Landlord won't replace V old carpet...

Fay_elizabeth

I just want to get a couple of opinions on this matter if poss.

We live in a small 2 bed rental house in Bristol, we pay £805 a month for our house and rent through a lettings agent (next door have the mirror image house and they pay £500 to a private landlord, sickening!)

We've lived here 2 years and improved the property tenfold by repainting all the walls and ceilings and sorting the (overgrown) garden out for them.

One issue we have is the carpet. Its a really old, once cream carpet with no underlay to speak of. Its hard, damp and very very grubby. Its getting to the point where hoovering just feels like polishing a turd. I'm fed up with it. I've asked several times for it to be replaced and every time they've said no. In may we thought we were getting somewhere but they just sent someone round to shampoo it, which didn't look any different.

I have attached pics, what do you think. Have I got a case here? We are going to have a baby in a few months and there is no way I putting my baby anywhere near this carpet.

Thanks

martinsurrey

Fay_elizabeth wrote: »

Have I got a case here?

no.

it doesn't look dangerous, and they are under no obligation to provide a replacement.

G_M

Look around at rents. Is next door a one-off, or is that the market rate? If so, move.

The LL has no obligation to replace the carpet, though if he wants to keep you there paying a high rent, he'd be mad not to consider it!

Damp? Why is it damp? Putting down a new one won't help as whatever is causing the damp will just make the new one damp too! Identify the cause.

Consider

1) replacing it yourself. If you do, make sure
a) you get the LL's written permission.
b) you get a long fixed term - you don't want to spend your own money unless you have security & know you will be staying. So a 2 year(?) fixed term with no Break Clause?

martinsurrey

G_M wrote: »

Look around at rents. Is next door a one-off, or is that the market rate? If so, move.

2 bed in Bristol, neighbor has got a steal!

Fay_elizabeth

Thanks.

Unfortuantely moving wouldn't be an option for us for a while as I'm 6 months pregnant. We also have pets which makes it incredibly hard to find a rental property! - we already asked for an 18 month contract but they'd only allow 6 or 12 months. We're currently here til July 18.

Zoopla does state that our house is worth £650 in rental value... so we are paying way over the odds.

I'm considering getting the carpet replaced myself, just a bit gutting because it would be a big expense for us and they'd be benefitting in the long term.

pimento

If it's in the hall, lay a runner over the top. Use double sided carpet tape to stick it down so you don't trip over it.

Fay_elizabeth

Thanks Pimento. Its all over the house unfortunately, thought these pics are from the hallway (the worst bit!)

G_M

Fay_elizabeth wrote: »

We also have pets which makes it incredibly hard to find a rental property! -
Ah! Is that the of the damp.......?

we already asked for an 18 month contract but they'd only allow 6 or 12 months. We're currently here til July 18.
'they'? Who is 'they'? I assume the letting agents. So ask the landlord.

Zoopla does state that our house is worth £650 in rental value... so we are paying way over the odds.
Nothing you can do if you're not prepared to move. Mind you, Zoopla.....

I'm considering getting the carpet replaced myself, just a bit gutting because it would be a big expense for us and they'd be benefitting in the long term.

There are ways of getting cheap carpet, esp strips ie for a hallway.

LL might be more willing to offer a longer fixed term in return for you improving the property. So combine the request for his consent with your request to extend the contract.

Landlord's address:
Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 section 1

Fay_elizabeth

G_M We have only ever communicated through the lettings agents, they manage the property. Am I able to go directly to the landlord?

and no our pets didn't cause damp?! It appears to be rising through the concrete under the carpet.

seashore22

martinsurrey wrote: »

2 bed in Bristol, neighbor has got a steal!

Absolutely.

My daughter lives and works in Bristol and a 2 bed house in Bristol for £500 is a dream. She pays £650 for a one bed flat.

Op, it isn't sickening that you pay what you do. It sounds like the price is fair for the city.

The carpet looks ok to me. Certainly we've bought houses with worse carpets and had to live in them until we could afford to change them. Sometimes this took years. I'm sure someone has suggested this already, but a could steam clean would do wonders.

Edit - I've just spotted that it has been cleaned, so ignore that bit. On the other hand it may look a bit grubby, but a good clean means that your baby will be fine on it.

Why the damp? Is it an old house?

As someone has said, I would worry far more about the damp than a slightly tired carpet. Putting down a new carpet is pointless.

Fay_elizabeth

Thanks Seashore. The carpets have already been professionally cleaned.

I think it is sickening that two identical houses have a rental difference of £300 actually! We live on the outskirts of Bristol, it takes 40 mins to get to town so a 1 bed flat in the city centre isn't really comparable.