Do we need to paint when leaving rented house?

Annabee

Going to be moving out of our rented house soon (landlord is selling). We have been here for seven years. One of the people at the agency apparently mentioned in passing (my partner says) that we would be wanting to allow ourselves time to touch up the paintwork.

The thing is though, we have enough to do. Do we have to, is it not 'fair wear and tear'? And he is selling anyway, so presumably, the buyer will wish to redecorate for themselves, as it is quite tired. Will they try to take money for redecoration from the deposit if we don't? Would they be likely to succeed?

Another factor that may be significant is that there is no inventory as far as I know. We did ask for one when we moved in, but nothing, so we left it.

Retired_Mortgage_Adviser

Good god no. Having spent 7 years in the property, fair wear and tear will over pretty much anything that isn't clear damage. Additionally, if you paint it, you risk giving the LL grounds to claim that it's different from what he had in place and the costs to restore it.

If there was no inventory, then that's all the more reason to leave things as they are. The landlord will struggle to prove condition at start of tenancy if it went to a dispute.

need_an_answer

No inventory...then these not much of a case.

If they do however wish to propose deposit deductions then dispute it using the deposit service whom your deposit is registered with.

They have a fair arbitration service but in all honesty in the absence of an inventory the agent and the LL wont get far.

Annabee

Yes I thought that the lack of inventory would be good for us, which is why I didn't keep pressing the point seven years ago.

The thing is though, what if they think there is an inventory? Say they posted one out and we didn't receive it for some reason? But obviously they have nothing signed by us...... What would happen does anyone know? (Been wondering this for the last seven years!)

Slithery

The deposit scheme will look at the evidence from both sides and make a decision. A missing inventory doesn't mean that the landlord automatically loses though, they can still make a successful claim if they have other paperwork they can provide (invoices for new carpets/decorating etc just prior to the tenancy commencing for example).


But as already stated above, unless you've actually damaged anything then I don't think your LL has a case, they should have already budgeted for decorating after a 7 year tenancy anyway.

Hippo

After 7 years I'd suggest it needs redecoration anyway.

Fill any holes etc but painting is down to the LL

Fire_Fox

Annabee wrote: »

Going to be moving out of our rented house soon (landlord is selling). We have been here for seven years. One of the people at the agency apparently mentioned in passing (my partner says) that we would be wanting to allow ourselves time to touch up the paintwork.

The thing is though, we have enough to do. Do we have to, is it not 'fair wear and tear'? And he is selling anyway, so presumably, the buyer will wish to redecorate for themselves, as it is quite tired. Will they try to take money for redecoration from the deposit if we don't? Would they be likely to succeed?

Another factor that may be significant is that there is no inventory as far as I know. We did ask for one when we moved in, but nothing, so we left it.

'Tired' is probably fair wear and tear, chips gouges and scratches are damage, scuffs and grubbiness warrant a 'deep clean'. It is not uncommon for tenants to be charged by letting agents for a pricey professional clean.

Sugar soap can work wonders on 'tired' paintwork and on scuffs not shifted by any other cleaning product, so it is worth doing a few test patches. The walls in my flat come up amazingly well even though they have not been painted in fifteen years.

You can wash down large areas of walls/ ceiling/ doors/ tiles in a short time with sugar soap in a spray bottle and a microfibre flat pad 'mop'. Not casting aspersions on your cleanliness, it is surprising what can settle out of the air onto paintwork over time.

HTH!

Mutton_Geoff

Fire_Fox wrote: »

You can wash down large areas of walls/ ceiling/ doors/ tiles in a short time with sugar soap in a spray bottle and a microfibre flat pad 'mop'.

I've just done this for a friend who's moving out of rented they had for 6/7 years. I'd forget the microfibre thing, they are perfect for polishing and catching dust. Two buckets and separate decorators sponges. One with strong sugar soap (powder version cheaper to buy) with warm water and cold water rinse in the other.


Work in smallish areas, a couple of square metres at a time, starting from the coving (I did the ceiling as well). Work down to catch any runs later. Wash with sugar soap, immediately rinse with a couple of goes of clean water. Use an old towel to buff the wall to avoid any runs from cold water rinse.


Regularly change the cold water. The dirty sugar soap will still go a long way. One pack of 430g from Screwfix was more than enough for a room 6m by 3.2m inc ceiling. I used a quarter of the pack per bucket of warm water. Total walls/ceiling area cleaned 65sm m. The room looked freshly decorated when I'd finished (and it had dried out).

shortcrust

Annabee wrote: »

Going to be moving out of our rented house soon (landlord is selling). We have been here for seven years. One of the people at the agency apparently mentioned in passing (my partner says) that we would be wanting to allow ourselves time to touch up the paintwork.

The thing is though, we have enough to do. Do we have to, is it not 'fair wear and tear'? And he is selling anyway, so presumably, the buyer will wish to redecorate for themselves, as it is quite tired. Will they try to take money for redecoration from the deposit if we don't? Would they be likely to succeed?

Another factor that may be significant is that there is no inventory as far as I know. We did ask for one when we moved in, but nothing, so we left it.

I’d have enjoyed giving them my thoughts on their suggestion!

Assuming I hadn’t scrawled satanic symbols on the walls there’s no way I’d be touching a paintbrush, or sugar soap for that matter. A landlord should be prepared to do quite a bit of work after a seven year tenancy.

Fire_Fox

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

I've just done this for a friend who's moving out of rented they had for 6/7 years. I'd forget the microfibre thing, they are perfect for polishing and catching dust. Two buckets and separate decorators sponges. One with strong sugar soap (powder version cheaper to buy) with warm water and cold water rinse in the other.

Work in smallish areas, a couple of square metres at a time, starting from the coving (I did the ceiling as well). Work down to catch any runs later. Wash with sugar soap, immediately rinse with a couple of goes of clean water. Use an old towel to buff the wall to avoid any runs from cold water rinse.

I have needed to 'deep clean' the front section of my city centre flat annually (windows much more often) for twelve years. :eek: Tried multiple combos of sponges/ cloths/ mops/ detergents/ degreasers ...... Honestly my way is less sweaty and less arm-achey than your system.

You have misinterpreted my suggestion of a microfibre flat-pad 'mop', I think. Neither of mine are intended for dusting: in fact the smaller one is a "telescopic window mop" but it's brilliant for ceilings and the upper part of walls too.

As you rightly say, diluting sugar soap powder is cheaper than diluting the yellow liquid in a bowl/ bucket. IMO spraying on a strong solution of the yellow liquid and washing off with hot water trumps both of those for economy and efficacy. I use a bog-standard trigger bottle for interior surfaces and a pressurised garden sprayer for the exterior (windows).

HTH!

G_M

If you have damaged the paintwork, either touch it up or you can be charged for it to be re-painted. However the LL cannot claim for 'betterment' (google it or see link below).


If the paintwork is just old and tired after 7 years, that is 'wear and tear' and you cannot be charged for it. See



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