What is reasonable wear and tear w/r paint etc on a rented property?

[Flamesparrow]

Been here 6 years.

We started as a family with just one child, but had 2 more (they knew we were planning more).

We have redecorated the lounge since we have been here, but couldn't afford to do anywhere else (and couldn't be arsed tbh as it involved sending them paint swatches and giving them start and finish dates etc).

I'm redoing all the doors as they look pretty battered, but how much should I be worrying about the walls etc? The house was completely decorated in cheap, matt paint (various random colours) when we moved in (not freshly decorated) - so washing the walls hasn't been possible without taking off some of the paint. :(

Worrying about deposit as since DH left it kind of cocked up my savings plan for this year. (I had worked out we could save enough so that even if we lost the entire deposit for some random reason, we could still pay for the next place - then he f*cked off and it kind of went tits up).

The ARLA guidelines say that high traffic areas such as the hall should be repainted by the LL every 3 years and bedrooms, sitting rooms every 5, so as long as there is no deliberate damage such as scribbles by the dc's etc you should be okay.

In saying that I redecorated the whole of the last house I was in (it hadnt been done for decades) and I still had to raise a dispute to get the deposit back when the LL tried to keep £1000!

Ooh thank you! Grr @ your landlord.

I am removing any "artwork" , and sorting anything where paper has been torn etc .

Interesting seeing those guidelines though!

New LL seems like he will be very different. It is being painted with decent paint all one colour (except one wall in each of the DC's rooms which he has done in the colours they chose :o), the left over paint is being left so I can touch up as and when I want.

I get the feeling that from then on it is my home, and if I want to paint it etc then I can as and when I choose :)

My dispute was closed today but have to wait a week before I get the report telling me how its gone - fingers crossed!

Your new LL seems a good one - such a shame there are so few of them.

Hope you hear soon!

Agent did pre-inspection yesterday. All went well. He says he's seen us every six months since we've been here, seen that we have just lived normally not that we ran round getting it straight before each visit . As long as it is clean, he thinks it is all standard wear and tear, and the LL is planning to decorate etc before reletting anyway.