Is this a good deal?

[MrsAtticus]

Been looking for the right house to rent for ages. We have seen a house which is in the right place and is great in terms of space and layout, but has been lived in by students so is thick with grime, needs new carpets and the large garden is totally overgrown.
The landlord has offered us 3 months rent free in order to do whatever we like to get it how we want it. Bare minimum would be:
Deep clean (by a company)
Rip out carpets and get new carpets/flooring through (nothing hugely expensive but decent enough to last us a few years)
Paint walls and paintwork in most rooms

I'd also quite like to fit new doors in the kitchen (but could be 2nd hand), and maybe re-tile the small tiled area.

We would try and get the work done within 1 month so we can do it before we move in, so would be paying 1 months rent in the old place.

We would do painting ourselves.

Do this sound like a good deal? And realistic to do in 1 month?

How much is the rent? It could end up costing you more in money and time to sort it yourself than what it would be to just have the LL do it.

Get some quotes for the jobs that need doing and weigh it up that way.

600 a month. Good idea.

So you would be paying to do everything that needs doing while living in the place when all this is going on? It is only worth you doing all this if the cost of the materials is considerably less than the rent saving imo because of the upheaval and stress of living somewhere like that.

Make sure the LL is not looking to dodge responsibilities such as the gas safety certificate and protecting your deposit properly because you are there rent free for a time.

You are obviously seriously contemplating doing this - go back and take photos and make a list, room by room of everything you think needs doing and cost it out.

You should agree in writing what is expected of you and be sure to have it in writing once these things are completed.

Get a 12 month initial AST to protect yourselves. Imagine how you'd feel if you did all the work only for the LL to give you notice to move out at the end of the six month AST.

Remember you will have invested considerably in this house by the time you've done the work, but it will still be someone else's house.

Sounds to me as though it would cost considerably more than £1800 to do the things you have stated - especially if having to pay tradesmen.

Why isn't the landlord getting someone in to do the place up for him? Then he could charge market rent.

This sounds like a very bad deal for you imo.

How about the LL does it up over the course of a month, then you move in?

You only actually save 2 months' rent, right, because of the overlap? You would save £1200 in rent but give minimum one month hard labour, flooring throughout, painting, deep cleaning, tiling, some new doors. I assume you will have to provide all the tools too?

I have done up a few properties in my time. This is a good deal for the landlord. A bad deal for you.

Besides, never put that much effort into someone else's house unless you are closely related.

Thanks for the advice wow. We would try and do the work within 1 month, while living in our old place (much lower rent). I estimated 500 for the floors, on top of that would be paint and then paying someone to clear the garden.
The kitchen is something we might clean up for now and possibly do something more with later. We plan to meet the landlord there next week to clarify exactly what we will do and what remains his responsibility, if we go ahead.
The main worry is the upheaval.

I would ask why he wants you amateurs to do up his place instead of paying professionals . It doesn't smell right.

My concerns would be that a) the costs will well outweigh the 2 months rent and b) if this landlord is happy to cut corners like this then there might be all sorts of other annoying things wrong with the house that you only discover over time - bodge job fixes and badly installed fittings etc.

And don't forget that rent free doesn't mean you won't have to pay the council tax and utility bills at this other house.

My fear for you is that this LL is using you to save himself money. Does he have the funds to put right anything that goes wrong in the house?

Be very, very wary.

Also be questioning how, after letting to students, he hasn't recovered some of their deposit monies to put things right.

We wouldn't rent ours out in that condition.
We'd get the work done, then if they wanted to decorate to their own tastes then we normally allow things like that.

yes, its a good deal. plus you get to choose the carpets and tiling!

I reckon it would cost more than £1800, and take longer than a month ifmy own DIY experience is anything to go by... I would either get landlord to do it and move in a bit later, or say you will do it yourself, 3 months free rent, plus an injection of X amount from landlord. But like others say, get quotes first then you negotiate with landlord.

Thanks for the advice, we decided against it, just too much to take on.