within the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which he receives the request.

(2)A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with subsection (1) commits a summary offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

Winter_Phoenix

If neither the landlord nor the agency will take responsibility for removing it, advertise it on your local Freecycle. In my experience, someone will want it, and will be prepared to dismantle it and get it out of the basement.

G_M

Winter_Phoenix wrote: »

If neither the landlord nor the agency will take responsibility for removing it, advertise it on your local Freecycle. In my experience, someone will want it, and will be prepared to dismantle it and get it out of the basement.

Indded - another option. Though beware that if it IS on the inventory, you will likely be charged for it when you leave.