Wear & Tear

measin

Hi there - is it a tenants obligation to get the couch and carpet professionally cleaned on departure?

Lived in our place for almost 2 years - havent created any speicific stains - nor have we damaged anything. But landlady has told us she spent E400 getting her cream couch professionally cleaned before we moved in and would have to come out of our deposit. Seems utterly ridiculous to me, and would have thought this should come under general wear and tear.

She is also trying to blame old carpet stains on us - having said that the carpet looks to be at least 10 years old, and well worn.

Whose responsibility are these things? What does general wear & tear cover?

Cheers!!

mebird

No reasonable person should have a problem agreeing with another reasonable person on what constitutes general wear and tear.

You sound reasonable and your landlady does not. If she could force you to wash her dog, she would probably have you do it.

If you did not do anything to require a professional clean for her precious couch, tell her what she is demanding unreasonable, stick to your guns and demand your deposit in full. Failing that, threaten her with taking a case to the PRTB ( which won't cost you anything but time and hassle ) or worse... Joe Duffy.

Take lots of photo's regardless before you go.

Dymo

lol

Joe Duffy

Depends what you count as wear and tear, I know where a tenant left the house filthy, dirt on walls, carpets stained and although the place was cleared out of their goods just the place was left dirty. The tenant claimed that's all normal wear and tear, asked about the walls they replied "everyplace has to be painted when they move out".

Quotes for cleaning the house was €500-700 and cleaning the carpets was €240

To me the house should be left in the same condition when tenants move out as when they moved in less normal wear and tear, there's no excuse for dirt. If the couch needed to be cleaned when you moved out but didn't needed to be cleaned when you moved in then there should be a reduction in the deposit.

PaudyW

she needs to cop on, its her fault for putting a cream couch in a rented property

Aprilmay

Dymo wrote: »

lol


Depends what you count as wear and tear, I know where a tenant left the house filthy, dirt on walls, carpets stained and although the place was cleared out of their goods just the place was left dirty. The tenant claimed that's all normal wear and tear, asked about the walls they replied "everyplace has to be painted when they move out".

Quotes for cleaning the house was €500-700 and cleaning the carpets was €240

To me the house should be left in the same condition when tenants move out as when they moved in less normal wear and tear, there's no excuse for dirt. If the couch needed to be cleaned when you moved out but didn't needed to be cleaned when you moved in they there should be a reduction in the deposit.

This exactly I know its a cream sofa but I really don't know, I get the impression that some renters do what they like and treat a place they rent with an attitude of "oh well its not mine" so they do what they like I wonder if they supplied their own furniture would they dirty it as quick. I seen a house near me completely skipped everything, tiles included because of previous tenants.

odds_on

Fair wear and tear does not include:
any item, fixture or fitting that is dirty/grimy/greasy as they can and should have been cleaned.

Floors
such damage as burn marks, permanent stain marks howsoever caused, water damage, deep scratches and gouges, damage resulting from not keeping the floors in a clean and proper condition (ingrained dirt, grime etc), broken tiles, floor boards or other floor coverings. Dirt/grime/dust is not fair wear & tear as it can and should be removed

Walls
Damage to walls due to inserting hooks, nails etc., scrape and gouge marks, damage from untreated mould growth.

Paintwork
Over time, paintwork (especially white paint) fades and discolours; however, smoking, grease etc add to the premature demise of the paintwork. Paintwork should not get scratched (except for frequently used items for example around door handles, light switches etc).

Flaking paint is usually not part of fair wear and tear (often due to poor quality paint or poor application of paint.

Furniture
include permanent stain marks, burn marks, torn fabric, broken frames, legs etc. burn and scratch marks, burns, scratched or knife marks on kitchen work surfaces

Appliances
damage to item due to incorrect usage, misuse, breakdown not reported to landlord, item not being kept clean, dirty items.

mebird

odds_on wrote: »

Fair wear and tear does not include:

Who says ?

Measin.... you know yourself what is reasonable, I am sure you were just looking for reassurance.

Look inside yourself and use the Force if necessary.

If you have not abused the furnishings.... hoover and wipe. There is no list of what constitutes fair wear and tear.