Lamdlord has gone ape at wallpaper

[kateinadaze]

Hi. I live in a private rented property and when we first moved in my LL and wife were both present to hand over keys. Whilst doing this I asked about re-papering the walls and replacing the carpet in the hall and staires as it was very dated and looked awful. My LL wife agreed and said as long as you use neutral colours and not black carpet she was ok with it. Well, I have come to stripping the wallpaper and my LL has gone beserk. He cant remember the conversation and has had a hissy fit. He is now demanding that I get a professional decorator in to come and do the job! We have never given him any reason not to trust us. We have been very good tenents and finding it very hard to understand the problem when I was told it was fine to do in the first place. The rest of the house has not been done professionally with paper coming away from skirting boards and falling off of ceiling. Where do I stand here. It has made me ill. Thanks in advance xx

What does your tenancy agreement say about redecorating?

As above, what does your tenancy agreement say? Ours says no decorating of any kind including making holes in the walls or putting up shelving. We asked the LL and he said it's fine, so we asked for it in writing so he couldn't do what yours has done a few years on when we came to leaving.

If he says he can't remember the conversation and you don't have any written proof then unfortunately you might be pretty much stuck. Always get written confirmation of these things in the future as verbal just doesnt hold up. Hope you get it sorted

Oh dear op, unless you have it in writing it's your word against his or his wife. It's always very convenient to say it wasn't agreed if it's not a written agreement.
See what your rental agreement says but I suspect LL has the upper hand.

It’s not your property, irrespective of the condition of the house. You should really have had the agreement in writing before carrying out any works. I’d get it sorted and put it down as a lesson learnt, always have a paper trail.

Just hold your ground. It’s his word against yours.

If you do a good job, then what is he going to do? As long as it’s not left worse than when you started, he doesn’t have any loss to indemnify against.

For sake of relationship, apologise for any communication break down, but just say you don’t have he budget for a private contractor.

I have apologised repeatedly. I have no problem putting up good thick paper and in any case it would be a damn site better than it was. I feel so stupid for not having it in writing. Can he seriously force me to spend a small fortune on a professional to do it? In my agreement it says to keep the landlords goods and internal decoration in good repair and condition. I cant see anything about having to have a profesional to do the job. I have painted the kitchen, bathroom and toilet which he has no problem with.

Well you have to negotiate here. Why don't you do it on the proviso he comes to inspect and is happy with the work you are doing? If he is not happy, say you will pay.

So your agreement doesn't give you permission to redecorate. It says you have to keep the landlord's carpets etc in good condition.

I really don’t think you need to offer to pay here.

You’ve been redecoration extensively. Clearly the LL has been happy with you doing that work. You had a conversation where he gave you permission. There’s nothing prohibiting you from redecorating in the tenancy agreement.

Ultimately renting comes under contract law. Your LL would have to demonstrate loss in order to claim back money from you, to indemnify his loss. If you replace grotty wallpaper with well done wallpaper, then he has no loss.

Just carry on IMO, and hold the line that he did give you permission.

I suppose the LL's wife may have assumed that when you asked about redecorating, you meant having it done professionally?

How did he find out?

How does he know?