Labour Brings in excellent Renter's Rights - long overdue.

petra

twaddle

The issue with polished wood floors is that they're more difficult to maintain - and expensive to repair if they're damaged.

In a lot of rental flats floorboards are not allowed due to noise.

The 1st floor flat we bought (purpose built 1905 maisonette, one of just 2) had ceramic tiles, not all over the floor, but also up the stairs!! The noise for downstairs must have been utterly horrendous!

The place was in a dire state anyway, so obviously they all went when we renovated it to a standard we’d have been happy to live in ourselves.

Doodledog

Sorry, Norah I missed your post.

I was responding to the posts about changing carpets every few years. If I were renting when saving for a deposit I would rather have cheaper rent than a new carpet. I know all renters are not young savers, though. And yes, hard floors are a better idea.

Yes, hard floors are not ideal for all people.

Merely a preference, easy and clean for us and our tenants.

Sorry, Norah I missed your post.

I was responding to the posts about changing carpets every few years. If I were renting when saving for a deposit I would rather have cheaper rent than a new carpet. I know all renters are not young savers, though. And yes, hard floors are a better idea.

My son’s mate and his family moved into a rented property about 6 weeks ago. They viewed it when it was fully furnished and were happy with it.

Obviously, the day they moved in it was empty and they saw just how many defects there are. It had laminate flooring downstairs and heavy appliances had been dragged across the kitchen floor causing large gouges. The whole side of the kitchen where appliances had been the flooring has all broken and sticks up, likely due to a water leak. They took photos straight away of all the defects (14 in all) and reported to the letting agent who just keeps fobbing them off. They are paying over £1,000 a month.

I did look at what is available to rent locally - very little, there were quite a few 1 and 2 bed apartments for sale, they seemed cheap to buy but leasehold with service charges. There was a lot of retirement apartments, to buy or rent the service charges on those was sky high.

I dont see any future for private landlords renting but no doubt some company landlords will continue in the market. Im sure social housing will expand to fill the gap.

twaddle

The issue with polished wood floors is that they're more difficult to maintain - and expensive to repair if they're damaged.

In a lot of rental flats floorboards are not allowed due to noise.

twaddle

The issue with polished wood floors is that they're more difficult to maintain - and expensive to repair if they're damaged.

Ours are quite easy to maintain, mopping is easy for tenants.

We sand and seal every few years, as needed.

We've not had damage - perhaps we will.

The issue with polished wood floors is that they're more difficult to maintain - and expensive to repair if they're damaged.

Doodledog

I doubt many young tenants trying to save for a deposit would rather have a new carpet as cheaper rent. I can't be sure, obviously, but I think many would prefer not to be paying to keep the LL's investment up to date.

In a different part of the market that may not be true, of course - one size doesn't fit all.

Please explain. I probably misunderstood.

Good reason for polished wood floors.

I doubt many young tenants trying to save for a deposit would rather have a new carpet as cheaper rent. I can't be sure, obviously, but I think many would prefer not to be paying to keep the LL's investment up to date.

In a different part of the market that may not be true, of course - one size doesn't fit all.

twaddle

If I were renting, I'd want everything to be pristine at the start of the tenancy. Why wouldn't I? If I were buying, I'd rip out a tatty bathroom and kitchen and replace carpets. As a tenant I wouldn't be able to do that, but it's likely I would be paying a premium to the landlord to do what I wouldn't be able to do. It's what professional landlords do, if they want good tenants.

So you charge higher rents to cover those costs as well as destroying the planet with unnecessary consumption? I really don't see any justification and in my friends and family's experience this level of replacement is not their normal. Thank goodness for that. My friends and family are all good tenants, pay the rent on time and respect the property even though the carpets weren't brand new. I wonder how many posters here consider themselves a poorer grade of tenant because they live in rented accommodation that didn't have brand new everything throughout.

The deposit wont necessarily cover the cost to the LL Doodledog especially as it was in our case that the entire flat had to be gutted.

Our tenant had unknown to us kept ferrets and allowed them free rein. Their urine soaked into the laminate flooring which all had to be removed and it took a year to completely get rid of the smell.

I'm in total agreement that tenants rights should be protected, but there is nothing that enables a LL to speed up the process therefore limiting the cost to rid themselves of a bad tenant.

If I were renting, I'd want everything to be pristine at the start of the tenancy. Why wouldn't I? If I were buying, I'd rip out a tatty bathroom and kitchen and replace carpets. As a tenant I wouldn't be able to do that, but it's likely I would be paying a premium to the landlord to do what I wouldn't be able to do. It's what professional landlords do, if they want good tenants.

Sorry, Doodledog, ask anybody involved professionally with rentals. Five years is typical. HMRC won't query it when a claim is made.

Oreo

Doodledog

Rosie51

Most carpets and decorations are only expected to last five years. Bathrooms and kitchens should be replaced every ten years or so.

Really? Goodness my kitchen and bathroom are positively pensioners by that criteria, let alone my stair carpet. No wonder this wonderful planet of ours is being destroyed and buried in landfill if that's the case.

Mine too .

Five years for a carpet?? In what world is that the norm in a domestic house or flat? And I expect a new kitchen or bathroom to last a lot longer than ten years, too.

For a normal family perhaps, but if there are frequent tenants who knows how they treat things?
I don’t own any rental property but have read that decor and carpets need changing quite often.

Yes, I can see that, but whilst normal wear and tear (rightly the LL's responsibility) is not chargeable to the tenant, spillage stains, pet damage etc will be covered by the deposit.

fancythat

LJ. Thank you for that.
But my question is really about things being professionally cleaned.
Before new Act and after.

No worries. I will look it up.

I gave my understanding in my 13.41 post; "That may have been the norm in the past in your area but the new Renters Rights act prohibits making it a mandatory requirement for tenants to professionally clean anything, carpets, curtains or anything else. All such costs are now met by the LL".

The LL can deduct from the deposit for damage and anything above fair wear and tear, lost keys etc if evidenced.

It would be interesting if your looking up finds anything to the contrary..

LJ. Thank you for that.
But my question is really about things being professionally cleaned.
Before new Act and after.

No worries. I will look it up.

Doodledog

Rosie51

Most carpets and decorations are only expected to last five years. Bathrooms and kitchens should be replaced every ten years or so.

Really? Goodness my kitchen and bathroom are positively pensioners by that criteria, let alone my stair carpet. No wonder this wonderful planet of ours is being destroyed and buried in landfill if that's the case.

Mine too .

Five years for a carpet?? In what world is that the norm in a domestic house or flat? And I expect a new kitchen or bathroom to last a lot longer than ten years, too.

For a normal family perhaps, but if there are frequent tenants who knows how they treat things?
I don’t own any rental property but have read that decor and carpets need changing quite often.

Primrose 13.54- loss of keys is reasonable I agree- but you asked me about carpets being professionally cleaned- not covered.

LemonJam

"It is the norm around here to have it written into the agreement that the tenant should have carpets professionally cleaned before they leave and provide invoices from cleaning company."

That may have been the norm in the past in your area but the new Renters Rights act prohibits making it a mandatory requirement for tenants to professionally clean anything, carpets, curtains or anything else. All such costs are now met by the LL.

If you are correct then that’s another reason to encourage LLs to sell up.

Under the new Act Tenants can now move out at any time after they move in, with just 2 months notice, as 12 month fixed term contracts ( previously the norm for new tenants) are prohibited in the new Act.

So tenant turnover may be high in cities, London etc, or near hospitals, e.g. junior doctors on rotation or other professionals on short term employment contracts ( LL ofcourse can't ask or discriminate).

Each time a tenant moves out the LL must do a myriad of things. Arrange another inventory for new tenants, pay to market the property, usually now after the tenant moves out as the new Act enhances the tenant's rights to privacy and enjoyment of their tenancy (I don't disagree with that). Inform the insurance company if property empty- usually only 3 months allowed before policy revisited. Pay council tax at double the usual rate for period the property is empty. The LL must also legally pay for and carry out the required checks for each and every prospective tenant in addition.

Thus fallow periods of no rent and short than 12 month tenancies will become more common (particularly in areas perhaps near hospitals, cities and London, with the new Act. All this increases the LLs' costs- which they no doubt will seek to cover by increasing rents- or choose to leave the market.

Rosie51

^Most carpets and decorations are only expected to last five years. Bathrooms and kitchens should be replaced every ten years or so.^

Really? Goodness my kitchen and bathroom are positively pensioners by that criteria, let alone my stair carpet. No wonder this wonderful planet of ours is being destroyed and buried in landfill if that's the case.

We've wood floors, job done. I certainly expect bathrooms and kitchens to last beyond 10 years - our kitchen was my grandparents. Warm white paint. Easy.

LemonJam the Tenants Deposit Scheme was a good idea and imo works well. I returned the full deposit to two tenants and another lost all the double glazed window keys for the whole house so I deducted the cost from their deposit.

I think the RRA will reduce the number of rental properties for new tenants while giving a lot of security to existing tenants and the houses released for purchase will be out of reach for poorer tenants. Labour's calculation is obviously that landlords don't vote for them, the very poor are too busy surviving to vote and it escapes having to build lots of social housing (NOT affordable homes) which is what is needed.

“It was quicker and cheaper to strip out carpets”. Must have been el cheapo carpets then. We only buy quality carpets that last for years.