J4L Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 I'd like some thoughts on this please if anyone has any. A tenant rents your property that has wooden block flooring on the ground floor level. Tenant spills something on the floor in one room which stains. Tenant has a quote to get the works done at £500 which T can't afford, although guy doing the quote says T could probably manage this job themself so this is what they do. Hire the industrial sander and crack on with it. Job didn't look too bad but now T is leaving the LL has 'spotted' it and said it's a hash job and is going to withhold the deposit. No inventory on check in although the T is admitting that they've done the works, although the condition is said to be better than the original. (Tenants words not mine) I've given this Tenant some advice to what I feel would be a fair outcome for both Tenant and Landlord, I was wondering if anyone has opinions on this, withholding deposit, how much etc ect. Deposit held is £700. And I'd just like to add in here that this is NOT me asking for advice It was something that someone asked ME for an opinion and I'm interested to see others' opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 The Tenant should have discussed the problem with the Landlord prior to doing anything and by not doing so and trying to go his own way the Landlord is quite understandably just a trifle miffed at what has taken place without his knowledge and approval which is probably why he is being a bit bloody minded over re-paying back the deposit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPEL Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Tend to agree with Melboy, the tenant is responsible for the quality, poor or otherwise, of any remedial work they undertake. Notwithstanding this, they shouldn't have initiated it without consultaion with the LL beforehand and has stitched himself. There was no inventory and the deposit isn't a new for old insurance policy. A straightforward formula could have been applied relative to nature of damage compared to overall cost of flooring, age, life left and condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CH1 Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Firstly the tenant should have sought the landlords advice before initiating any repair work themselves or via a professional. However, as s/he did not do this and now the job has been done perhaps not to the LL's standard -IMHO the only thing the LL can do is consider how much off the original finish it is? Just a bit off? Majorly bad and get a quote to see how much it would cost to remedy this? And deduct that amount from the £700 deposit, but as there's no proof of condition before (as no inventory) if the Landlord is to withhold part of deposit I would suggest just a small amount e.g. £50- £200 max? as the T did try to fix it and has obviously spent some time and money doing so -agreed they shouldn't have but... what's done is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dewsberry Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Get 3 quotes to put floor right .....if the job is any thing like my T ideas of " cleaning" or "we have repainted" then it will probably cost pretty much the £500 as quoted to re-do the job properly ....but as "betterment" not allowable a mutually agreed fig of somewhere around "£100 -£400" I guess ...T should not have done this without consultation with LL so only has himself to blame ...even though he was trying to solve the original problem .... If floor is not too bad as a LL i would prob settle for approx £200 cash and do the floor in a few years ......very difficult to comment accurately without seeing the state of the floor.... S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J4L Posted October 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Thanks everyone for the thoughts and advice. I myself suggested that they shouldn't really have done any works without the approval of the LL and that they've probably wasted the near £200 they've spent doing this themselves. In the Tenants words the floor looks better than it did originally so I suggested that they try and negotiate a fair and equal sum which may 1) allow the LL to get the works redone or 2) compensate him in some way. I suggested that they start at around £200 but not go much more than £300. If he doesn't agree to this then Sue him!! haha No seriously, I did say that if the original quote was £500 then to maybe expect only a £200 return of deposit and if he tried it on for the whole amount THEN threaten to sue him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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