To not put the house back to what it was?

[QuantumDog2]

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?

I have told my tennants after 12 years that I wont be taking any of the deposit unless there is a massive piss take like drilling into the UPV windows or leaving tonnes of shit in the house. To be fair after 5-6 years you could have done nothing at all and the LL would need to repaint. Its wear and tear after 9 years. I think your LL is taking the piss but I guess if you haven't had the go ahead after asking then theres not much you do I guess?

One of my friends found something that if a carpet is five years old in a rental it's a write coffin terms of a leaving tenant having to clean it or replace it. Again i expect to RIP mine out when the tennants go.

Totally different in a two year or less tenancy because the costs involved of school major works when it should be salvagable

Because I didn't want to dash my baby's brains out on a shit uneven path.

Clearly, but why do it yourself instead of ‘bugging’ the landlord? As you pointed out, you pay a lot of rent. Part of that is to cover repairs.

@Monestera

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.

I haven't heard a thing back from the agent yet and also the LL hasn't replied to my message last night setting out my intentions. I think she must be fuming. She's probably mulling over her response. It's sad because I really don't want to be disrespectful or leave here with any animosity...I just to be treated fairly.

@Siepie

Because I didn't want to dash my baby's brains out on a shit uneven path.

Clearly, but why do it yourself instead of ‘bugging’ the landlord? As you pointed out, you pay a lot of rent. Part of that is to cover repairs.

I don't know...I think it's just me and the way I was brought up. I'm a bit of a knob for struggling on alone when I should ask for help, or feeling like I don't want to burden anyone. I think at the time I was really shook up, I could afford to repair the paths and I knew it would probably take weeks of wrangling to get the agent and LL to do anything, if at all, and I couldn't be bothered with that.

Clearly, but why do it yourself instead of ‘bugging’ the landlord? As you pointed out, you pay a lot of rent. Part of that is to cover repairs.
It once took me 18 months to get a landlord to repair a literal actual hole in the roof letting rain into the sitting room; we had to keep a bucket in the middle of the floor and frequently scrub black mould from the room it was so damp. After that I just repaired stuff myself.

@burritofan

Clearly, but why do it yourself instead of ‘bugging’ the landlord? As you pointed out, you pay a lot of rent. Part of that is to cover repairs. It once took me 18 months to get a landlord to repair a literal actual hole in the roof letting rain into the sitting room; we had to keep a bucket in the middle of the floor and frequently scrub black mould from the room it was so damp. After that I just repaired stuff myself.

Quite! The fence post debacle rumbled on for months. It was so noisy when it was windy, creaking back and forth, it started to piss my lovely neighbour off. I think a lot of people don't realise that being a tenant isn't much fun and you spend a lot of your time feeling frustrated and having to put up with stuff you'd never tolerate in your own home. All because it's 'not yours'.

Honestly for goodness sake you chose to put 6K into a property you knew you would not be staying in forever. You could have lived with the tatty carpet and the magnolia walls (which was put on top of the plaster by the way, so cheap or not it was decorated), or you could have gone through reasonable wear and tear channels to have the landlord fix at their cost or repay you.

You have been silly to have put all the work into this property out of your own pocket. I sympathise with the useless LL problem, I've had them but you spent so much!

You agreed to put things back how they were, to not do so would be wrong. If that means you suck up the costs and just paint the walls that's kind of tough because you agreed to it.

If you take everything you've put in out, that would be fine and the LL wouldn't have a leg to stand on provided you replace everything with cheaper alternatives - the things like fittings and curtain rails etc. It'll have to be made good.

You're sounding quite entitled tbh @QuantumDog2 and while your LL doesn't sound like the best in the world, this is an issue of your own making in a way and you shouldn't have paid for normal wear and tear from your own pocket. It doesn't entitle you to throw the agreement out of the window just because you feel hard done by.

Your partner sounds practical, if a little understandably fed up to suggest ripping out the floors etc.

Lesson learned not to spend loads on rentals I guess.

Because I didn't want to dash my baby's brains out on a shit uneven path.
Yeah, I meant why do it yourself because you didn't want to bug the landlord, obviously
You do sound quite resentful of the amount of money you put into the house, knowing that

1. It wasn't yours, and
2. You'd signed a contract that stated it had to be returned to it's original state on termination of the lease 🤷🏻‍♀️

I also think you can’t turn it on and off like a tap. So when you were emotionally invested in this house as your home you wanted to do things and make changes to suit what you wanted to do. In a rental investing in flooring and a patio aren’t exactly standard but you sought approval and did these things. Plants in a garden are purely down to you.

You painted to suit your colour preferences which honestly wouldn’t be mine. You were told ok but the need to repaint back to neutral would be required. Now you are giving up the lease you no longer have any emotional investment in what was your home, but you still need to repaint back to neutral.

It has suited you previously that your LL has been amenable to you making changes, LL did stipulate if you painted you would have to rectify and now you are raising bygone grievances as to why you should not uphold the agreement.

Somehow I can’t help but think you know you are in the wrong as you wouldn’t be asking here if you are or not. At the end of the day you entered into a rental agreement and some of your perceived improvements were your own choices. The colours you have painted some areas I certainly would not consider an improvement and the LL gave you permission to do so but on the proviso you would return them to the original colour or neutral throughout.

I’ve been a LL and whilst I would no doubt let you get away with it, others may not.

@WhoIsPepeSilva

Honestly for goodness sake you chose to put 6K into a property you knew you would not be staying in forever. You could have lived with the tatty carpet and the magnolia walls (which was put on top of the plaster by the way, so cheap or not it was decorated), or you could have gone through reasonable wear and tear channels to have the landlord fix at their cost or repay you.

You have been silly to have put all the work into this property out of your own pocket. I sympathise with the useless LL problem, I've had them but you spent so much!

You agreed to put things back how they were, to not do so would be wrong. If that means you suck up the costs and just paint the walls that's kind of tough because you agreed to it.

If you take everything you've put in out, that would be fine and the LL wouldn't have a leg to stand on provided you replace everything with cheaper alternatives - the things like fittings and curtain rails etc. It'll have to be made good.

You're sounding quite entitled tbh @QuantumDog2 and while your LL doesn't sound like the best in the world, this is an issue of your own making in a way and you shouldn't have paid for normal wear and tear from your own pocket. It doesn't entitle you to throw the agreement out of the window just because you feel hard done by.

Your partner sounds practical, if a little understandably fed up to suggest ripping out the floors etc.

Lesson learned not to spend loads on rentals I guess.

What??? Nine years of my life is a substantial chunk, is it not? I've raised 3 children here. Just because I don't own the bricks and mortar you think I should have just 'existed' here and not fucking lived? Piss off! I chose to make this a home for me and my family, which it wasn't before. I couldn't have 'lived' here the way it was, I'd have been miserable. I've sunk, as you say, thousands in to this place and I don't regret a penny of it. My post and my question to you is not one about money, you COMPLETELY misunderstand. It's about morality. I wanted to know what is morally correct. I'm okay with saying goodbye to my deposit, it's about £1300. I can happily live without that money, but I won't sleep easy at night knowing that my landlord took the fucking piss out of me and my misfortune. I'm so mad with people like you and your attitude. How are things ever going to improve for people in hardship with this outlook? Can't get a fucking mortgage that would cost me £700 but can afford rent at £1000 a month for years on end without default? Honestly, I despair. No wonder landlords are such cunts to tenants.

@GreyhoundG1rl

Because I didn't want to dash my baby's brains out on a shit uneven path. Yeah, I meant why do it yourself because you didn't want to bug the landlord, obviously You do sound quite resentful of the amount of money you put into the house, knowing that 1) It wasn't yours, and 2) You'd signed a contract that stated it had to be returned to it's original state on termination of the lease 🤷🏻‍♀️

Of course I'm resentful. 😆 I'm sorry, but you've littered my thread with countless posts telling me I'm in the wrong. I accept you opinion, but i got the memo first time! Crack on saying the same thing over and over if you must, I can't keep explaining myself. I'm not responding to you further.

@Kipperandarthur

I also think you can’t turn it on and off like a tap. So when you were emotionally invested in this house as your home you wanted to do things and make changes to suit what you wanted to do. In a rental investing in flooring and a patio aren’t exactly standard but you sought approval and did these things. Plants in a garden are purely down to you.

You painted to suit your colour preferences which honestly wouldn’t be mine. You were told ok but the need to repaint back to neutral would be required. Now you are giving up the lease you no longer have any emotional investment in what was your home, but you still need to repaint back to neutral.

It has suited you previously that your LL has been amenable to you making changes, LL did stipulate if you painted you would have to rectify and now you are raising bygone grievances as to why you should not uphold the agreement.

Somehow I can’t help but think you know you are in the wrong as you wouldn’t be asking here if you are or not. At the end of the day you entered into a rental agreement and some of your perceived improvements were your own choices. The colours you have painted some areas I certainly would not consider an improvement and the LL gave you permission to do so but on the proviso you would return them to the original colour or neutral throughout.

I’ve been a LL and whilst I would no doubt let you get away with it, others may not.

Thank you, this is a balanced opinion and food for thought. You're definitely on to something when you say that I'm done with this house. I feel like I just want to wash my hands of it now and walk away. I'd certainly have struggled to enjoy living here if I'd not changed things significantly...I felt I had no choice. Now finally, after all the sacrifice and hardship I'm moving in to MY dream house soon and I'm so happy to kiss my deposit goodbye. I just feel bad about walking away from this place when it's been my haven for so long. I can't really explain beyond that, and it probably doesn't make sense. But there it is.

I’ve been where you are OP apart from the landlord was selling instead of me choosing to leave.

I think as a tenant it’s so easy to start feeling comfortable and wanting to put your own stamp on a place. You almost feel that other tenants might ruin properties with their bad taste and feature walls but anything you yourself do will be lovely and appreciated by the landlord!

It’s hard because it is your home and you want it to look the way you want it to.

but I won't sleep easy at night knowing that my landlord took the fucking piss out of me and my misfortune

How have they? By simply asking you to adhere to the contract?

@slightlyworriedthissunday

I’ve been where you are OP apart from the landlord was selling instead of me choosing to leave.

I think as a tenant it’s so easy to start feeling comfortable and wanting to put your own stamp on a place. You almost feel that other tenants might ruin properties with their bad taste and feature walls but anything you yourself do will be lovely and appreciated by the landlord!

It’s hard because it is your home and you want it to look the way you want it to.

Yeah, this is literally the nail on the head. I haven't done a single thing to this place thinking 'ooh....the landlord'll owe me for this when I leave'. I did it because I NEEDED to have a home, for my own happiness and mental health. I don't care about the money or the deposit. I do care about being taken for a mug though, so it's a fine balancing act to keep everyone happy. I don't see why I should be the injured party in this though. It should be give and take and compromise, but I guess the little man gets kicked in the balls at every turn. It's shit.

@LookAtMoiPloise

but I won't sleep easy at night knowing that my landlord took the fucking piss out of me and my misfortune

How have they? By simply asking you to adhere to the contract?

By doing nothing to help make this a happy home for us. No maintenance, no repairs unless I lobbied heavily. It sucks. If I'd just existed here the LL would have to repaint anyway. Why should it fall to me? Please tell me why.

I think your response to kipper, is really the crux of it.

^Thank you, this is a balanced opinion and food for thought. You're definitely on to something when you say that I'm done with this house. I feel like I just want to wash my hands of it now and walk away. I'd certainly have struggled to enjoy living here if I'd not changed things significantly...I felt I had no choice.
Now finally, after all the sacrifice and hardship I'm moving in to MY dream house soon and I'm so happy to kiss my deposit goodbye. I just feel bad about walking away from this place when it's been my haven for so long. I can't really explain beyond that, and it probably doesn't make sense. But there it is.^

As well as the financial aspect there's a huge emotional play here, you're leaving your haven after 9 years, from when your kid(s) were babies. Moving in with a DP to a new house, pregnant (and somewhere I think it said new country but I may be wrong). That's hard, it would be nice if you could move away calmly, no regrets, and move into that new life. But because of this paint issue it's all getting messy and frustrating and tarnishing your haven/memories, it's almost a criticism of the Space you created for yourself and your family.

Conversely the LL is just seeing it as a contractual, dry matter in fact probably an annoying inconvenience in his busy life, there no emotional buy in for him.

That might all be a bit flowery and romantic but I think from your last post there's something there. Hopefully the agent comes back quickly and resolves it do you can move on.

@NameChangeNameShange

I think your response to kipper, is really the crux of it.

^Thank you, this is a balanced opinion and food for thought. You're definitely on to something when you say that I'm done with this house. I feel like I just want to wash my hands of it now and walk away. I'd certainly have struggled to enjoy living here if I'd not changed things significantly...I felt I had no choice.
Now finally, after all the sacrifice and hardship I'm moving in to MY dream house soon and I'm so happy to kiss my deposit goodbye. I just feel bad about walking away from this place when it's been my haven for so long. I can't really explain beyond that, and it probably doesn't make sense. But there it is.^

As well as the financial aspect there's a huge emotional play here, you're leaving your haven after 9 years, from when your kid(s) were babies. Moving in with a DP to a new house, pregnant (and somewhere I think it said new country but I may be wrong). That's hard, it would be nice if you could move away calmly, no regrets, and move into that new life. But because of this paint issue it's all getting messy and frustrating and tarnishing your haven/memories, it's almost a criticism of the Space you created for yourself and your family.

Conversely the LL is just seeing it as a contractual, dry matter in fact probably an annoying inconvenience in his busy life, there no emotional buy in for him.

That might all be a bit flowery and romantic but I think from your last post there's something there. Hopefully the agent comes back quickly and resolves it do you can move on.

Yes....I didn't even realise it myself until I got upset and emotional and then you came along and pointed it out for me. It's not just a transactional money thing for me, you're right. Thank you for your perspective, that's really valuable actually. It makes me think that I should consider trying to detach emotionally and move on from this on good terms, but it's hard when no one is communicating with me. I think I'm just going to have to be patient and wait for things to unfold, which I've never been good at. Thank you again.

I'm a LL and i think this is outrageous. You've been there 9 years and from what you say considerably improved their property Please see here:
www.depositprotection.com/news/latest-news/2014/redecoration-who-pays/

I'd probably pay someone to paint the kid's bedrooms back to Magnolia and leave the hall and stairs, the blue is pretty neutral (albeit dark) and looks nice against the flooring whereas the kids rooms sound a bit more garish and less likely to be acceptable to a potential tenant. Compromise with your landlord by agreeing something like this and I bet you'll get your deposit back

whatever your preference is and an Unmumsnetty hug

[quote GetOffThatPhone]I'm a LL and i think this is outrageous. You've been there 9 years and from what you say considerably improved their property Please see here:
www.depositprotection.com/news/latest-news/2014/redecoration-who-pays/[/quote]
Thank you! 😭 Gosh I'm a mess of hormones and stress this evening. I'm so relieved to see that there are lots of people like you out there who can see it from my perspective.

@polkadotpixie

I'd probably pay someone to paint the kid's bedrooms back to Magnolia and leave the hall and stairs, the blue is pretty neutral (albeit dark) and looks nice against the flooring whereas the kids rooms sound a bit more garish and less likely to be acceptable to a potential tenant. Compromise with your landlord by agreeing something like this and I bet you'll get your deposit back

I know what you're saying, but the kids rooms really aren't garish. My boy's room is Tranquil Dawn (so not what I would consider neutral? But still a pleasant relaxing colour) and I'm leaving matching velux blinds. My girls room is a pale ballerina pink. I know it's not ideal, but it's still a pretty serene colour. They just have loads of pictures and bunting and stuff to take down so not a problem. But will I get away with the pink? Probably not.

I was in my last place a number of years, it wasn't ideal in a lot of ways.
I made small improvements to make it more liveable because I'm fully aware of how depressing living in a shit house can be and how it affects you, like I said I've been there.

Anyway, when I moved some of those improvements were left behind because the LL was fine with the slight upgrade(s) and I had no use for them. Some of them - like the paint we had added to some of the rooms and lampshades for eg - were put back to original.

All of the improvements were done cheaply and with the understanding that this was not a forever home so nothing was a wrench to leave behind.

It doesn't matter to me really how much money you put in, the point of my post was that you put a fairly large chunk of money into upgrades for a house you weren't planning to stay in. Now you seem to resent having to keep to your agreement because of various reasons including how much you have invested in the property. You brought it up in the first place so it clearly matters to you how much you've spent so far.

You've been too open with your purse at times where your LL should have put up costs so yes they were CF in that respect, but I'm sorry you should have stood up for yourself in some cases because they were expenses the LL should have absorbed.

I'm sympathetic in some ways but you are acting quite badly and you are coming across as entitled IMO. You make an agreement, you stick to it whether you want to or not. You have no good reason not to here. There are lessons to be learned here but you don't seem to want to learn them.

I'll step away though because I don't want to upset you further and I do hope it all works out for you and you enjoy your new home.

I'm 100% on your side and I think the tenancy deposit scheme people will be too. Really not sure why so many people are giving you a hard time on here. You sound like a dream tenant - you've really looked after the place and it will go in your favour that your landlord hasn't done a thing to the place in 9 years. As others have said just take loads of photos!
It made me laugh when a pp said denim drift and pale pink was a bit extreme 😂