My 70 yr old parents (one had heartattack last yr and one had half a lung removed last yr).
Theybhave recently moved in with me and were told they had to paint the place and rip up carpets…
The tenancy agreement is vague and the landlord wont give me a straight answer but i feel it is asking a lot of two 70 yr olds with health conditions. The carpets are the housing association original carpets not what my parents added and the walls is general 5 yrs wear and tear not any huge holes and serious daamage or changes were made.
The tenancy agreement which both your parents signed states in section 5. A)
“You must leave your home in a clean and good decorative condition. We may charge you for any redecoration or repair costs (plus administration costs) for which you are liable. You must remove your furniture and contents (but not any cooker belonging to Housing 21).”
Also section 6.
“to keep your home in good decorative order and repair any damage (including replacing broken window panes and, sink and drain blockages) to our property caused by you, members of your household, your visitors or by anyone working for you. You do not have to repair damage caused by fair wear and tear. We may recharge you for any redecoration or repair costs for which you are liable, together with any other costs incurred in rectifying the problems;”
Can they not (or you on there behalf) contact the appropriate hosuing Assoc and explain their disabilities and ask is there any way round it (maybe offer to make a contribution toward)
Or can YOU not do it for them ?
I have just charged a student for a new carpet and decoration but she left two years worth of food on it ( the pizza boxes and takeaways were date and time stamped with mouldy food in the containers ) up to a metre high
It took two of us a day to just clear the rubbish in the room
Her room was infested
The smell was horrific
The carpet cleaner couldn’t get it to any wear near usable
Her inventory showed a new carpet
she didn’t allow inspection always alleging webinars and exams
There is a saying that pigs are cleaner than some people Just bone idle people. Imagine what a family life would be like. The children would think that is normal
With regard to the carpet. I would clarify with the HA because I believe some Local Authorities etc like no carpet to be left due to moth/bedbugs etc. You will see online that people move into properties with no carpet. So it may be a case of rip up and dispose rather than replace. (obviously at 70 this is still a huge ask but not as ££).
Check you tenancy agreement. Was the the flat let as “furnished” or “unfurnished”. If the tenancy agreement says “unfurnished” - and you don’t have an inventory to say carpets belong to the landlord (housing association) you may have difficulty proving otherwise if the housing association charges for removing “your parents carpets” - either through the deposit or other debt recovery process…
So you need to talk to the association. If as you say they were in the flat when your parents - you need to check what their status was in an unfurnished let.
I am a landlord and sometimes when I let unfurnished and uncarpeted , a previous tenant leaves furniture or a carpet I will ask a new tenant if they want to keep the carpet - but in that case it is a simply a gift - it becomes one of their posessions - if they don’t want it I remove it before they move in and charge the previous tenant - but if they do it now belongs to them - the tenancy agreement says the flat is unfurnished and the inventory does not list the carpet as landlords property. In that case the tenant needs to either remove it at the end of the tenancy and take it with them or arrange for it to go to the tip - just like their other stuff!
In that case if you remove the carpet - you will be able to do it cheaper than the Landlord as you can take it to the council tip as resident - the landlord will have to pay higher rates charged businesses rates for disposal.
So if it is not the landlords responsibility and he has to do it he can - but you will end up paying more…
If on the other hand the carpet is included (eg it a furnished let) - or it is explicitly listed in the inventory - then the landlord is being unreasonable and you need to dispute it.
We in this haven’t got access to your tenancy agreement and inventory so can’t check this for you.
I suggest you get a copy from your parents and look through them carefully .
Hi all, thank you for your reponses. Absolutely not bone idle and have been helping my parents move and clean and do all sorts. Would have been happy to help rip up the carpets had the landlord been clear and transparent when i emailed them. Difficulty is their radiators and connections to other floors moghtbhave been damaged when we removed carpets Nd would want to do that. Instead they were vague and elusive and never clarified the gifting carpet issue and have generally been pretty awful considering it is supposed to be a supportive living complex.
Its all done now and i have made a compalint about the person managing the property has been so difficult and i think took advantage. They are now saying my parents should have decorated more during their tenancy because there are marks on the walls etc 5 years (nothing that is severe damage just general marks from furniture etc. I am just so disappointed in the way they dealt with it and were so unclear about. While they lived there they caused nothing but distress to my parents and on leaving they did the same i shouldnt have expected any better.
Just saddend by the whole thing if i am honest. Could have all gone much smoother if they had been willing to talk to us during the move rather than wait till handing the keys and demanded things were done or they would charge just find it all backwards and very sad.
You certainly would think so especially as this specific advertises being a good place for older people and a supportive environment for those with minimal finances etc.
My brother died while out of the country and was resident in a Housing Association flat. It had been his responsibility to install carpets so it’s possible that the carpets are a legacy from a former tenant. On clearing his property I was informed that I needed to remove the carpets. I didn’t. They were in good order and I thought that someone moving in would be spared the cost of replacing something that didn’t need changing. The HA never pursued me to remove them.