Asking landlord for improvements...

[Skeppers]

Hopefully I've posted in the right place; I've had some good advice on here before!

I am pregnant with our first child, due in August. We are currently in a long-term rental which we've been in for nearly 11 years. We have no prospect of buying a place of our own with the market being how it is and the part of the country we live in, so that's not even in question. We've accepted our lot and are trying to make the best of it!

Our current house (2 bed terrace) doesn't really have enough space. We'll struggle to fit a cot into our bedroom and there isn't really anywhere to store a pram/toys, etc. We could resolve this by having a good clear out and a shift around, and putting a load of stuff in the attic, so it's not insurmountable. More worrying issues include a mould problem (particularly upstairs- it's not terrible but the ventilation in the windowless bathroom is poor despite a new fan being fitted relatively recently which can lead to mould on bathroom walls/bedroom ceiling despite our best efforts to air the place), dated decor- think early 90s rag-rolling and paint with borders!- and fittings and very old, very manky (some threadbare) carpets throughout the house. This is the main issue; I wouldn't be happy lying on them myself, to be honest, let alone putting a baby on them! We wanted to get a quote for having them professionally cleaned, but the person who came round said there wasn't any point cleaning them because they were so old and worn.

We've been looking at moving into another rental, something a bit more 'modern'- we have been to see a few houses- but they all seem terribly overpriced for what they are, don't really have that much more space, plus the locations have been far from ideal...we really like it where we are- we're close to facilities, family and friends and it's a lovely quiet cul-de-sac where we know the neighbours, etc.- it's just the house. It's worn and dated and could use a bit of modernisation.

We have decided- having looked at the current rental market- that in an ideal world we would like to stay where we are. We are good tenants, have never missed a payment in 10 years, we are quiet...both our neighbours have small children so would be understanding in terms of baby 'noise' so our concerns about living in a terrace wouldn't matter from that perspective. Would it be unreasonable to approach the letting agency and ask them to contact the landlord about negotiating some modernisation work? By this I mean new carpets/laminate, a fresh lick of paint, maybe new doors on the kitchen cupboards...that sort of thing. We'd be happy to pay a higher monthly rent if the work was done.

Can any landlords/lettings people out there know if this is the done thing? What kind of reaction would you anticipate? The long and short of it is that, were we to move out, she'd have to do the work anyway to stand any chance of letting the place to someone else...so why not do it with tenants in situ? We'd happily make ourselves scarce for a week or so whilst the work was being done.

Honest advice welcomed!

[StaircaseAtTheUniversity]

Place marking as wondering similar.

[Joyfulleastersquad]

Have a look at your contract.

When I lived in a rented property I decorated myself and carpeted after a few years. You've been in there 11 years and not do e any cosmetic improvements yourself?

[Feckeggblue]

You can of course. My only reservation would be the landlord can clearly get more for your house (looking at local market) and paying to tart it up might make them consider this. It shouldn't be the way, but it is :(

That said good practise would be to have completely redecorated in the last 11 years.

There is always the compromise of asking whether you can redecorate if they pay for carpets?

[Feckeggblue]

It's in no way expected you do any improvements yourself joyful- that's what renting is about. Many landlords wouldn't allow you to do this.

[ChunkyPickle]

I'm a landlord, and if you were my tenants I would absolutely do your requested improvements - TBH they're just maintenance.

If you care about your house, you maintain it, and that means redecorating and replacing flooring occasionally, it certainly means figuring out why there's still damp in the bathroom (maybe the extractor isn't powerful enough?). Redecorating once every 10 years is hardly unreasonable!

Ask. They can only say no, and if they do then you can make your choice from there. Don't offer increased rent - hold that back for later negotiations - again, you're not being unreasonable to expect reasonable decorative standards.

[Miltonmaid]

I don't think there is any harm in asking. But, be prepared that the landlord may do the work but raise the rent. It sounds like you're paying less than the market rate if you've viewed others and they're more expensive or smaller. Anything that is a health issue should be sorted out by the landlord. It sounds like the extractor isn't powerful enough.

One compromise might be for you to decorate it yourself and pay for the paint, and for the landlord to pay for new carpets.

[Skeppers]

Joyfull I suppose we could ask! We did take it upon ourselves to repaint the lounge a few years back (it was basically yellow from a previous tenant's cigarette smoke...boak...we did ask the letting agent over and over again and received no reply so went ahead anyway)- the landlady wasn't initially very happy about it but when she actually saw what we'd done- just nice clean white walls/ceiling and a teal 'feature' wall at one end, we also re-glossed the window frame and back door- said that she "actually quite liked it"...well, YES, we've just improved your property for you and it didn't cost you a penny!

I suppose the only thing holding us back from doing more extensive work ourselves from our own pocket is that there would be nothing then stopping her from turfing us out in a couple of years and we'd have basically improved her property for her for free. Plus, I don't think we could afford the outlay to get the place recarpeted; we'd probably be looking at a few hundred quid in one go.

We have talked about repainting the bedrooms and the bathroom- all neutral colours- and possibly the kitchen, which is currently a vile, egg-yolk yellow colour. Painting I don't mind as materials are relatively cheap. It is stuff like the carpets I wouldn't feel entirely comfortable doing.

[GettingEggyWithIt]

As a landlord in seven years I have replaced the heating system, replaced the front door, and following a burst pipe we had new carpets and painting.
Had it not been for the flood I am not sure whether we would have done a lick of paint unless requested but only because seven years ago all walls were painted three times and new carpets installed.
That said as a tenant I requested paintwork after three years and it was done. To have a whole house fitted with carpet but keeping the old underlay in a bog standard up two down cost me £700. A carpet clean would only be£70. But as you say, if they cannot do it as carpets will disintegrate I think you are within your rights to ask if new is possible.
I would consider it after a decade. Paintwork I might agree to materials if you were prepared to paint but I think.fair wear and tear means I need to.Do it every four years anyway...where I live now the onus is sadly.on.the tenant but in UK it is the landlord. Put it another way, had you not been long-standing he would have needed to spruce between tenancies.

[Joyfulleastersquad]

Still I think she should look at her contract as I'm sure on mine it was down to me to keep the place in a fit fashion. Such as painting and generally decorating the place when it needed doing.

It wouldn't ever have occurred to me to ask the LL to pay to decorate

[SpecificOcean]

Just ask them. You're not asking for silly things.
Have the carpets been in as long as you? If so you definitely have a case.
As landlords we try to keep ours up to a decent standard.
As you say if you are long term and decided to leave LL would most probably have to update anyway.
If they do put the rent up though as you have said make sure you are prepared for that.
Personally I would do the work (it's pretty basic stuff imo) and keep the long term tenant.

[oute]

So the landlord has spent no money on the property at all in 11 years? If this is the case then yes LL should be at least sorting out the kitchen. definitely needs to sort the mould out. Have you got a tumble dryer op, where do u dry washing? Are u contributing to the mould? Have you got a dehumidifier? He could make a contribution/pay for the carpet too in the main living area at least. Although if you where in a council property you would have to buy your own floor coverings. To keep a tennents happy especially long term good tennents I would do it. If LL wont refuses too may be worth having a word with council if house not fit to live in as LL has to provide basic living standards.

[Skeppers]

Milton The other houses we've been looking at are 3 bed end-terrace/semi-detached or similar, which is why they are more expensive...but they don't 'feel' like they have much more space, iyswim? In many cases, 2 decent sized bedrooms have been converted into 3 tiny ones, and they still lack decent storage. We're paying pretty much the going rate for a 2-bed terrace in our area, but the jump to a small 3 bed place seems huge in comparison; often an extra £150 a month.

Some really good advice here, folks- thanks!

[GettingEggyWithIt]

Sorry- poor formatting there.
You deserve new carpets if current ones not washable.
You are entitled to repaint but landlady sounds like a tightwad

[Miltonmaid]

I too would do the work considering how long you've been there and that you're good tenants. Sadly, not all landlords think like this. TBH if the landlord refuses to do anything then I really would consider moving or at least tell them that what you're thinking of doing.

[ChunkyPickle]

Joy - the landlord doesn't have the right to come out of a tenancy with the house in a better state than it started (or even an equivalent state - due to wear and tear), unless they do those improvements themselves. Being a landlord is a business, and keeping a house maintained is part of the costs of running that business.

For example my house has had laminate down for 10 years now, and only had some bits decorated. When my current tenants move out, or if it gets any shabbier, I will have it all re-done. Over the past few years I've replaced oven/hob, water tank, shower, shower screen, loads of bits and bobs, because that is my responsibility.

Your contract wasn't lawful I don't think (with the exceptions of some ancient, weird leasing arrangements I've heard of - generally farm hand cottages n similar)

[Skeppers]

oute Thanks- we're renting privately, not council.

We don't have a tumble drier and we have humidifiers in both bedrooms, plus we leave the windows open (even in the height of winter...brrr!) to air the upstairs. It's always been a problem, right from when we moved in. We sort of just lived with it but obviously with a newborn I'd be worried about potential health implications.

[monkeyfacegrace]

I'm a landlady and have never had tenants last anywhere near as long as you.

I'd be doing anything you requested. If it cost me £1000, and you were planning on staying in the property for another decade, I'd call that money well spent. I'd lose more than that finding another tenant and then the risk of them not paying rent for one month. You've proved yourselves.

I wish I could find tenants like you!

[GettingEggyWithIt]

The worst that can happen is she thinks you are moaning tenant and gives you notice so she doesn't need to refurb. except as a landlord if you upped and left she would need to refurb for a new tenant anyway unless you are in an amazing catchment. Long term tenants are fab and new ones cost££ I have to pay the letting agent £250 every team they find a new tenant so the worst case scenario is unlikely especially if she.is.a.lazy mare/grasping cah

[tootsietoo]

I am both a landlord and managing agent - I look after 4 of my own and 16 for other people. We also rent our house that we live in long term.

It all comes down to the money! I recently re-did a house from top to bottom, excluding wiring and plumbing, but new kitchen, bathroom, carpets, plastering, front and back doors, some windows, decs etc and it cost £15k all in. A landlord would want to see a return on that money. Assuming they wanted around 7% return, then they'd need to be getting around an extra £90 a month rent. Of course, they've got to have the money in the first place to do this - if they haven't, then they just won't want to do any work. Sensible landlords will be putting any profit after mortgage costs into a savings account for this sort of thing, but lots don't. It's all very well saying that Landlords should maintain their houses, but lots don't bother, they don't save the cash, and as it's such a strong letting market they can easily get tenants so they don't need to worry about keeping existing tenants happy.

It sounds to me as if you need to try to agree a long term lease - either 5 or 10 years, or perhaps 10 years with the ability to break it after 5 years (you may incur solicitors fees, I think 10 year leases need to be witnessed as a deed) alongside agreeing Landlord's work and a new rent. The best way would be to see if you could arrange a meeting with Landlord, letting agent and yourselves to see what you can agree. It's probably best not to be confrontational as in "you should have been doing this to the house and you haven't" but positive as in "we like your house, you are a good landlord, we are good tenants, lets agree a long term lease, nice and secure for you, you do x y z work and we could pay a bit more (don't say your top rent, perhaps suggest an extra £25-50 per month for starters). You will need to be prepared to pay a more market level rent though if your house is going to be nicer. The other option if the landlord doesn't have the cash or doesn't want to manage the work is you could try to agree a long term lease, with, say, a year rent free or a low rent for a fixed term in return for you spending £5k or so on doing up the house.

Good luck!

[tootsietoo]

PS I've just had to deal with exactly the damp problems you've described in a property. I put an electric socket in the outside store so they could put a tumble dryer in so no clothes drying inside, a new extractor in the bathroom with humidity sensor, a new modern huge radiator in one bedroom and they make sure all the sliding vents on the windows stay open. It's all really helped.

[Skeppers]

tootsietoo that is an outstanding piece of advice! Thank you so much. I'll have a chat with husband tonight and see what he says. Like I said, we don't mind paying more rent if the place is brought up to similar standard of other similar properties in the area- we'd have to pay more if we moved anyway. And we wouldn't be confrontational- it's not in my nature, I'm too much of a wuss!

monkeyfacegrace if you're anywhere near the South Coast then we could well have words....!

[specialsubject]

I'm a landlord. Carpets, decorating are maintenance and I would certainly expect to do those, and more often than once every 11 years! Especially if a deal was to be done over rent; has it not changed in 11 years? How does it compare to a similar property in your area but in a modern state?

the mould problem needs investigating to determine if it is lifestyle (you need to change) or building (landlord needs to fix). If that fan is not doing the job and you aren't spending twenty minutes in the shower, and are keeping the place heated, then it isn't working and definitely needs fixing/upgrading.

[Timetodrive]

I am surprised the letting agency are not doing more, ours inform us when the fixtures and fittings are becoming old and need replacing after the yearly inspection when rent increases are negotiated and contracts renewed. We get something similar to an MOT with some matters deemed urgent and an advisory list of what is coming to the end of life.

[Skeppers]

The rent was the same for a long time, but has increased steadily in the last few years, despite the house not being the same standard as similar houses in the area.

In all fairness to the landlady, she's pretty good- she did replace windows and doors in the last couple of years because we had no double glazing (she decided to do this with no prompting from us and it must've cost a pretty penny- the rent was increased accordingly and we had no qualms about paying- although ironically the mould has got worse since the double glazing was put in!!), but it's just the cosmetic stuff which hasn't been touched. Even when the windows were done there were some big cracks left in the plaster around them and the paint had flaked quite significantly in some places. It just looks shoddy and run down.

Because she gets the major things done, should we take the cosmetic stuff on ourselves? She may be reluctant to pay any more having recently forked out money on the windows, etc. I know that, from her point of view, the cosmetic stuff probably isn't a priority, but she doesn't have to live with it day-to-day. And I wouldn't consider myself particularly houseproud! I know it sounds silly but we're embarrassed to have friends over because it looks like we're living in student digs. In fact, when we told family/friends about the baby one of the first things most of them said was "so you're moving house, right?", like implying that our house was too crappy to have a baby in. It's a bit humiliating.

[Skeppers]

Just to add re: the above, I was born and raised in a 1 bed council flat, so I know that a 'nice' house isn't the be all and end all when you have a baby, but I feel like something could be done about this...I just don't know what!