No deposit and no inventory, can landlord pursue for charges if they want to?

Rockybal

I have been in a long term private rental where the landlord took no deposit, and didn’t provide any inventory at the start of the tenancy. I have looked after the property and upgraded it in some areas such as removing woodchip, replacing carpet, tiling bathroom floor etc. but the landlord is already being unreasonable before I have left suggesting items need to be left that weren’t there when I moved in! They told me when I fitted doors I could get rid of the old ones, but now I want to take my solid doors with me they are stating I need to provide the originals which they told me to skip at the time. With them not having taken a deposit or having an inventory to state about the doors etc. can they even pursue me for charges if I take my doors with me? 

theartfullodger

He has the right to pursue through court.  Doubt he'd win without inventory or photos.  Might have them but not shared with you? But....

Unless you had his permission (in writing?) to make all those changes landlord can reasonably pursue you to reverse changes.  Really.

The_Unready

Did you originally intend to leave the new doors and have now changed your mind? It doesn't seem unreasonable to me that a landlord would expect some doors to be left in the house after a tenant had left!

Rockybal

The_Unready said:

Did you originally intend to leave the new doors and have now changed your mind? It doesn't seem unreasonable to me that a landlord would expect some doors to be left in the house after a tenant had left!

When I moved in the landlord advised to do what I want to the place to make it my home and it’s mine as long as I want it. I explained about changing the doors and asked if he would like to keep the originals and he said not to bother and put them in the skip (which was there for other work being done). Not they have served a section 21 and I want to take the doors with me as they will fit in the new property, the only reason they don’t have the original is because the landlord advised to skip them. The problem is this was not in writing and was verbal. 

Rockybal

theartfullodger said:

He has the right to pursue through court.  Doubt he'd win without inventory or photos.  Might have them but not shared with you? But....

Unless you had his permission (in writing?) to make all those changes landlord can reasonably pursue you to reverse changes.  Really.

Yeah that’s what I thought. I have asked if they can share with me the inventory as can’t see that we had one, and to ensure everything is as it was. Some of it would have been through text but some were discussions, and there has been considerable modernisation to the property so if they did want it returning we could but it would be lowering the value of the property on both the rental and sale market so not sure they would want to do that

MikeJXE

Fwiw I would check measurements of the doors and the frames they are going in to see if they match 

swingaloo

Presumably when you were told you could skip the old doors the landlord would assume the new ones would be staying if you left. Its highly unusual to take doors with you.

Rockybal

MikeJXE said:

Fwiw I would check measurements of the doors and the frames they are going in to see if they match 

Yeah they will fit in to the new property which is why I am keen to take them rather than have to purchase anymore again

swingaloo

Are you taking up the patio you laid as well when you leave.

Rockybal

swingaloo said:

Presumably when you were told you could skip the old doors the landlord would assume the new ones would be staying if you left. It’s highly unusual to take doors with you.

Yeah they did because they had also told me it could be a lifetime tenancy for me and I had no intention to move from there either (I am in my 60s). That is why I invested so much into the property, but now they have decided they want to sell it and have served a section 21 so I am needing to move and so am trying to make my new place a forever home for me without having to buy things I did previously and the landlord is looking to benefit from

RHemmings

One option is to take your doors with you, and replace them with the cheapest possible doors. I didn't know that people sell second hand doors, but I had a look and people do. The cheapest door I found quickly was £30 from Wickes. Looking a bit further I found new doors in the high £20s, but not a lot cheaper than Wickes. 

Second hand doors are often quite expensive it seems. I presume that they are quality. 

I'm not saying this is the best option. Given what happened I think it's unfair if you have to leave the doors. But, if you decide you don't want to take the landlord on, then cheap replacement doors with you taking the new (and I guess better ones) with you may be an option. So, I add it into the mix.