University 2019/20 intake: vacations, vaccinations, va-va-voom restored and virtually into their third year

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

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Hers not here

Another who would say that de-cluttering is a marathon not a sprint and there will be days/weeks when one or none a day is all you can manage because life should take precedence. The thing I have found is that there is a slow and subtle change in mindset about items already in the house and what we choose to bring in.
Well, more progress on the magazine pile by DH and last 5 to recycling bin. Should now be able to clear side in kitchen. He is taking today off work so may present the next collection of cables for sorting.

Oops, wrong thread.

I thought someone mentioned that landlords aren't supposed to deduct money for cleaning? Or have I got that wrong?

£24 per person lost isn't so bad I guess @Benjispruce5. Glad your DS got all his deposit back @bigTillyMint.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18, I don’t think all landlords follow those rules and depend on no one challenging them

@bigTillyMint yes, I get the feeling some are chancers and count on the fact that most young people won't necessarily stand up for their rights. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have done so at that age but have more than made up for it since!

Yes it seems dodgy to me. He’s listed exactly what has had to be professionally cleaned: oven, windows etc. Just standard stuff that tenants should do I guess but students wouldn’t generally.

Hmmm. Surely students would never even consider paying to have windows cleaned???? And they're chancing their arm expecting students to clean the inside of an oven, surely? I don't think they can expect the same standards from hard-up students vs people who are renting who are on decent salaries.

I suspect landlords generally make a lot more from student rentals than they would renting the same properties to families? DS's house works out at about £1.75K per month between five. That's surely well above the market rate for Norwich (more like an outer London rental value!)?

@NewModelArmyMayhem18

Hmmm. Surely students would never even consider paying to have windows cleaned???? And they're chancing their arm expecting students to clean the inside of an oven, surely? I don't think they can expect the same standards from hard-up students vs people who are renting who are on decent salaries.

I suspect landlords generally make a lot more from student rentals than they would renting the same properties to families? DS's house works out at about £1.75K per month between five. That's surely well above the market rate for Norwich (more like an outer London rental value!)?

Problem is that it’s not a “student tenancy” it’s a normal tenancy taken up by students. Perfectly standard to have a clause which basically says the property has to be left in the same state it was in at the outset. If that means a professional oven clean then that’s what is required or a deduction from the deposit. When my eldest was a student they got cleaners in for a few hours to do the kitchen and bathrooms in particular and split the cost between them so it was next to nothing per head and meant they fit the deposits back

And yes the income seems astronomical but the costs will be huge compared to renting to families/professionals. We looked into investing in student let’s because the cost/income ratio looks huge on paper, but figured the annual deep cleaning/ redecorating / replacing furniture etc etc made it too much of a hassle and would eat into the profit margin

When do you think students gain the ability to clean? Is it a learnt skill or does instinct kick in at a certain age?

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 - Completely agree that landlords do better financially from student rentals than whole house rental to a family, for eg. DS is in a 3 bedroom terrace in Notts where ther downstairs room is converted to an extra bedroom - so 4 students renting at £550 per month each. No way is that house worth £2200 as a family rental.

Same in Durham. £470x5 for a terraced house where one of reception rooms was a bedroom, 2 small slopey attic rooms, kitchen from 1980, ditto bathroom and furniture from various charity shops.Can’t think about it too much as it makes me angry.

Yes, I guess you're right @VanCleefArpels. Pretty sure when I was a student there were specific student lets though (possibly generally too tatty to have any appeal to the more affluent family rental market!?).

But on the subject of students vs families, I'm not convinced all families leave rentals in a better state than young people would do! DBIL and DSIL have several rental properties and I can well remember their disgust at the state one of their properties had been left in by one very 'naice' (doctors!) family! But, of course, they could probably better afford to lose their deposit!

I think DD would have got oven cleaned (£50?) and windows ( £10? )between 5 without issue off he’d stated that. I’ve said to be upfront about it next year as it’s the same landlord.

I totally get that the landlord wants their place left up to scratch, but surely that should be incorporated into the monthly rent and deposit used to pay for breakages or damage?

In Durham all the landlords use the same rental firms, DS said - can’t believe he left his house in better shape than your DD did @Benjispruce5! But it was a decent house and easier to leave looking clean than the last two hovels DD has lived in. Which cost the same as his plus bills!!!!

She said they cleaned for two days! DD bought a test pot of paint to retouch walls where she put up posters with those on and strips that supposedly don’t damage paint but do!! Next year’s house is more expensive as it’s close to the science/social science study centre and is bigger. Is your DS moving far @bigTillyMint? DD has a couple of online jobs on the go at the moment. Note taking and transcribing. She’s also just been for an interview for voluntary work helping the online presence of a local charity. I’m impressed and very proud.

Command strips

I suspect there's a 'rule of thumb' for how much % wise landlords are expected to plough back into a property after tenants move out for cleaning and replacing stuff.

And I defo would agree that a 'cushion' to cover such costs should be built into monthly rent. You'd kind of expect that.

And I defo would agree that a 'cushion' to cover such costs should be built into monthly rent. You'd kind of expect that.

I agree. When DD left her house there were 8 students and 5 parents cleaning it from top to bottom, but it still wasn't good enough.

The cheekiest thing the landlord did was to cut down a lot of greenery in the small garden, and expect the students (only one of whom had a small car) to take it to the tip. DD rang me and asked me to bring some garden sacks, which I duly did. It rained all day Saturday, and I filled three sacks full of rubbish, wen to the tip only to find out that as my car had an uneven number plate I couldn't use it until Sunday. By the time we got back to the house the car was full of flies and other creepy crawilies from the garden waste.

On Sunday I got up early and did two trips to the tip, but the stuff I took hardly made any difference to the garden waste pile. I explained to the landlord when he did the inspection that I had taken 6 sacks full away and it was unrealistic to expect the students to take the rubbish away. He charged everyone for removing the garden waste that was left - Grr!

DD moves into her new rental next week, and is getting stressed because the others won't agree on how to sort out utilities - another Grr!

Removing garden stuff??? That’s ridiculous @RampantIvy

@Benjispruce5, DS is moving into a new build in the town centre (above shops I think) It is supposed to be ready from 1st October I think…. It’s not cheap, but as it’s only 9months rental, works out similar. I think he said en-suite bathrooms?!

@RampantIvy, most/all Durham rentals seem to include bills, which makes life a lot easier, but doesn’t really prep them for reality. Whereas DD in Bristol has done them every year - they set up an account that everyone pays into monthly and all bills paid out of it. Seems to have worked OK.

@RampantIvy that is shocking! I think we got off lightly! I did say to DD that I think he’s have charged the cleaning fee not matter how thoroughly they cleaned up.
@bigTillyMint That sounds like a nice pad. I think they were being built when we went to look around in June 2019.
DD’s bills are not built in. Each of them have a utility each I think and the girls pay each other.

Or was it June 18? It’s all a blur now!

I suggested that to DD @Benjispruce5, but the others won't commit.