Carpet replacement query

tomhudson21

Hi all,

We are due to move out of our current property in a few weeks. The landlord has noted that one corner of a doorway is damaged with a frayed corner - see attached image below. If we damaged this, I wouldn't have an issue that it's ours to pay for, although the issue is that when we moved in the corner was more or less as it is now. Over a year or so, it has gotten worse, but it was not neatly tucked under the metal bracket in the picture when we first moved in and was already frayed.

https://ibb.co/LZRvqJv

I imagine it's not easy to replace a carpet corner like this, without the carpet original being available. Would a new corner bought from a shop slotted over it be acceptable?

When we moved in, we did not actually sign an inventory or have a way for us to note damages we noticed in the house. We did ask the landlord, but she said she was not going to bother doing one.

Does anyone have an opinion on who is really to blame here, and if it came to it, who is likely to be liable if we could not agree and wanted to dispute the claim?

Thanks all.

Wanderingpomm

How olds the carpet?
The LL cannot charge you to repair the carpet, just to make good and restore it to how or would be if not damaged.

tomhudson21

I assume it's quite old, I think they used to live in the house themselves and is from when they lived there.

The carpet was frayed when we moved in so really we don't feel it's fair we pay for it. We have damaged it a little more due to the fact it was frayed in this way though.

tomhudson21

p.s. added link to picture in OP.

ThePants999

The onus is on the landlord to prove their claims about your damage. Without having done a check-in inventory, she's basically got no way to do that - that's why landlords DO check-in inventories, it's not for the tenant's benefit.

dimbo61

When you leave make sure the property is clean and tidy with no rubbish left behind.
Take your rubbish to the tip and do not leave the bins overflowing.
Take lots of photos and dispute any deductions from your deposit which the landlady may think she can claim.
Without a signed Inventory with good quality photos or a video inventory how can the LL prove what the condition of the property was like before you moved in!

tomhudson21

I thought so, thanks for the replies. It's a shame as she's been really good to us all year, but hitting us with a carpet replacement from our deposit at the end just does not seem right to me.

Cheers all.

AdrianC

Put the deduction to the deposit protection scheme's arbitration.

If she has photographic evidence, then it'll show what it was like when you moved in - and you say it was like that already.
If she doesn't have photographic evidence, then it's not being deducted.

That apart, she can only claim for the loss of remaining life - so if it's a 5yo carpet with a life expectancy of 10yrs, then she can only claim half the value.

frankles

The landlord is pulling a fast one - say you intend to contest it and proceed with how it was like that to start with. even if it wasn't I'd argue this was fair wear and tear. I'd also have a go at tucking it in under the metal as you said it was before. landlords are delusion if they expect their rented properties to be kept in pristine condition, it's not like give a hoot if the next tenant doesn't have an immaculate carpet. Shame you didn't take pictures etc at the start but we all have to learn the hard way with stuff like this (i've had a similar situation a couple of times - although in the days before the scheme was in place to protect from the sort of nonsense like this which would see whole deposits disappear!) unfortunately when it comes to landlords - always expect and prepare for the worst, and protect yourself at every turn. Make sure all communication has been communicated via email too. Good luck FYI you are definitely not in the wrong here, so don't admit fault!

Pennysmakepounds

To be honest, as a LL you would normally take the hit on carpets as 'wear and tear' if tenant has been in the property for a period of over 24 months after the carpets have been changed and you were the first tenant in after a refurbishment.

or 12/18 months if they had not.

I know LL can be very 'Stingy' and expect tenants to pay unfair exit fees and expect the property to be in the EXACT state at exit as it was on Entry, but most are reasonable and expect a level of wear and tear and budget a certain % of income to repairs.

The demand sounds VERY reasonable to me unless the carpets were brand new, when you moved in.