State of House at end of tenancy

Cardinal-Red · 2 October 2017 at 2:29PM

Hi,

I wonder if anybody has any practical experience of this sort of question.

We moved into a house many years ago which would at best be described as in poor condition. Nothing structural etc but just old and tatty looking.

We agreed with the landlord that in exchange for a reduced rent, we would undertake to decorate the whole house as we wanted it. We agreed on painting, wallpapering some walls, replacing carpet etc.

As part of this we plastered several walls, repaired others, scraped paint off tiles and that kind of thing. Again nothing structural.

We will soon be moving out and I just wondered about what we should expect for check-out. Now in general, the LL has been pretty reasonable with us over the period. However an LA is involved and I fear the worst.

This is mainly because now (6 years later) our own remedial works are looking old and battered. The walls are marked in some places, etc.

So the check-in inventory listed the house "as-was" when we moved in including all the damaged walls.

The contract makes reference to a reduced rent in exchange for decorating; but does not make reference to check-out procedures.

So in short - what is fair and reasonable for us to hand the house back as?

Comms69 · 2 October 2017 at 2:43PM

No worse, except wear and tear, than you received it.

theartfullodger · 2 October 2017 at 2:44PM

Dispute any charges Landlord wishes to make. Was there a deposit, was it protected?

Pixie5740 · 2 October 2017 at 2:44PM

I wish G_M's guides were stickies....are you listening MSE?

All you need to do is leave the property in the same condition (or better) than it was at the start of your tenancy minus fair wear & tear. That's it.

Cardinal-Red · 2 October 2017 at 3:07PM

theartfullodger wrote: »

Dispute any charges Landlord wishes to make. Was there a deposit, was it protected?

Yes deposit all protected and above board.

Cardinal-Red · 2 October 2017 at 3:10PM

Pixie5740 wrote: »

I wish G_M's guides were stickies....are you listening MSE?

All you need to do is leave the property in the same condition (or better) than it was at the start of your tenancy minus fair wear & tear. That's it.

Thanks Pixie, I do get the general rule.

But I mean for example, where we have papered the walls, do we have to remove the paper... same condition or better is very subjective and the arguments with my own partner over the wallpaper show that taste differs

I am just minded of stories like the property with the amazing garden that the tenants had grown, which led to the whole deposit being forfeited because the landlord wanted to get rid of the "improvements" etc.

Pixie5740 · 2 October 2017 at 3:23PM

Your landlord isn't entitled to betterment i.e. he doesn't get new for old. What residual value do you think that the decor at the start of your tenancy is worth 6 years on?

G_M · 2 October 2017 at 3:29PM

Did you get agreement to the redecoration in writing? If so, nothing to fear.

If it was all verbal, then it depends whether

a) the LL (or his agent) attempts to make deductions (eg for for changes made), and
b) the LL agrees or disagrees with your memory of whatever discussion took place!

Pixie - I agree:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=67759912#post67759912

something to do with there already being stickies for tenancies, even though

a) they're hidden within a stickie called "House Buying: Important Threads"

and

b) they're cr*p!

Cardinal-Red · 2 October 2017 at 3:54PM

Thanks GM.

Yes the tenancy agreement stipulates that we must do the works by a certain date. The landlord then inspected the house and confirmed he was happy.

Sounds like we have nothing to worry about then.

Thanks all!

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State of House at end of tenancy

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