Landlords responsibilities - carpets

[Eebs]

My 85 year old father has rented a bungalow for the past 2 years. This is the first property he has rented. The property is ok, a bit tatty and dated but ok and in a very nice village. He likes it. I have asked the landlord on several occasions to look at the carpet in the bedroom as it is fraying at the door, nails have stuck through and my dad has banged them in. The landlord keeps saying to me that it will be difficult to change as the furniture will have to be moved. I have said I will do this. They give me other excuses. The carpet has also always had a rather bad smell to it (old urine) and we have had it cleaned but it's not great. I have mentioned this also. Is it the landlord's responsibility to get this carpet sorted? I feel it is but have lost sight of the situation due to the difficult conversation with the landlord. My dad will just let it go and I guess it is his house but my db and I help out with quite a lot of practical issues so I feel I have the right to be a bit interfering. And thoughts/knowledge greatly received.

As a landlady, changing a carpet mid tenancy wouldn't be ideal, as I tend to think the tenant accepted the carpet in whatever condition it was at the beginning of the tenancy. I usually redecorate or recarpet between tenancies.

On the other hand if you're all prepared to help and empty the room etc then I don't see why your landlord can't just change the carpet.

Have you thought about just changing it yourselves (ask the landlord first obviously) - I've got room size offcuts of carpet for under £100 locally, then £40 or so for fitting on top. Maybe underlay if this smells too. Or price it up, and ask the landlord if they will reimburse you for the cost.

Thank you. The carpet was tatty when we accepted the tenancy but I don't think fraying. So what would you do if the tenant stays for a while and a problem like this arises?

Also we are definitely happy to sort it out ourselves so might try this but what if the landlord says no?

How about suggesting you pay half and the landlord pays half - LLs often like it when they get a bargain!

I doubt the landlord would say no to you paying/laying it!!

Was it exactly the same way when you accepted the tenancy?

I would pay but also feel that if it is their responsibility I think they should do it. They have been avoidant about other things. Half and half is an idea. I don't think it was fraying like this when my dad moved in. Thanks for all the replies.

I'm a LL and as Only said, would rather make changes between tenants. In saying that I wouldn't let it out in a tatty state I would have replaced it before your DF moved in.

In that situation I would change it, if I knew it was already on the brink due to previous wear and tear. So do ask the LL again.

Do not say you have put nails in it. Because if he is unscrupulous then he will say you have freyed the carpet by doing that and deduct it from the deposit.

Ask him again about replacing it, or meeting you 50/50 with the costs. The tenant really shouldn't have to pay for a new carpet.

If that is the only option, and you are prepared to do the work and buy the carpet I can not see that he will say no. He wins a free carpet out of that. But get his permission in writing so he can't play silly buggers down the line. And run the carpet past him. As a rule I put a grey/beige mottled carpet down in my rental.

we have this, the carpet was badly fitted and in the door ways where there were those metal things the nails were sticking out and cutting our feet.

Yes nailak that is the problem. Did you get yours sorted?

erm no, we just took the nails and metal bits off, the carpet obviously then began to fray, and we told the landlord we going to take the carpet out and put floor boards in, and we going to pay him £50 a month or so less rent so we can sort out the stuff needs doing in the house, such as carpet, bathroom tiles falling of walls, rotten skirting in kitchen and by back door frame etc.

but my dh is very convincing, i would have never had the balls to tell the landlord that!

Well sometimes convincing is just what a situation needs!