Curtains

[Richlist]

Some, perhaps many landlords charge for carpet cleaning if the carpets are dirty after a tenant has vacated.

What do other landlords do about draw curtains. Do they charge the tenant for cleaning, if so what frequency would be considered reasonable ?

[Grampa]

We try to get all carpets professionally cleaned at the start of any tenancy/new property take on and then make it a requirement of the tenancy that they are then professionally cleaned at the end and a receipt has to be provided by the tenant. Though this isn't 100% fool proof it works well and there is no question of cleanliness. Except stains and damage. 

Curtains can be treated in the same way but I find a lot of tenants like to put up there own curtains so many of the properties I manage just have a good quality very fitted secure curtain rail which then rules out the curtain issue. 

If you are going to have curtains I would try to get ones that DONT have to be dry cleaned

[Mortitia]

I would not let a tenant put up curtains  - do you expect them to have their own step ladders Grampa?  I feel a health and safety phobia coming on.......

I only supply washable curtains and specifically target buying them at the sales at MandS or John Lewis.  Most tenants don't wash them so I run them through the machine on a gentle programme - simples.  

 

[Richlist]

Oh dear, what have I started.

* Supply curtains / don't supply curtains.

* Clean them yourself / the tenant should do it.

I'd be interested to know what some others do.....if anything!

[Grampa]

I would not let a tenant put up curtains  - do you expect them to have their own step ladders Grampa?  I feel a health and safety phobia coming on.......

 

 

I'm not sure if thats a serious reply or tongue in cheek reply.

Mortitia if its serious would you supply a sack cart for tenants who supply their own washing machines or fridges so they don't put out their backs. Do you change their light bulbs just in case they fall off a chair doing it themselves. Don't get me started on lawn mowers and chopped off toes.

What is the adage "A tenant cannot expect any special treatment that a owner occupier wouldn't get themselves" So if you buy a house is the vender expected to supply curtains for the purchaser? 

No it must have been tongue in cheek. I think.

[Melboy]

I offer new tenant's curtains. Good ones I have say. I have a supply of them. If they wish to supply their own that's fine by me.

When they leave the property we always wash and iron ready for the next tenant.  Just part of the tenant changeover process for us.

        By us I means Mrs. Melboy              

[Chestnut]

Concur with Mr and Mrs Melboy.

H & S no more problem than light bulbs - in fact we shouldn't even mention it in case it attracts loads of requests for landlords to take responsibility for such tasks.

Assess the risk - how frequently do tenants hang curtains?  - X - What level of injuries result?   = Low risk.   Control Action - advise short tenants to take extra care on step ladders.   

[Mortitia]

I probably was being facetious Grampa.  I do provide curtains and tell tenants that is they want their own to to store mine until end of tenancy.

It is not so much the curtains but the tracks that cause difficulty.  Nearly all my lets have curtain poles in wood or metal and I find this he most successful form of hanging - goes back as far as Georgian times don't you know.

In some that I manage there are plastic tracks that easily snap with age (or the hooks do) and come away from the wall. Then there is the myriad of hooks and fixings.  On the whole they are all dust traps and always get left in a mess when the property is vacated.  Depending on the height of the track/pole a ladder may be necessary to access it.  I have had tenants stand or lean one foot on radiators to do this with disastrous results.

Selling a house is totally different.  I have sold my curtains with houses in the past when asked but then I am a serial curtain and blind person.

[Melboy]

Curtain poles of good quality is what I have in my properties. Never have a problem with them and they look good. Would never have the plastic tracks, too much of a problem at times with breakages etc.   It's all about making things easy for me.

[Grampa]

I hate those stupid flimsy white plastic tracks also and in my opinion not suitable for rental properties.

A good old fashioned sturdy pole with replaceable rings works for me every time.

[Richlist]

Now hold on a minute.

I've got places with white plastic tracks that have always worked well and continue to do so. I guess there are cheaper versions around as with anything but stick with household names like 'Swish' or 'Harrison Drape'  and they are fine. The straight ones are fine but  I particularly like them when hanging curtains around a curved area such as a bay/ alcove window. They are easy to clean, take down when decorating, replace clips when necessary etc and I have never had any problems with them.

Curtain poles are fine, I have some of those as well but they need solid fixings.

I do know someone who had a damaged curtain pole and didn't want to spend the time or money replacing it. So, he fitted some grotty tab top curtains on the pole and then glued the pole in.place so it couldn't be removed without breaking it. ....Done in the hope that the tenants would want to hang their own curtains and subsequently end up responsible for replacing the broken curtain pole as well.

My brother in law was a tenant in a place without any curtains or poles or any timber battens for fixing them to........turns out it was a mammoth task, especially for a tenant. The trouble was when he moved out he was between a rock and a hard place. The choice was to either leave the curtain poles/tracks and swallow the cost or remove them and pay for decorating repairs.

Tough life for some tenants eh ?

[Melboy]

Funny enough Richlist's topic on curtains is how I initially became a landlord.  Long story cut short.  25 years ago my Son and I were doing some gas/plumbing work for a rented property and the Lady tenant was in tears at this place she was renting.

Loads of things were wrong with the plumbing and the heating and her CURTAINS.  It was quite disgraceful when you consider what she was paying in rent and the front room curtains were dangling down on a broken rail and the curtains were being held up with drawing pins. Her Husband worked all hours and the landlord just not really interested or at least the request to come and fix this problem was being ignored.

I really felt sorry for her so I said I would come back and fix the curtain tracks and curtains for her as I was working up the road doing a house renovation. So I did. Took me about hour as I recall. She appreciated my help. No big deal as far as I was concerned.

It got me thinking that why I am selling these renovated properties I am doing up?  I changed my plans to sell and when this property was completed this became my first rental property of a few I completed over the years.

 

[Richlist]

Well done, giving your time or money to help people who really need it makes both you and the recipient feel good.

Wish I could do more sometimes.