Rented house dilema

[Hideehi]

When we looked around this house we choose it because it was not in great condition and we knew what our kids were like, finger marks on the walls, juice knocked over etc.

Now what i wasn't excepting was the horrors to draw on the walls.
So in the huge dining room and huge living our tot has drawn in felt tips over the wallpaper. My problem is that this wallpaper is falling off so i'm pretty reluctant to re do wall paper which needs doing by the owners anyway.
WWDT, i want to the right thing but am inclined to just paint over the wallpaper magnolia or something.
There are also a few stains on the carpets, we've had it cleaned but it's not coming out, again though the carpets are thread bear so need to be replaced IMO asap anyway.

hideehi, do you rent through letting agents or with the landlord directly?

have you checked your contract?

I imagine the decor is your reaponsibility but surely the carpets are negotiable? Talk to your letting agents/landlord about the carpets but be very careful that you do not put yourself in a position where you can be given notice.

If in doubt go to CAB for advice.

It's through letting agents, they inspect every three months so they know about the situation which i said i would rectify before we leave, no point in doing it now in case it happens again.

How about calling and saying that the place needs a make over. say you will complete the work (to be inspected by the agent) for a months half price rent. so your paying half each.

that way you get a nice lookign home and the landlord doesn't need to worry abut pen on the walls.

If youw ant to just paint over the paper you will need to paint over the pen in gloss prior to using the paint you actually want to use.

Check your lease , there may well be something in it regarding you needing permission to do any decorationg. We resisted tenants asking to paint over paper cos quite frankly it would have looked cr*p, required several coats which I don't believe they'd have done and even then needed redoing again for the next occupier, thus not benefitting us.

If the property was in poor repair to begin with presumably that was noted in the inventory and subsequent reports but obvious damage such as doodling on the paper and stains you could expect to have a deduction made from your deposit on leaving. In your case the landlord could possibly insist on it being repapered at your expense but as it was not in a good state to begin with perhaps you can offer to split the cost. The carpets could be just wear and tear (do you know how old they are, 10yrs plus and they've probably had it anyway !) but otherwise you should return the house in the order in which you took it over allowing for general wear and tear (which to my mind wouldn't includer juice spillage stains, for instance).