Landlords - are these requests reasonable?

[MightyAtlantic]

We've been in our flat for 6 years. In that time, the landlords have repainted the bathroom and the radiators, because we asked. We also asked if the hall could be repainted at the same time but they didn't do this. They haven't done any other maintenance. The property is managed by a letting agency.
Now, the paint in the hall is looking even grubbier. Also, the sofa is saggy to the point of being uncomfortable, ditto the lumpy mattress on our bed. The cooker is also extremely old fashioned, but still works. And the bedroom carpet is a hideous colour and has seen better days, but isn't actually worn.
Should we ask the landlords if they'll consider replacing these items? I think it's a bit cheeky as they're not actually broken and they've done us fine up until now. I think we should look for a new flat that's more to our current taste. DP thinks it's worth asking. If you're a landlord, what would you think about a request like this?

@SkyBillingIssue We live in Scotland. Unfurnished flats are rare but I have seen them advertised before. Haven't looked recently though, maybe I should!

No harm in asking, but your landlord wouldn’t be U to say no to all of it, except the mattress.

Might be sensible to prioritise.

I've been renting for 25 years in many different flats and houses, none of them have been furnished. I'm in south Manchester

I'd and definitely expect the LL to replace badly worn mattresses and sofas in a furnished place. Or they take them away and you put you own in but on the understanding they are yours and will be coming with you when you move

We rented a flat in Manchester and it had white goods and built in bedroom furniture and a bed but no sofa, so part furnished I supposed.

I would replace the bed and sofa, but would probably ask not to have to do it immediately and at the same.

Cooker and carpet, sorry no.

Painting, I would suggest I paid for the paint and you do it. I wouldn't want tenants painting the walls in a weird colour that later has to be painted over.

I think its good to remember as well that generally furnished is a bit more expensive to rent than unfurnished - essentially you are also paying for the privilege of having the contents provided and are renting these too. So it seems unfair to be expected to replace at your own cost but still pay the fee to 'rent' these items from LL

I would say replace the bed yourselves and treat the house as unfurnished. Same re sofa.

Of course you would! Cheap skate landlord getting paid for a furnished flat but telling the tenant to replace worn out furniture themselves. They’ve already paid you for the furniture to be replaced! You have to now use that money to replace it. Otherwise you need to reduce the rent to reflect an unfurnished rate.

I found the space to store my landlords shite mattress and got myself a new one I took with me.

I'm not a landlord, but if I were in your position I think I'd paint the hallway myself, shampoo the bedroom carpet and ask they will consider replacing the sofa and mattress.

Presumably your lease contains a clause to return the property in the condition it was let to you, so the cost of the paint won't be wasted even if you move out, if it protects your deposit.

I don't think it's unreasonable at all to replace a sofa and a mattress after six years, especially if they weren't new when you moved in and you've been good tenants. Let's face it, most landlords are unlikely to furnish a let property with very expensive, hard-wearing furniture; six years isn't bad going imo.

If the cooker is still working and meets safety standards, I think its a bit cheeky to ask for a new one.

DM1209, if the flat is let furnished why on Earth would tenants replace worn goods? What's to stop you kicking them out at the end of the lease and hanging on to new bed, cooker and carpets?

You are probably paying a premium for the furnished element so yes they should be replaced or changed to a non furnished agreement and less rent?

I would expect the LL to replace the mattress and probably the sofa if it is very saggy.

I’m somewhat shocked by DM1209’s attitude. Why should the tenants pay if they are renting a furnished flat?

I would repaint the hall. And replace the mattress as it sounds like it's at the end of its life. Probably also the sofa if it's saggy through age rather than design.

However the carpet and cooker sound like they are more matters of personal taste than being in poor condition. You would have paid less for the flat on the basis that these things looked a bit old fashioned. Would you have to pay more for a more modern flat elsewhere? If so, would you be prepared to pay a little bit more rent if the cooker and carpet were replaced? You could put that proposal to the landlord.

Some of this is a bit hypothetical for me as we don't really have furnished lets down here either (South Coast)

MrsSquiggler When we rented this flat it was all we could afford but rents have gone down where we live due to a downturn in the main industry so now we could rent a bigger, more modern flat for about the same or slightly more. We were reluctant to move because it's such a hassle and we like the area and our neighbours but it might be time to bite the bullet!

We will ask about getting a new mattress and if we can paint the hall but not about the other stuff. The sofa I don't think they would replace as it's a set with two matching chairs. And I accept I am being unreasonable about the cooker, I just hate the bloody thing because it's so inefficient!
Thanks everyone for your views.

We don’t rent any of our places furnished. We do re-paint usually inbetween tennants, so if a long term tennant wanted a re-paint, I wouldn’t have any issue with that if it needed it. We wouldn’t replace carpet though.

We are landlords in Scotland; there's a real mix of furnished and unfurnished in the areas where we own property. We chose to rent unfurnished as there are fewer regulations to stay on top of that way. However - if carpet is worn and older than 5 years old we would certainly be happy to have a look and discussion about it. Cooker less so if it's working - we know the cooker in one of our properties is old but we are planning and budgeting to replace whole kitchen within 18 months so would try and last til then.

Paint - if a tenant wants to repaint then we have no issue with ours - they are always refreshed between tenants so it's unlikely to need done, but we would ask that it is returned to "as was" or neutral at end of tenancy. If a tenant is really long term (maybe 5 years?) we would repaint at that point.

I'd like to think we were seen as considerate and fair...

You need to look at Scottish law which is most likely different to English law.

In England it's very unusual now to get furnished rentals past fridge and maybe a washing machine if lucky.

I left a washing machine last time but had it in the contract that it would be replaced if broke.

IME flats that are rented unfurnished tend to end up being furnished anyway. Tenants move in, buy furniture abandon some when moving out and over time it acquires a set of mismatched furniture. Not long ago I rented a flat that had been passed down a chain of tenants, without the landlord ever setting foot in the place. Officially it was unfurnished but previous tenants had abandoned double beds, a sofa, coffee machine, kitchen table and a dog (!) When I moved out I abandoned a wardrobe and took the dog!

Someone left a dog!! bastards!

I'm a LL in Scotland. I replace anything needed, in fact just replaced a 5 year old bed as it wasn't fit for purpose.

I recently had new tenants, before they moved in we decorated throughout and deep cleaned the flat, even though it was clean already. I would expect to move into somewhere pristine, so make sure my tenants have the same.

I’m a landlord but unfurnished only.

Bear in mind landlords can’t make improvements and deduct the expenditure from taxable income. They can only maintain.

I decorate in between tenancies every 5 or so years (unless there is damage to repair). I do allow tenants to redecorate as long as returned to original neutral when they move out.
I replace appliances when they stop working.
I only replace carpets when worn/damaged.

If sofa and mattress are provided as part of tenancy then these should be replaced if evidently worn and no longer fit for purpose. The rest is not something I’d do if someone asked.

@ILoveMaxiBondi

wow, so much hatred for LLs.
Actually I'm very fair but how would you know that from one sentence on an online forum...

In my area and experience of being a landlord; most tenants would prefer unfurnished. So when it's time to replace them, we will advertise as unfurnished. Not all landlords are awful by the way. Our rent is lower than the average and when our last tenants moved out they advised us to up, we said we knew it was low but we didn't want to up as we preferred keeping good tenants.

We rely on that rental income hugely and would never take the piss with tenants. We never have. Our previous tenants actually took us out for dinner to say thank you. So please don't tar us all with the same brush.

wow, so much hatred for LLs.

My post was entirely directed at you! I quoted your post. Not any other LLs. Just you and what you said you would do.

Actually I'm very fair but how would you know that from one sentence on an online forum.

I can only work from what you’ve said, and you said you would tell them to replace something that you’ve been paid money to replace yourself.

We rely on that rental income hugely and would never take the piss with tenants.

If you would take money from them for replacements furniture then tell them to pay again to replace it then you absolutely would be taking the piss. Massively so.

So please don't tar us all with the same brush.

I didn’t. I tarred just you with one brush based on your own comments.