Deposit against new furniture

Landlord Discussion
1

Hi All

I wonder if anyone has an opinion or advice on my following question.

I have an unfurnished property for rental. A prospective tenant asks if the rent deposit could be reduced by the cost of furniture they will now buy for the property. The furniture will be retained by me at tenancy.

Question:

  1. Is this an acceptable proposal from a legal standpoint?

  2. Is it wise to have the deposit reduced to an amount less than one month’s rent as a result?

  3. Are there any points or issues I could be aware of should the proposed arrangement went ahead?

Many thanks in advance for any opinion!

2

Hi Micheal,

As the landlord you ultimately retain control of the rental and deposit amounts, so amending the deposit is fine and entirely your decision.

Most landlords will usually chose to have a deposit of 4 weeks rent though some do still opt for lesser amounts, for instance with tenants they’re confident enough will get the entirety of their deposit back.

This is likewise your decision - so as long as you and the tenant are happy with the arrangements, then feel free to adjust the deposit amount as you see fit!

Kind Regards,
George