Quick help please - rental offer

[salmonface]

Just about to make an offer on a rented house.

I've tried googling but can't find much help on what to include in the actual offer.

It's currently lived in and the tenants will paint it back to neutral colours. I'm slightly worried they'll do a really shabby job but not sure what we can do about that. I think it's that or take it in all its tangerine glory.

Can we ask for a particular colour?

Also what else should we be asking for? We would like it to be THOROUGHLY cleaned, with carpets etc. Should I ask for inventory (got the feeling from agent this wasn't compulsory).

What I'd really like is a new bathroom and the current one is avocado!

Am ajreast wincing at thought of laying out nearly £4,000 upfront including deposit, first month rent, fees, reference fees etc and we've had a bad experience before so want to get it all right

Definitely ask for an inventory - it's your protection when you move out and the agent tries to blame you for stuff that was already broken. But watch what they try and charge you for this - you can always arrange you own one with an independent inventory clerk so you can shop around on price.

LL unlikely to agree to a new bathroom just because you don't like the colour - unless it was due an upgrade anyway - and if he's getting new tenants straight away he probably won't see the need.

If tenants are repainting it would not be unreasonable to ask for a particular colour but not a different one in every room.

Fair enough to expect it to be cleaned - though hard to enforce when you turn up on moving day and it's filthy. If you can afford to, have a few days between getting the keys and actually moving in so you can check everything's ok. Once you move in, the tenancy is deemed to have started and it will be harder to get the agent/LL to agree to anything.

Above all, make sure the agents are part of ARLA or other approved scheme so that you have some redress if you need to take action against them. Too many scumbag agents around, sadly.

You can ask for whatever you want, in theory, the better prospective tenant you are and the longer you are likely to stay - then the more the landlord may be willing to provide for you.

You could ask for a reduction in the rent, this may be easier than negotiating paint colours and expectations.

As long as none of this is a complete lie, Id say......
how pleased you are to be living in the house, how its really convenient for your work/family/school and how you are looking forward to making it your home for several years and that you will be a responsible tenant. and then ask for what you'd like politely.

Tell them why you would be a good tenant. Tell them things like:

• What job you have, if it's a good one.
• Your salary, if it's high.
• How long you've been employed in your current job, if it's reasonably long.
• Non-smoker.
• No pets.
• Provide references from your last landlord, if you think they'll give you a good reference.
• You'd like to stay a long time (at least a year, the longer the better).

They probably won't agree to a new bathroom, but the paint request sounds reasonable. They should clean if for you before you move in, without being asked, but you should check if you're not sure. If you're a desirable tenant (see points above) then you can negotiate on rent.

an inventory is essential, and if there isn't one it sounds like there's a careless/amateur/dodgy landlord.

an avocado bathroom is an issue, not because it is an eyesore but because it indicates no maintenance/replacement in decades. Not good. We replaced the seventies bathroom in our rental before putting it up for rent, and believe me it was badly needed. The flush didn't even work properly before!

a thorough clean is a perfectly reasonable demand - you'll need to do the same when you leave.

gas safe?
deposit protection?

THANK YOU ALL!

Good point special but this is why we can afford it I quite like interior design and stuff so it will be a design challenge! I can see how retro bathrooms look fabulous if well maintained and loved

IF...

IF it is cheap because the bathroom looks bad, fine. IF it is cheap because it is a dump, not good.

please do check the essentials I mentioned. Turn taps, flush toilets, check lights and so on and so on.

ps you are talking about interior design. You're the tenants, you may want to put up some paint but beyond that, any work is improving someone else's property.

and I say that as a landlord!

I know Talking accessories, pictures, mirrors and that sort of thing,

It is paining me a lot to be spending so much just to move when I am desperate to buy and really love and look after my own place.

Is it bad form to ask to go back to measure up the rooms? We are desperate to buy a new sofa and bed and delivery times are up to 12 weeks (and I am impatient)

I think asking to go back is fine.