Tenant broken bed - how much to charge

Comms69

Davesnave wrote: »

OK, happy to be wrong. I took from the first post that this was an ad hoc arrangement with a friend, skipping some of the niceties of the usual formal contracts.

But it still doesn't work very well, does it?

If a deposit is taken, then the boot is on the other foot.

I agree, but that's upto the landlord. I've heard of one from a friend who didn't take a deposit, didn't provide a written tenancy, GSC, EPC, rght to rent check or renters guide.




More fool him, as a RRO is going to be received in a few months. Friend meanwhile is Teflon coated.

societys_child

frame has snapped above one of the drawers

Can it not be repaired? Sounds like a relatively easy fix, a few pounds for a piece of wood?

lookstraightahead

Is there anything she could come back to you with?

Honeylife

Deleted_User wrote: »

Hi everyone - hopefully you can help me this morning

I recently let a room to my friend - the room had just been decorated (new carpets, painted and blinds) and all furniture was new.

She didn't pay a deposit, but agreed that she would pay for any issues when she left. Currently she is having to pay to replace the carpet, as she burnt it and fix the blinds as she has broken them (from improper use not wear and tear!)

However the issue is that she has broken the divan bed frame and is refusing to pay for this. It is a 4 draw divan, and the frame has snapped above one of the drawers. She claims that it is reasonable for a bed to last 2 years, I was planning on selling this when she moved out - and she has instead offered me £100 for the bed & mattress.

Considering it was £370 new (Silent night mattress & 4 draw divan, grey) but it is now 2 years what would be a reasonable cost to charge her for this damage. Is she expected to replace the bed completely or is there a percentage reduction based on the years that is been in use? I suspect it could even be fixed and have suggested that she could try this or have the bed/mattress for £150


Thanks

She was a Friend/Lodger and you got no deposit to compensate for damages - (burnt carpet & broken blinds ). The bed and mattress were never going to last, that frame with drawers doesnt last long - research it. We have a 22 year old wooden bed frame with three mattresses in that time. That she has made an offer is a huge plus so take the £100 give her the bed and call it quits.

The next time you have a lodger Take a Deposit, that is what it is there for. Then you are in charge of the sums you can withdraw for replace and repair. Haggling with the departing Lodger is so not cool. Perhaps seriously consider a Licence Agreement too.

[Deleted User]

Hi everyone - sorry for the late reply but thank you for all of your advice!

I naively (and have learnt my lesson!) did not take a deposit as she is a friend - I offered her £150 or to fix the bed and I will either sell it/store it till my brother needs it.

Hopefully she leaves with everything as it should be, if not I would have learnt a valuable lesson and will definitely be more careful in future

Thanks

Teamocil

You should take up the issue of the poor quality bed with the retailer. Her offer is far too generous.

sevenhills

Teamocil wrote: »

You should take up the issue of the poor quality bed with the retailer. Her offer is far too generous.

I agree, if a bed breaks after 2 years it is not of merchandisable quality, unless the user was over 20 stones.

martindow

sevenhills wrote: »

I agree, if a bed breaks after 2 years it is not of merchandisable quality, unless the user was over 20 stones.

Who knows how many overweight people were in the bed at the time?

Honeylife

sevenhills wrote: »

I agree, if a bed breaks after 2 years it is not of merchandisable quality, unless the user was over 20 stones.

One of my earliest lodgers broke the bed. A large girl, (probably about 20 stone) she had a tendency to "drop" down onto the bed. (Yeah could hear her every time). Discovered the three broken slats about two weeks after she left when I went into the room to turn the mattress. Had already returned the Deposit. As it was a wooden pine bed with slats was able to replace just the broken slats. None have ever broken since (8 years). It made me very wary of taking large people something which I had never considered an issue before. Now at check out, I actually lift the mattress much to my departing lodger's horrified face but don't care. Lesson learnt.

teddysmum

Take the money and buy an ordinary wooden (pine) bed frame(including headboard). They aren't expensive, but you'd probably get one really cheaply on facebook Marketplace.