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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not put the house back to what it was?

728 replies

QuantumDog2 · 13/09/2021 21:55

I've rented the house I live in currently for nearly 9 years. When I moved in it was a new build and we were the first to live here, so obviously a buy to let. The walls were all trade paint magnolia and the carpets were cheap, exactly the way new builds are presented as standard.
Over the years I've decorated it and made some improvements like extending the patio and I spend £1400 on new flooring for the lounge because the carpet was worn out by that stage and looked grotty.
Now I'm leaving as I've bought somewhere with my partner, but contractually apparently I have to return the property the way I found it. I'm 6 months pregnant now and don't fancy donning my overalls and climbing ladders to paint. What would you do? I feel like after 9 years here and the time and money I've spent on the place (although my choice totally) I shouldn't really be penalised, but I expect I will lose my deposit?

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 14/09/2021 19:59

[quote Svalberg]@CuriousaboutSamphire Where would a clerk stand about a tenant cutting off the automatic closures within a fire door? My 3 storey house had them (as per legal requirements) but it wasn't noted on the check-in, my bad for not spotting that. However, I couldn't then rent out the house again without putting new closures in and that would have cost a fortune...[/quote]
Damage. Maybe outside the parameters of the arbitration scheme but through a small claims court, including any lost revenue. I'd have advised you sought legal advice.

But I am not up to speed with the need for auto closures as a legal requirement, so I'd have referred it as something to be investigated.

Things like that annoy me. It's so unecessary! Removing them that is.

IceLace100 · 14/09/2021 20:06

How much is your deposit?

Weigh up the cost of losing your deposit vs the cost of a painter.

fucketyfuckwit · 14/09/2021 20:10

@CuriousaboutSamphire I'm glad we agree! 😁

Have we spoken in the past? A few years back?

I did speak to someone who used to be a teacher and then changed to be an inventory clerk.

Svalberg · 14/09/2021 20:11

@CuriousaboutSamphire Thanks v much, they didn't leave a forwarding address so I had to suck it up - sold the house which turned out for the best...

MrsMaizel · 14/09/2021 20:22

You signed the contract , you knew the terms , stick by it or lose your deposit .

billy1966 · 14/09/2021 20:25

You are not the least bit spiteful.

You moved into an unpaid new house and made it a home and never bothered the LL except to get his approval for improvements including a patio.....over a 9 year period.????

And he now wants you to return it to undercoat stage when he never even had it properly painted in the first place.

He is a CF of the highest order and I would be confirming you will be taking EVERYTHING with you.

The absolute cheek of them.

BungleandGeorge · 14/09/2021 20:38

@CuriousaboutSamphire
Have you ever seen one of those fire doors in action? They are extremely heavy (as they’re fire doors) and swing shut with some force, they’d break your fingers with no bother. So yes tricky if you’re renting but there is a very good reason to cut them! I’m not sure of the need for a self closing door in a normal family home, but obviously it’s required by building regs

Original poster
QuantumDog2 · 14/09/2021 21:04

@billy1966

You are not the least bit spiteful.

You moved into an unpaid new house and made it a home and never bothered the LL except to get his approval for improvements including a patio.....over a 9 year period.????

And he now wants you to return it to undercoat stage when he never even had it properly painted in the first place.

He is a CF of the highest order and I would be confirming you will be taking EVERYTHING with you.

The absolute cheek of them.

Thank you. Smile It's interesting how people are so polarised on this. I've been called a CF on this thread too. Grin
OP posts:
cittigirl · 14/09/2021 21:09

I was a LL for many years. I would have been happy for you to leave without redecorating. They should count themselves lucky they had the same good tenants for 9 years. I averaged between 3 and 5 years mostly and was very grateful..
Mind you I did charge very reasonable rent.

Original poster
QuantumDog2 · 14/09/2021 21:26

I also forgot to mention that there is a little alleyway up the side of the house to access the garage, which is not attached. A new build, and the path was all subsiding and unstable. One evening at dusk about 7 years ago i parked my car and then took a tumble on the uneven paving slabs whilst holding my son who was aged about ten months at the time. I didn't hurt my son thankfully, but i was in shorts and I skinned by knees and shins really badly. There was blood everywhere. I struggled with the pain for a good few days but they did heal without scarring eventually.
I hired a local company to fix that path, and whilst they were at it to sort the path to the front door step that was also subsiding. It's just little things like that that I've had to constantly shell out for so that I wasn't bugging my landlord.
I know it's not the LL's fault because I didn't make them aware of what had happened, but the point is that I've tried to be a good tenant for nearly a decade now and I just really really don't want to decorate their entire house again.

OP posts:
LakieLady · 14/09/2021 21:31

@GreyhoundG1rl

After a 9 year tenancy? Painting over a dark colour will be more labour intensive than painting over cream whenever you do it... The 9 years is completely irrelevant.
Especially if it's that durable, wipe-clean paint. It's a bastard to paint over.

My builder BIL's painter/decorators are currently charging him £250 a day labour. They'd charge more for a private customer. Tradesmen are getting so much work they can pretty much name their price. His sparky is now charging £60 an hour.

Monestera · 14/09/2021 21:32

If all of the walls were only mist-painted, and you've painted three rooms, what has happened with the other rooms - the living room, kitchen, bathroom etc?

Original poster
QuantumDog2 · 14/09/2021 21:38

@Monestera

If all of the walls were only mist-painted, and you've painted three rooms, what has happened with the other rooms - the living room, kitchen, bathroom etc?
All of the rooms are painted. They are all neutral colours like an oatmeal colour in my bedroom and a dove grey in the family bathroom. It's the hall, stairs and landing and also two children's bedrooms which I know they'll insist on being put back to magnolia. They might actually just say the whole house, I've no idea. Either way, it'll come out of my deposit.
OP posts:
GreyhoundG1rl · 14/09/2021 21:39

I hired a local company to fix that path, and whilst they were at it to sort the path to the front door step that was also subsiding. It's just little things like that that I've had to constantly shell out for so that I wasn't bugging my landlord
But why would you do that?

Monestera · 14/09/2021 21:39

It really does sound tastefully done to me OP. Have I missed a post? Did you hear back from the agent? I thought it sounded positive earlier today.

happinessischocolate · 14/09/2021 21:39

@QuantumDog2

DP suggests taking the floor up and installing it in our new house. The carpet in the new house is tired and would be replaced by us anyway, so we could do a direct swap. He thinks we should take the patio and everything else I've put in to the house, including nice light fittings and curtain poles (which I would have left) and even digging up the planting I've done in the garden. Then he says he'll get a friend in to paint the whole house white for us. White will be easier according to him because the woodwork and ceilings are white.
I would be taking everything, and painting with the cheapest magnolia paint I could find. Sounds like the landlord will try to retain the deposit so try and sail as close to the line as you can so you can get the money back.

I've had an arsehole landlord like that who was putting the house in the market and wanted to come round and take photos of the garden. I said you'll need to wait until I've removed all my plants and extras before doing the photos, he looked shocked that I was taking everything 😁

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 14/09/2021 21:40

What's the point in asking a question on a public forum then disagreeing with everyone?

burritofan · 14/09/2021 21:40

I’d definitely go the petty route and take all your improvements – flooring, curtain poles, light fittings, the lot – and paint it all white. It’ll still be back to better than it was before because white is a million miles better than fucking magnolia.

Original poster
QuantumDog2 · 14/09/2021 21:48

Also I wallpapered the downstairs loo in an Osbourne & Little paper. Tiny room and it was a bit manic in there but I loved it. I've started stripping the wallpaper off as soon as I knew I was leaving though and painting the room in an antique white I had kicking about in the garage. It's absolutely blindingly obvious that the paper had to go because it was very niche taste. One lady viewer said it was 'a tragedy' to see the paper remnants still clinging to one wall behind the hand basin though.

OP posts:
Original poster
QuantumDog2 · 14/09/2021 21:49

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy

What's the point in asking a question on a public forum then disagreeing with everyone?
Who, me? I'm not disagreeing with everyone. People seem to be pretty evenly divided if you read through.
OP posts:
Original poster
QuantumDog2 · 14/09/2021 21:50

@GreyhoundG1rl

I hired a local company to fix that path, and whilst they were at it to sort the path to the front door step that was also subsiding. It's just little things like that that I've had to constantly shell out for so that I wasn't bugging my landlord But why would you do that?
Because I didn't want to dash my baby's brains out on a shit uneven path.
OP posts:
Chailatteplease · 14/09/2021 21:55

I did the same, just accepted I’d lose the deposit. Which did feel a bit unfair since I’d made so many improvements, but you have to suck it up if you can’t be bothered to change it all back.

BlueberrySugar · 14/09/2021 21:56

I think that colour is lovely and I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I rent and it's all ugly magnolia and we aren't allowed to touch it. Shows every mark and is hideous.

Those front doors you have I bloody hate on new builds. I hate the doors where you have to lock it by that little knob and a key. My mums is exactly the same.

BlueberrySugar · 14/09/2021 21:57

I meant rather than a key!

Original poster
QuantumDog2 · 14/09/2021 22:00

@Chailatteplease

I did the same, just accepted I’d lose the deposit. Which did feel a bit unfair since I’d made so many improvements, but you have to suck it up if you can’t be bothered to change it all back.
Yeah, I think you're right. It's either let the deposit go in its entirety which was my preference, or do as DP says and get petty by repainting everything white and taking every last fixture and fitting I put in. I don't think I can do that though, it seems a bit out of order. But then that stuff is mine I guess....I don't know what to do. 🤔
OP posts:
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