Request to Landlord

[pedropony76]

I moved into my flat last summer when DD was 2 months old at the time. I had a really bad labour and needed three procedures to rectify an issue. When I moved in, I asked the Landlord if I could remove the bed that was in the flat and bring my own bed from my mum’s house which was much higher and much sturdier and supported my neck and back in a way that helped the healing process. The Landlord said he didn’t live locally so wouldn’t be able to come round and take the bed apart so he asked if I could try the bed out and if I really didn’t want it then I should let him know.

Fast forward to nearly a year later and the bed is SO squeaky it’s literally unbearable. If I could add an audio clip so you guys could hear it, then I would. I wake up my daughter just by sitting on the bed alone. I also wake her up by turning over during the night. I now have a 7 week old son and the bed is so squeaky and disruptive that I’m actually having to sleep with him in my living room as I was waking him up everytime I sat down. I’m also recovering from a C section (which got infected as I was never resting as my son was in NICU for 6 weeks) so I’m desperate for a higher bed that I find more comfortable and one that doesn’t sound like a bloody trampoline.

I sent an email to the Landlord’s estate agent basically saying everything above and asked if the Landlord can remove the bed. I’m not asking him to replace the bed or buy a new frame, just asking him to remove it so I can buy my own. The estate agent has just emailed me saying unfortunately the Landlord isn’t financially able to remove the bed or have it stored. He’s offered to come over to make the necessary adjustments to stop the noise and squeaking.

My thing is, is that I’ve already tried that. I’ve lifted up the mattress and tightened all the screws so if the Landlord isn’t able to solve the problem, where do we go from here? I’m really not able to live like this especially with two babies in a one bedroom flat! Any advice with what I can say in the email or should i just wait until the Landlord comes, see that he can’t fix the bed and then say something then? I just want the shit bed gone ffs!

Oh sorry just because I know what people will ask what it says in my contract. I saw that it says this, ‘Not to remove any of the Fixtures, Furniture and Effects from the Property and to leave the Furniture and Effects at the end of the tenancy where they were at the beginning.’

So I can’t just chuck the bed out. As I’ve signed the contract, if the Landlord says he can’t afford to put the bed in storage then I have to keep it regardless of whether he can fix it or not. I’m so annoyed

Hi
Can you or a friend just dismantle the bed and then use the one from your mums?

It’s really concerning that your landlord can’t afford to remove the bed - if they can’t afford that then what would happen if the boiler/oven/plumbing system went?!

If its that bad why dont you arrange to swap out the two beds yourself and store the LL's bed at your mums untill you move out?

Just seen up date
I'd rather store a dismantled bed - maybe under your new bed.
The bed is not fit for purpose.
Citizen advice ??

Can't you just dismantle it and put it in the loft and bring your own in?

I had a really squeaky bed some years ago and couldn't afford to replace it at the time so slathered WD40 all over the springs and bolts underneath and it made a world of difference

Can you store the bed at your parents house in place of the one you plan to put in it's place?

My old bed is currently being used by my little sister which is still at my mum’s house. My mum won’t want to store the LL’s bed at her house and I wouldn’t expect her too tbh. She also doesn’t have the space.

There’s no loft to store the bed in as it’s just a flat. I also don’t feel like I should be the one to take apart this huge king size bed and then find somewhere to store it. It’s not my house!

To think I pay £1180 for a one bedroom flat and the LL can’t even remove the SHITE bed because he can’t afford too?? What the actual hell

This is exactly what I’m thinking!! It all makes no sense

I would ask them that and tell them that is very concerning and potentially dangerous.

Email the letting agent back and explain that the bed is no longer fit for use due to wear and tear. It is not able to be repaired, repairs have been attempted and have failed, therefore it needs to be replaced and you await details of a date when this will be completed by.

Of course if the landlord was to agree with you (in writing) that you can replace it with your own bed then he won't need to replace it from his own pocket...

I suspect it doesn't mean that he literally can't afford it, it's that he doesn't believe it's a good use of his money/worth paying for it.

Ask for permission to dispose of it yourself and put it on freecycle?

You rented it with the bed :(
what if the bed totally broke and was unusable? Could you pay a man with van to pick it up and take it to the tip if the landlord/agent agreed?

URGHHHH.

My previous landlord put the cheapest piece of shit bed in our flat and it broke frequently.

Tell them that the bed is broken, and that you would like to get rid of the bed yourself and buy your own.

They may ask you to make sure you replace the bed when you leave - I got one for 60 quid from facebook marketplace to replace.

It’ll cost him to put it in storage and might comeback mouldy. Most landlords who rent furnished don’t let you pick and choose furniture. Do you now have 2 children in a one bed flat? I’d be looking to move anyway. Maybe to a cheaper area as your rent sounds ridiculously high.

It does make you wonder what percentage of tenants are being forced to sleep on utterly crap beds. There is so much advice to buy the best bed you can afford, that you spend a third of your life in bed, that spine health matters… then you have all these rentals with the cheapest possible Argos jobs in them. And now LLs pleading poverty.

Fuck me £1180 rent. Misses point of thread.

I'm a landlord. The kind of property I have attracts very young professionals and they tend not to stay longer than a year or two - they find new jobs, new cities, move in with partners. If I let them dispose of my furniture in order to replace it with their furniture, I would have to replace furniture when they moved out. So I see your LL's point of view.

If you're a good tenant and you want to stay a long time though, I'd be more inclined to meet you halfway and at least check out the current state of the bed. If it's as noisy and unsuitable as you say, I'd take it away and let you install your own. And then save up for a replacement for when you leave, hoping that wasn't going to be any time soon. But you could give me two months notice, and there'd be nowt I could do about it, so it all relies on goodwill and trust.

I'm not a BTL landlord though. I gather the margins there are very small for most, and replacing furniture (even crap furniture) can knock a big hole in revenue.

Your negotiating position is at its strongest when you are offered a property, so - future reference - check out everything really thoroughly at that point, and make your acceptance contingent on that.

It's amazing that the bed hasn't broken yet if it's so squeaky and rubbish. Maybe it's time for it to break, and conveniently, rather than put your landlord through the expense of buying a new bed, you can bring yours in from home instead.

Just saying...

You've had two babies in one year so it's not likely that you'll stay in a one bed. It can't be practical.

Thank you! @Jott I’ve literally copied and pasted your first paragraph into my email.

I’m more than happy for the LL to visit the flat and assess the bed himself to see that the bed isn’t suitable but there’s no way I should be forced to keep a faulty bed

Mm yeah that definitely makes sense thank you. If I’m being realistic, I won’t be moving out for a few years to say the least. Therefore I don’t see the issue with me bringing my own bed to the property. I’ll see what happens going forward

If you are determined to get rid of the bed then why not just get rid of it and you can either replace it when you leave or it is likely that the landlord will be granted the cost of replacing it (like for like inc same age/condition I think) when you leave by the deposit protection service. Assuming the landlord has an inventory and photos to prove what was there.

You have rented the house and furniture and need to return the house to the landlord in a similar condition less fair wear and tear. So as the landlord has not agreed with you that you can get rid of it it is up to you to store it, or if you get rid to replace it, or to pay for it.

There is always the risk that the landlord could serve you notice so I would just politely say that you have organised storage and that you will replace it when you leave. Even if you have got rid of it if you replace with a similar standard of bed then you wouldn't expect the deposit scheme to withhold your money. Take photos of the bed you get rid of to prove condition and quality if they are needed when you leave.

Equally you could offer to buy the bed off the landlord now for what it would cost them to replace it and then dispose of it. Get any agreement in writing and keep it for the end of tenancy - but if you are offering £100 for a second hand bed they may still decline as they might not see it as second hand if they bought it new recently.

Hahaha so true😉