Landlord trouble

Jerri Jordan · 07-11-2011 1:34pm

Hi OP . I am a landlady , I have 4 rooms rented out. If my tenant came to me with your complaint I would replace the mattress . You should not be sleeping on a smelly mattress. Also i did have one tenant ask me for carpet. all my rooms have hard wood flooring in very good condition but this tenant just had a preference for carpet. So i paid for half of it. He was delighted. He was a good tenant and I would always try and accomade decent tenants. I have the house painted inside and out once a year also. Some landlords are just out to make money. Talk to your landlord and ask will she pay for half the carpet and bed.

awec · 07-11-2011 1:43pm

Jerri Jordan wrote: »

Hi OP . I am a landlady , I have 4 rooms rented out. If my tenant came to me with your complaint I would replace the mattress . You should not be sleeping on a smelly mattress. Also i did have one tenant ask me for carpet. all my rooms have hard wood flooring in very good condition but this tenant just had a preference for carpet. So i paid for half of it. He was delighted. He was a good tenant and I would always try and accomade decent tenants. I have the house painted inside and out once a year also. Some landlords are just out to make money. Talk to your landlord and ask will she pay for half the carpet and bed.

Imagine that....

They have to make money to live.

But, if you can afford to repaint every year and still make a profit then fair play to you, you sound like a great landlord to have. The better the house looks and the tidier it is is a benefit to you, as is not having to seek new tenants as often (as someone is more likely to stay put if they have a great landlord).

BostonB · 07-11-2011 1:46pm

alibaba12 wrote: »

Did I say once a year; oh no I didnt; I said everytime there is new tennant! which is every 2 or 3 years and its not massive expense.

Your last part makes no sense. I said that the LL would have been able to smell it if they did a proper clean also the tennant should have smelled it if it was that bad; personally I wouldnt have been able to sleep in place that had a "pissy" smell especially if it was off the bed.

You missing the point. if the mattresses has been damage the previous tenant should pay for it. If its not been changed then with normal use, even in a rented house it should last more than 2yrs.

The 2nd part is the it took the tenant a month to notice it. How can a LL notice it in a few hours? Thats not logical. You'd think it would have been taken out of the deposit from the previous tenant if they'd noticed it.

BostonB · 07-11-2011 1:47pm

Jerri Jordan wrote: »

...Some landlords are just out to make money. ...

That makes no sense.

Unless you rent for free, all landlords are out to make money.

GaelMonfils · 07-11-2011 2:01pm

sorry but not all landlords are "out to make money" - You say this like the protestant landowners are back and stealing our potatoes! Im a landlord, i have one house in galway. I work in mayo so moved here 2 years ago. The house i rent brings in 800 quid a month, my mortgage is 950. Plus managment charges of 1200 per year. Not making money there!

If op wants a fresh smelling mattress, go buy one youself. They cost feck all and you can take it with you when you leave.

If op wants a fresh smelling carpet, go hire someone to clean it. It costs 50 quid or less and benefits them.

ffs, everyone wants to slate landlords assuming they are big fat greedy greasy mother f**kers (akin to politicians or bankers!) who are trying to rip of little old ladies or single, hard-up mothers.

Op - Just sort it out yourself and quit moaning. More of that in this country and it would be a much better place.

Ps - Never rent your house out to city/county councils - They say they have a months rent as deposit on hold ('incase' anything goes wrong) however, have no intention of ever ever paying out a cent of it. Even if the wooden front door has being kicked in by a drunk tenant who forgot their keys (1000 quid) or 3 out of the 4 mattress weigh 10 kg extra because the kids pissssed all over them!

Jerri Jordan · 07-11-2011 2:09pm

Not all landlords are out to make huge profits. I would put human dignity ahead of a profit. a smelly mattress is sub standard in this day and age.
I maintain my property because some day i will live in it myself and because i believe if i maintain it that the tenants will also treat it with respect which they do. And im not renting for free , I make a healthy profit each month on my property. and even if i made a loss i would not have a tenant sleeping in smelly conditions ever.

Ray Palmer · 07-11-2011 2:12pm

alibaba12 wrote: »

Did I say once a year; oh no I didnt; I said everytime there is new tennant! which is every 2 or 3 years and its not massive expense.

Your last part makes no sense. I said that the LL would have been able to smell it if they did a proper clean also the tennant should have smelled it if it was that bad; personally I wouldnt have been able to sleep in place that had a "pissy" smell especially if it was off the bed.

No you didn't say once a year but I pointed out many tenancies only last a year so that would be the ramification. A mattress certainly should last longer thean 3 years too. This is why your suggestion is so laughable and absent of real world considerations. I don't really beleive your LL mother story either. Do you replace your own mattress that often?

Jerri Jordan wrote: »

I have the house painted inside and out once a year also.

That is really strange thing to do. No house should need that much painting. I'd get in touch with the manufacturers if the paint doesn't last at least two years. It sounds like you rent rooms as opposed to property which is slightly different anyway.

THe main point is the teanant didn't notice the problem for a month and the LL might decide not to repalce them which is their right. Yes they should bring it to their attention. They did and the LL said they can't afford to do it. So tough luck the opportunity was during initial inspection or shortly after moving in. A month makes a big ifference on how noticable and how severe the problem is. Who the casue is comes into question too. Does anybody actually thing somebody peed on everything?

Jerri Jordan · 07-11-2011 2:17pm

Ray Palmer wrote: »

No you didn't say once a year but I pointed out many tenancies only last a year so that would be the ramification. A mattress certainly should last longer thean 3 years too. This is why your suggestion is so laughable and absent of real world considerations. I don't really beleive your LL mother story either. Do you replace your own mattress that often?

That is really strange thing to do. No house should need that much painting. I'd get in touch with the manufacturers if the paint doesn't last at least two years. It sounds like you rent rooms as opposed to property which is slightly different anyway.

THe main point is the teanant didn't notice the problem for a month and the LL might decide not to repalce them which is their right. Yes they should bring it to their attention. They did and the LL said they can't afford to do it. So tough luck the opportunity was during initial inspection or shortly after moving in. A month makes a big ifference on how noticable and how severe the problem is. Who the casue is comes into question too. Does anybody actually thing somebody peed on everything?

I rent out four rooms and generally paint can and does look shoddy after a year. i like to freshen the place up. and i paint outside and my neighbours ajoining house just to keep the place looking immaculate. we go halfs on the outside. we would be similar in painting outside walls and garden fences too and our sheds. just like the place to be tip top. in fairness we could get away with not painting outside but its something we take pride in getting done. just like getting chimneys and windows cleaned regularly too. something many landlords just dont bother doing because they dont care.

ap1986 · 07-11-2011 2:25pm

hawkelady wrote: »

let me get this,, you moved into an apt one month ago, washing machine broke and landlord fixed this.thats grand. then you found that the mattress you slept in for a month and the carpet you walked on for a month was smelly?? are you for real? why would the LL buy you a new bed? by all means ,if you want ,you go and buy a bed but i think your pushing it asking the LL and threatening not to pay your rent .your in a contract mate .. what else wont be to your liking in 6 months time,new bins as the old ones are smelly.. you have a responsibility to maintain the place to a good standard, you aint living in a hotel.. pay your rent

would ya not have checked these things out before you signed the contract.i know your lookin for advice here but its really your fault for not lookin into this fully

Jerri Jordan · 07-11-2011 2:31pm

ap1986 wrote: »

would ya not have checked these things out before you signed the contract.i know your lookin for advice here but its really your fault for not lookin into this fully

I disagree people generally do not get down and smell a carpet or inspect a mattress either when walking around with a letting agent or landlord with a view to renting. The landlord just didnt care that the room was not to a decent standard.
I rented a place once and when i moved in i flipped the mattress only to discover it was soaking on the underside. That was not my fault. The room had been freshly painted but clearly it had damp judging by the wet mattress. After one month the damp problem became even more obvious when the walls turned black. The landlady told me after i confronted her, that she had lived their herself and just dealt with the problem by washing the walls! she let me sign a lease for a substandard property she had tarted up with paint. and i had a baby of 1 year old at the time. Aside from insulating the walls (which she would not do) this property would always be damp. and believe me opening windows and running heating non stop didnt help (i did both).
I think its disgusting that their are landlords out there who just do not care about the conditions they rent their properties out in. It should be illegal .

Ray Palmer · 07-11-2011 2:32pm

Jerri Jordan wrote: »

something many landlords just dont bother doing because they dont care.

Because it is it nessary would be the main reason.:rolleyes:
I wouldn't do that on my own home, mind you the wall doesn't need to be painted becasue of the finish. Renting rooms out in your home doesn't make you what most people would class as a land lord as far as I am concerned. There would be a big difference on how you have to operate.

Nobody repaints their house inside and out where I live and if they did I would think it strange. Certainly wouldn't expect a LL to do it.

Jerri Jordan · 07-11-2011 2:35pm

Ray plamer i dont live in the house so of course im a landlord. i live 4 hours away in a different county

Ray Palmer · 07-11-2011 2:58pm

Jerri Jordan wrote: »

Ray plamer i dont live in the house so of course im a landlord. i live 4 hours away in a different county

Thanks for the clarification still excessive painting.

Jerri Jordan · 07-11-2011 3:02pm

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Thanks for the clarification still excessive painting.

I take your point.However I like to have the house painted. cant see it being a crime. I have the money to maintain it to a very high standard so I can do as I please.
But can you explain to me why I am not a landlord?

awec · 07-11-2011 3:07pm

In terms of the fence, there is no way a fence should need repainted on a yearly basis if it is done right. You should get 3 or 4 years out of a coat at least.

The shed too.

I can understand the inside in the case of people touching the walls, rubbing against them, spilling things up them or scoring them with furniture.

Jerri Jordan · 07-11-2011 3:11pm

awec wrote: »

In terms of the fence, there is no way a fence should need repainted on a yearly basis if it is done right. You should get 3 or 4 years out of a coat at least.

The shed too.

I can understand the inside in the case of people touching the walls, rubbing against them, spilling things up them or scoring them with furniture.

Well i treat my shed, my decking and fences yearly to keep them looking brand new and in tip top condition. many of the neighbours do too. Maybe we are just more house proud than the norm.
Anyway back on thread the OP is within his rights to aks the landlord to replace the smelly mattress and come to an agreement on the carpet. If the landlord is decent she will replace or meet you half way. If she is unwilling then put it down to experience OP, and leave as soon as the lease is up.

Zulu · 07-11-2011 3:15pm

alibaba12 wrote: »

Its actually not that laughable; my mother happens to be LL and does this each time a new tennant moves in.

Tell your mother I've got a great business tip that will save her a fortune. All I ask is a 10% cut of what she will save. That's 90% free money!! She can't turn that down...

...unless of course she isn't actually a LL who buys new mattresses each time a new tenant moves in, which I suspect is far more accurate.

@OP: give the place a good clean. Open all the windows for a day. Air the place out good and proper. Cut an onion in half and place it where the smell is the worst. This will absorb a lot of the smell. Spray the mattress with fabreeze. Go bananas with the fabreeze.
If all that fails, rent a dehumidifier.
If that fails, pop over to IKEA and pick up a mattress.

Ray Palmer · 07-11-2011 3:24pm

Jerri Jordan wrote: »

I take your point.However I like to have the house painted. cant see it being a crime. I have the money to maintain it to a very high standard so I can do as I please.
But can you explain to me why I am not a landlord?

Sorry I thought you gathered your clariffication nullified what I said which I acknowledged.

There is a high standard and their is an excessive standard. That much painiting is excessive. Never said it was a crime. No point to it. I repaint parts of the house more regularly but every year for the entire house is overboard. You should be using paint that should be washable if it needs to be painted every year.

Side point anyway. Mattresses should last at least 5 years without a bother. That tends to be when I replace them but longer if it is the same tenant. I have tenants for over 15,8,6,2 years over a number of properties which must mean I am doing something right. I replace things without request and with request. I don't expect other LL to adhere to what I do and a lot is to do with the standard you want and price. I would never rent out rooms individually but some people like to do that. Not worth the hassle if you ask me.

BostonB · 07-11-2011 3:25pm

Jerri Jordan wrote: »

... The landlord just didnt care that the room was not to a decent standard...

How can you say that, if they didn't know.

The previous tenant report didn't report it it wasn't noticed on handover and the new tenant didn't notice for month.

BostonB · 07-11-2011 3:31pm

When I lived away in germany as a tenant you had to strip the appartment back to the way you got it (unfurnished, bare walls) and everything newly painted, in white, before handing it back.

Which encourages tenants to look after a place. Doing it the other way around theres no incentive to look after a place, or anything in it. Which is why walls, mattresses and furniture have abnormally short life in Irish accommodation.

Ray Palmer · 07-11-2011 4:49pm

BostonB wrote: »

When I lived away in germany as a tenant you had to strip the appartment back to the way you got it (unfurnished, bare walls) and everything newly painted, in white, before handing it back.

Which encourages tenants to look after a place. Doing it the other way around theres no incentive to look after a place, or anything in it. Which is why walls, mattresses and furniture have abnormally short life in Irish accommodation.

In fairness they have massively different laws and property market. You won't find many small landlords. Most is done via large companies which primarily comes down to the destruction in WWII.
Many people would be happier if something similar was here but it is pretty difficult to change the fundamental nature of our housing market. The attitude of tenants is as big a problem as the attitude of landlords. Casue and effect.Trust takes time to build on both sides as everybody goes into the deal suspicious.

alibaba12 · 08-11-2011 10:36am

Ray Palmer wrote: »

No you didn't say once a year but I pointed out many tenancies only last a year so that would be the ramification. A mattress certainly should last longer thean 3 years too. This is why your suggestion is so laughable and absent of real world considerations. I don't really beleive your LL mother story either. Do you replace your own mattress that often?

Whether you believe it or not is your issue. I dont come onto boards to lie. A matress may last longer than 3 years but my mother happens to be hygenic; also she has a property in quite a nice area so the rental markets demands cleanliness. Also there is no ramifications when she gets nice tenants who maintain the property.

When the last tenant moved out my mother did a refurb of the place as carpets etc were dirty. My folks spent 3 days on this. Not a big ask considering they have a decent tenant who looks after the place and they dont have to worry.

If the LL had done a proper clean they should have noticed the smell. If its as bad as the OP mentioned. Also the OP should have raised the issue sooner.

Yes I would change the matress if it was filthy in fact have done in my place that I rent!

alibaba12 · 08-11-2011 10:36am

BostonB wrote: »

How can you say that, if they didn't know.

The previous tenant report didn't report it it wasn't noticed on handover and the new tenant didn't notice for month.

The previous tenant might not have been dirty; hence the smell!

alibaba12 · 08-11-2011 10:46am

Zulu wrote: »

Tell your mother I've got a great business tip that will save her a fortune. All I ask is a 10% cut of what she will save. That's 90% free money!! She can't turn that down...

...unless of course she isn't actually a LL who buys new mattresses each time a new tenant moves in, which I suspect is far more accurate.

I was asked to back up my post and I did, if you cant accept when someone is telling truth then you have issues. My mother does replace the matress each time and it doesnt cost her a fortune. You do know that any repairs can be offset against your income for the property hence you pay less tax!

BostonB · 08-11-2011 11:19am

alibaba12 wrote: »

The previous tenant might not have been dirty; hence the smell!

Sorry what?

Ray Palmer · 08-11-2011 11:45am

alibaba12 wrote: »

If the LL had done a proper clean they should have noticed the smell. If its as bad as the OP mentioned. Also the OP should have raised the issue sooner.

Yes I would change the matress if it was filthy in fact have done in my place that I rent!

The same smell the OP took a month to notice, the LL should have noticed in a 3 day period. You do understand that really doesn't make sense right?

I asked would you change a matress in your own home so often. So in your own place will you be throwing out mattresses every 3 years? I hope you either plan on leaving the mattress or have stored the LL property.

You keep going on about the mattress being filthy which OP never stated, he complained about smell. You see that is where you adding details by yourself and not in evidence. The issue is smell no more no less. You have added filth and urine to the equation that aren't what we have been told.

Zulu · 08-11-2011 12:01pm

alibaba12 wrote: »

I was asked to back up my post and I did, if you cant accept when someone is telling truth then you have issues. My mother does replace the matress each time ...

Cool. Tell her about my business proposal so.

alibaba12 · 08-11-2011 12:43pm

Ray Palmer wrote: »

The same smell the OP took a month to notice, the LL should have noticed in a 3 day period. You do understand that really doesn't make sense right?

I asked would you change a matress in your own home so often. So in your own place will you be throwing out mattresses every 3 years? I hope you either plan on leaving the mattress or have stored the LL property.

You keep going on about the mattress being filthy which OP never stated, he complained about smell. You see that is where you adding details by yourself and not in evidence. The issue is smell no more no less. You have added filth and urine to the equation that aren't what we have been told.

If you read my post I said if the LL did a through clean and the smell was as bad as tenant claimed then it should have been noticed by the LL. If the tenant slept on it for a month then yes this is questionable as to why it was not noticed/raised with the LL previously. All of which I have also said.

If a matress was dirty or someone else had been using it then yes I would replace it. I wouldnt sleep on something long term that someone elses bodily fluids etc were inbedded in.

The OP mentioned a "pissy" smell so one would assume the matress and/or carpet are dirty or as one poster mentioned could be a damp problem.

I am not adding things but merely summising as to what a "pissy" smell would be. Usually it would be urine or damp.

alibaba12 · 08-11-2011 12:44pm

BostonB wrote: »

Sorry what?

It meant to read the previous tenant might have been dirty and not have kept the place clean so why would they report the smell. But then again this is guessing; the original post from the OP was whether or not the LL should replace matress/carpet; so this back and forth is really not answering the question.

BostonB · 08-11-2011 1:00pm

They didn't report so as not to lose their deposit. Similarly the new tenant needs to report everything immediately as they don't get blamed for it. A month is very late to be noticing things as obvious as this...

keithzer wrote: »

...now i found the mattress and carpet in the bedroom smell really bad...

Landlord trouble

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