Landlord expectations after 16 years

Tracet74

I really appreciate everyone's input and here's the twist - I'm the tenant.

In 16 years, there has been 3 Gas Safe certificates and 1 EICR.  I have met the landlord once, hence no maintenance and I have zero relationship with. There has been 1 inspection by an agent 6-7 years ago where various issues were noted.  This included the oven broken and lack of smoke alarm.

I'm finally at the point of being able to leave but I'm expecting push back as I have been a good tenant.  All that has been changed is the boiler and dishwasher replaced and a leaking tap.

I'm weighing up if it's worthwhile repairing the bits I have detailed (sink, hob and door) as they aren't wear but struggling to find the balance between doing it officially (serving notice) or seeing if a pragmatic approach would be beneficial.  Difficult to judge when you don't know the other party.

Due to the lack of maintenance/safely certificates etc, I suspect a Tribunal would through the book at them.

BonaDea

Does your landlord have your deposit, and is it in one of the deposit protection schemes?  In your place I'd do nothing except thorough cleaning and see whether he/she asks for deductions.  If your deposit is with a scheme you can dispute them.

caprikid1

BonaDea said:

Does your landlord have your deposit, and is it in one of the deposit protection schemes?  In your place I'd do nothing except thorough cleaning and see whether he/she asks for deductions.  If your deposit is with a scheme you can dispute them.

Also does your landlord have an inventory.

Personally 16 years I would have thanked them and wished them well. Personally as a landlord obviously I would have liked to have known about these issues but it sounds like I will be giving the next tenants a nice fresh house.

Tracet74

The deposit was protected but cannot remember who with as it was re-registered.  I've not signed a new AST from the original so I've no recent paperwork to try and find it.

Yes, I have the original inventory but things like the blinds on the windows have perished in the sun.

Grumpy_chap

Tracet74 said:

Having had the same tenants (youngish family) with no maintenance whatsoever. What would you as a landlord expect to come under fair wear and tear?

There are a few accidental breakages such as the sink but presumably this would not be included.

Thanks in advance.

As a LL, with one T for 16 years, regular rent received and no void periods, I would be expecting to undertake a full refurbishment of the property and would return the full deposit to the departing T whom I would wish well on their future journey through life

Even accidental damages I would simply overlook. As LL, let's assume the life of a sink is expected to be 20 years (which is possibly high), and the cost if probably less than £500 to supply and fit the replacement sink and whatever making good is required, so if I wanted to be awkward I could claim (20-16)/20 = 4/20 = £100 tops.  It would be petty given the good tenant and the need to refurbish the property in any case.

There was a recent thread where similar matters were discussed.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6535919/compensating-landlord-at-end-of-tenancy/p1

_Penny_Dreadful

Tracet74 said:

Due to the lack of maintenance/safely certificates etc, I suspect a Tribunal would through the book at them.

Which tribunal would throw the book at them? Gas safety certificates or a lack thereof is dealt with by HSE and a lack of maintenance can be escalated to the local authority but if you’re about to move out then it’s a bit late to start worrying about either of those things unless you intend to use a lack of GSC and/or maintenance to fight a section 21. 

The broken sink is damage. It might have been an accident but it is damage and not fair wear and tear.  A seized lock is a maintenance issue for the landlord to sort. I’ve dealt with a few seized locks in my time and I’ve not had to resort to sawing a door yet so I’m not quite sure what happened there.  I can’t understand what’s happened with the knobs on the cooker. I thought they were usually mechanical rather than electrical.  In any case, whilst you do appear to have caused damage, after 16 years I’d probably just suck it up as the landlord. 

Tracet74

Thanks Penny.

The door in question is the bathroom door. The lock mechanism jammed with the door shut, happening over a band=k holiday with my friend inside!! Someone sympathetically cut through the bolt with part of the frame just to gain access.  The entire lock has been glued in place so will need to have the door replaced.

I sprayed the entire hob with Elbow Grease and left it to soak, forgetting it would work it's way down into the ignition.  They were a little stiff to start but now 3 out of 4 have seized.

theoretica

I wouldn't repair/replace if I were the tenant.

If the landlord claims, it can only be a part of the cost taking into account the age of the item, while if you repair you would be paying in full. 

16 year old stove - time to say goodbye to it anyway. 

BonaDea

It shouldn't be a problem that you can't remember which scheme your deposit is with - as far as I recall (no longer a LL), there are only two or three, so just phone them and ask.  

Bookworm105

Damage is damage no matter how long the tenant has been there.
Respect for other people's property does not include the ability to smash it up and say: never mind it was worn out.

That does not however mean new for old when charging for its replacement