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Original poster

Stain on carpet end of tenancy

43 replies

Kay2705 · 09/03/2019 13:49

So I've just had the house we've moved out of professionally cleaned and carpet. Unfortunately this is the only stain left which couldn't be removed. How much is the landlord likely to charge for this? Will they say I have to replace the whole carpet?

Thanks

Stain on carpet end of tenancy
Stain on carpet end of tenancy
OP posts:
Drizzlehair · 09/03/2019 13:57

Depend if they're an arsehole or not, also however long you've lived there.

If a year, they probably will charge, no idea how much. If 5+ years they really shouldn't, that's wear and tear

Just an important is your deposit protected in a gov scheme, and did they do an inventory which mentions clean carpet when you moved in? If answer to either is no you legally should be fine, if they try to take money you can fight them

Wildcate · 09/03/2019 14:02

So, the landlord if an arsehole if they charge but it’s ok for the tenant to lie about where the stain came from? Confused

Drizzlehair · 09/03/2019 14:05

Where do I mention lying? And fwiw I've been a landlord for the last 3 yrs. Not through choice. I hated it.

Landlords get SO MUCH money from tenants that yes, charging for a small stain is an arsehole thing to do

Original poster
Kay2705 · 09/03/2019 14:33

We were in the house for almost three years and it was a new build so many so the stain wasn't there. It could have been cleaned by the carpet cleaner but I didn't know and tried to scrub it off earlier so it's like that.

Does anyone know if they were to charge how much it would take from the deposit?

The deposit is in a scheme yes

OP posts:
BasiliskStare · 09/03/2019 14:50

@Kay2705 - you must ask those better able to answer but I believe you cannot charge for completely new carpet as a landlord depending on time. So e.g. ( an example - not saying yours ) but if carpet was new and you were there 3 years I suspect they cannot charge more than 3 / 5 of carpet - as after a certain amount of time a carpet is written off. I hope this helps and I am probably not accurate but I think I have given you a steer to say that unless deliberate damage and what could be expected from living in a house / flat - you should not be charged for a whole carpet

But please those who know better do say - I may be wrong.

crosstalk · 09/03/2019 15:15

OP I'd go back to the carpet cleaner/whoever you employed. And ask them about the stain. I hope you haven't paid them yet. Do you have any idea what caused it over the three years? Does the check in report mention it? I'd talk to the landlord or managing agent.

Original poster
Kay2705 · 09/03/2019 15:48

The stain is from make up but in the process of me trying to clean it I have smudged it . The stain wasn't there to start with

@BasiliskStare thank you for the information that's very useful I will try and work out what 3/5 could be and hopefully won't be a huge chunk of my deposit

OP posts:
mumwon · 09/03/2019 16:53

washing up liquid cold water wet cloth & dry cloth do small circular rubs with damp cloth (with little washing up liquid -than rinse & dry up mess on dry cloth little by little try in inconspicuous area first)

Walkmehome · 09/03/2019 17:55

I paid £200 for a carpet when I left BUT I had only been there six months and the carpet was brand new and fitted when I was there. Also the stain was worse than that and in two separate rooms.

Landlord asked for £300 but we negotiated. I think the agency told me the life of a carpet in rental accommodation is about five years so you would pay a proportion of what it would cost to replace, not the whole thing.

From what I have read since, I think I could have paid less and taken it further if landlord had not accepted.

Btw In my previous home a professional cleaner did a fantastic job on my carpets but he could not get the make up off.

RosaPfirsich · 09/03/2019 18:01

What sort of make up was it? If it was something oil based you might just need a different approach to get it off?

Original poster
Kay2705 · 09/03/2019 18:16

The make up was foundation so I'm guessing hard to get off. I am going to go to the property and maybe try what was suggested now

OP posts:
mumwon · 09/03/2019 19:01

only slightly damp clothes to clean do not soak the carpet & do it little bit at time - use cold water first in most stains especially tea/coffee & blood & do not use salt it fixes colours/stains

mumwon · 09/03/2019 19:02

& vacuum up loose dust first don't drag vacuum dab on & off surface

bellsbuss · 09/03/2019 19:25

Is it bleachable carpet ? If so dilute some bleach on a wet cloth and rub it out

Original poster
Kay2705 · 09/03/2019 21:29

Thanks for all the suggestion. I tried a bit more methods and not sure if it's better now(maybe slightly). I hand back the keys tomorrow so I'll see if the LL says it has to be replaced

Stain on carpet end of tenancy
OP posts:
Scotslasslivinginfrance · 09/03/2019 21:36

If this was my flat I wouldn't charge, I'd be pleased and relieved that you had taken the time the time to have it professionally cleaned and had made every effort to clean it. I'm also presuming that given your approach to this stain you have been a clean, tidy and respectful tenant in which case I would not be looking to withhold any of your deposit. Fingers crossed it goes well for you.

Original poster
Kay2705 · 09/03/2019 22:15

Thanks @scots me and my husband are very tidy and tried to keep the place as clean as possible. No tenancy issues. Rent always on time. My landlady is a bit extra from what I've seen so I'm hoping she has more of your take on it.

OP posts:
Kamma89 · 10/03/2019 12:10

The landlord can only claim for the section that is ruined, not a whole replacement. At around 3 years old not much money would be awarded as rented fixtures & fittings are assumed to have a much shorter shelf life.

Jon65 · 10/03/2019 12:15

I would charge around 30 to 40 quid.

peeree · 10/03/2019 12:44

Kamma89 is correct. I was a landlord with a brand new carpet and my tenant put the hot iron down on it and melted it. I thought I would get replacement value but I was wrong and my letting agent kept us all right about the situation. Can't remember what percentage she had to pay. Tenant was there for one year.

VelvetPineapple · 10/03/2019 12:49

They can’t charge for a new carpet. If the carpet lasts 5 years and it’s already been down 3 years, they can only charge you for the remaining 2 years, ie 2/5 the cost of a similar replacement carpet.

Also I’d request the receipt from the carpet shop to prove what they bought and how much they paid. It prevents them charging you and just pocketing the cash without buying a new carpet.

BlueSkiesLies · 10/03/2019 13:01

TDS
“The life expectancy of carpets will vary dependent upon the quality however for a medium quality carpet in a rental property this is up to ten years.”

The LL can only charge for the damaged section (not whole room) and only a maximum of (10-3)/10 cost of a similar carpet with no bettiment.

TBH it’s such a ball ache and will either cost the LL way more to do a proper job (recarpet the entire room as they really would need to) that they might not bother going for anything.

The carpet thing really annoys me. LL should be able to charge for the entire room as it isn’t like you can just plop out a patch (if you can even buy the carpet any more) where the damaged section is. Recarpeting the entire room is the only way to get back to the standard.

Original poster
Kay2705 · 11/03/2019 17:02

The landlady is not happy with the state the carpet is in 🙄. She is saying she wants to send us a bill to get her own carpet cleaner. I might consider that if the price is low.

Is it possible she gets her own carpet cleaner and then they decide the stain cannot be removed, sends us the bill for the cleaning and later sends us the bill for replacement?

OP posts:
Walkmehome · 11/03/2019 18:00

You need to ask her/the agency that.

Walkmehome · 11/03/2019 18:00

I.e. what happens if the stain doesn’t come out?

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