Level of light in bedroom

frag420

I recently moved into a new apt. Have a great room however when I turn of the light at night to sleep the room is rather bright. I would say that it is 60% dark in the room. This is due to light from surrounding apts coming through the blinds, aswel as moonlight.

The blinds installed in the room are those one with loads of strats that can be twisted to let light in and closed to block of the light but as there are gaps between every strat it lets loads of light in.

This is affecting my sleep and in turn affecting my work. As a resident am I entitled to a certain level of darkness in my room when wanting to sleep? I asked about putting up curtains and was told that if I do that when I leave they must be removed, all holes filled in, sanded and painted!!

Any suggestions??

frAg

satchman

Well depends how handy you are when it comes to DIY & also do you want to spend the money??

You can pick up cheap curtains in Penny's for about €20 which are great at blocking out light; I bought a pair for my bedroom and the room is pitch black when I turn off the lights.

You can also pick up a cheap curatin rail(s) in Ikea, depending on your window size obviously, but they do rails here for around €4!!

Then it's just a matter of getting yourself a drill and going at it. If you're planning on living in the apartment for a good while then i'd say do it

Edit: by the way, there's really nothing hard about putting up the curtain poles to be honest, shouldn't take you long at all.

Alkers

Or get a facemask like you use sleeping on a plane etc. Boots should have them for about two euro.

djimi

I dont think its a lot to expect that curtains be on a bedroom window and I think its a bit much of a landlord to quibble that are put up, especially if the tenant if offering to do it themselves. From a heating point of view and saving energy I think its a pretty standard request.

If it were me Id offer to put them up and tell the LL that you will leave them there when you leave. They get curtains and you get a good nights sleep. If they dont go for this then Id seriously consider looking for a new landlord...

satchman

^ that's a good point actually!! Sure, whenever you leave and new tennants move in, i'm sure they'd want to have curtains up anyway so can't see the landlord's issue here.

frag420

I appreciate the replies but the queery is more along my entitlements to have a certain level of darkness in my room at night to aid sleep. As mentioned it is nowhere near dark enough for me to get a good nights sleep. Surely I should be entitled to a decent nights sleep eh??

Should I be entitled to a certain level then I think the landlady should install them at no cost to me and that I should not have to repair the walls should she want them taken down but I am at a loss over this.

Can I expect her to install them? Would having a bright room entitle me to cancell my lease(i dont want to)??

frAg

satchman

I can't imagine this would suffice as a reason to be able to cancel your lease for this to be honest. And unfortunately for you the landlady has no legal duty to erect curtains.

She should however be like any normal & decent person about the fact that you're offering to put them up yourself.

Cathmandooo

I have the same blinds as you, I asked my landlord about curtains and got the same answer - feel free to put them up but take them down and have the wall fixed back to how it was. tbh I didn't see anything wrong with it. You should fill in any holes, fix any fixtures and have the place ready for a quick paint when vacating a rental. It would make for a quick turnaround for new tenants and might make the standard of living slightly better.

If I were you I'd enquire about buying a blackout blind if you don't want to put a curtain up yourself.

There's no level of darkness measurement included in the minimum standards of rental accommodation, so you've no entitlement or get out clause for that.

frag420

satchman wrote: »

I can't imagine this would suffice as a reason to be able to cancel your lease for this to be honest. And unfortunately for you the landlady has no legal duty to erect curtains.

She should however be like any normal & decent person about the fact that you're offering to put them up yourself.

Well if im honest I would expect her to install them at no cost to me.

this is her reply to agent which was forwarded on to the tenents......

As per the lease agreement it is not permitted to hang items in the apartment.

If you do wish to put curtains up, they must be hung by a professional. Next year, before departure, they must be removed, holes filled and the walls sanded and repainted. Otherwise, a portion of the deposit will be retained to cover same.

This also goes for any pictures or any other items which require hanging in the apartment.


NOw I know it is in the lease agreement not to hang anything but surely when this is getting in the way of sleep(which I need) and the general enjoyment of living there that there should be some grounds for me to ask her to erect curtains??

frAG

frag420

Cathmandooo wrote: »

I have the same blinds as you, I asked my landlord about curtains and got the same answer - feel free to put them up but take them down and have the wall fixed back to how it was. tbh I didn't see anything wrong with it. You should fill in any holes, fix any fixtures and have the place ready for a quick paint when vacating a rental. It would make for a quick turnaround for new tenants and might make the standard of living slightly better.

If I were you I'd enquire about buying a blackout blind if you don't want to put a curtain up yourself.

There's no level of darkness measurement included in the minimum standards of rental accommodation, so you've no entitlement or get out clause for that.

A blackout blind?? Can you enlighten me (pun intended)? would this have to be installed or can i hang it on the current blinds?

I would do this if it meant less hassle from landlord.

satchman

I'm actually amazed that she won't even let you hang pictures, that's ridiculous!!

I can see your point and agree with you that she could be more understanding and help you out, but sounds like you're figting a losing battle here. If I was the landlord and wanted to keep my tennants happy i'd be willing to oblige, but then again, each to their own

ztoical

satchman wrote: »

I'm actually amazed that she won't even let you hang pictures, that's ridiculous!!

Its pretty standard for any lease, I've yet to rent a flat/house where it didn't state something about not hanging pictures. If you were a LL would you be ok with someone banging nails into a wall? And the LL didn't say they couldn't hang pictures only that they'd have to be taken down and the holes sanded and painted over when they leave.

OP if you viewed the apartment with the blinds rather then curtains and didn't say anything before signing the lease then you can't expect the LL to pay for curtains now. Yes I know it's hard to tell these things during a viewing as you really need to be in a place to tell but thems the breaks. Why not just take down the blind and hang a curtain blind [ie a solid blind rather then one with slates] on the same hooks?

Cathmandooo

frag420 wrote: »

A blackout blind?? Can you enlighten me (pun intended)? would this have to be installed or can i hang it on the current blinds?

I would do this if it meant less hassle from landlord.

They'd mainly be a roller blind and the material doesn't let any light in, you'd have to get it installed.

If you went to any blind shop with the measurements of your bedroom window they'd be able to quote you the cost. Even give any local blind shop a call.

JoeyJJ

I put blackout linning in the curtains in my room however for my daughters room I have blackout which sticks to the window via sucken cups and works well. No need to drill however if you are thinking of staying long term get out the drill. Polyfiller and a paint sample(pot) will cover it up when you leave.

convert

I had this problem in a room and what I did was simply hang a sheet over the window (i.e. I hooked it around the top few slats of the blind, and it acted as a curtain but without any of the hassle of drilling holes, etc.).

Also, if you close the blinds so that the slats are upside down it'll significantly decrease the amount of light coming through.

satchman

ztoical wrote: »

If you were a LL would you be ok with someone banging nails into a wall?

You don't need gigantic sized nails to hang pictures, there are plenty of discrete nails/tacks that do the job. And it goes without saying that people should repair/fill in any holes they have made in the walls upon leaving, I never said the LL should have to do that.

ztoical

satchman wrote: »

You don't need gigantic sized nails to hang pictures, there are plenty of discrete nails/tacks that do the job. And it goes without saying that people should repair/fill in any holes they have made in the walls upon leaving, I never said the LL should have to do that.

And I never said you said that, simply pointed out that the LL did not say they couldn't hang pictures only that if they did they needed to repair any marks to the walls before moving out.

There are plenty of ways to hang pictures without making marks on the wall but you'd be surprised the number of people who just buy a nail and harmmer and bang away.

3DataModem

3M Command Strips will hold anything on a wall safe and secure, no damage to paintwork or plaster. I rent and use them.... six packs of six strips on Amazon for 10 or 12 quid. Use two on each end of a curtain pole no problem.

satchman

ztoical wrote: »

And I never said you said that, simply pointed out that the LL did not say they couldn't hang pictures only that if they did they needed to repair any marks to the walls before moving out.

There are plenty of ways to hang pictures without making marks on the wall but you'd be surprised the number of people who just buy a nail and harmmer and bang away.

Apologies, re-read my posts there and realised you hadn't said that

matrim

As someone mentioned there are blinds you can get that attach to the window itself with a suction cup so no damage. Or you could get those hooks that attach to the wall with adhesive and hook a blind \ curtain \ sheet onto them, for no permanent damage

Neither are perfect solutions, but are quick and easy ways to block light.

Moonbeam

http://www.lullabys.co.uk/shop/baabaa-blackout-blinds-6066-0.html

the_syco

I have blackout blinds sewen into my curtains. They are great It could be bright and sunny 12 noon outside, and it'd be still dark inside my room

Got the blinds, as some wanker nearby had his back light pointed out instead of down, and thus when it was switched on, my room would get pretty well lit :mad: