A great tenant we’ve had for nearly 8 years is about to move out having finally managed to get herself a mortgage. The only damage was done by an ex-partner who cracked a small hole (maybe about an inch in diameter) halfway up the wall above the bath.
The wall is plastic tongue and groove panelling and so not easy to replace that one panel without ripping out the whole wall, adding panels back in and resealing. It’s been like this for 5 years and there has been no issue with it allowing water to penetrate.
She admits it’s damage and it does affect the aesthetic, if not the functionality, of the bathroom. What, if anything, should I deduct from the deposit for this?
I would deduct to replace and see what the counter offer is from the tenant
This is not wear and tear
I appreciate its aesthetic but bathroom and kitchens are what sell the property
If you want to achieve the best rent from new tenants you have got to give it out in good order
Or go for a lower rent to
Compensate for the damage
If you give a poor aesthetic it changes the demographic of your tenant
appreciate the response… however, I think we may be working at quite different ends of the economic scale. My demographic (which I know well with four properties in the same postcode for decades) won’t be affected by this. I’ll price up a replacement though and see what the figure is.
If you can’t make a repair invisible, make it look like a deliberate choice. I had some marks on a wall, painted over with some random triangles of a different colour, looks arty rather than a bad job. Half way up a bathroom wall? Think about whacking in a soap holder or something on top. Although, with panels you would need to be very careful not to crush them.