Stain on carpet end of tenancy

[Kay2705]

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

I do not believe all LL are rubbish - DH and I rented a flat between buying houses and we kept it very well - - we did ( according to the checkout inventory person leave it in an extremely good state. ) That said - there were some marks on the carpet. We had cable installed ( asked LL before done) so that was to his benefit ( I guess - but he agreed ) Inventory person cold not believe it did not need to be redecorated - we spent 2 days washing down paintwork etc. So nice LL gave us back full deposit. But to be fair we had treated the flat very carefully and as if it were our own ( actually better than our own - I could live with some scuff marks but when it was his I was all a bit - clean those off! Don't leave the oven tray in when you have used it.! ) So we left the flat in a very good state but yes there were a couple of stains on carpet - but he was great and we got full deposit back

Have you told the LL you've already had it cleaned?

Right so the LL cannot charge for betterment. A three year old carpet would be expected to have around 50% of its life left.

You would normally be charged a token amount per stain. £50 for example.

Who is your deposit with? I'd be tempted to dispute.

I'm actually struggling to see the stain as the cleaner marks are pretty noticeable.

I imagine the landlady will quote very highly for her own carpet cleaner & probably never get them in... see what she wants. If it's too high tell her to go via deposit scheme but let her know you will dispute it.

If you can swallow the cost & it'll placate her this might be the quickest way of getting your money back. No guarantees though.

The majority of landlords & lettings agents expect to be able to gouge some extra money off the tenant at the end. Not all, but most. I think this is why the the deposit schemes usually come down heavily in tenants favour.

She asked for a receipt for the cleaning we did as she wanted to get the people to come back. I sent her the bill which shows we almost paid £400 to clean the apartments, carpet and walls. We treated the house like it was ours there was not one single thing else out of place. My husband is a clean freak so the house was always clean. I contacted the cleaning company and they said they cannot guarantee all stain will come out so I told her that and sent the receipt.

The reason I think she's being extra cheeky is because she is saying she doesn't like the state of the carpet in both bedrooms. There's nothing wrong with the carpet in the master bedroom at all.

I spoke to my husband and he's not happy with any charges so I've told her that we can go down the TDS dispute route.

Our deposit is with tenancy deposit scheme (TDS).

The landlady says she's going to speak to her husband and get back to me when I said we should go through the dispute route as I think she is trying to keep a big portion of our deposit.

Attached is the general condition we left the house in.

Ignore the other pic of my work laptop!

I hope its not too late but Dr Beckman stain slayer will get that out. Its in a very small spray can.

I clean carpets btw. I've used all the professional products and found that this product is better

Don’t hesitate or even blink before raising a dispute to get your money back

You have used a professional cleaning company with a receipt, the TDS people will accept that as professional clean standard so she can’t quibble about that.

The stain - as pp have said, the value of. carpet is split over 10 years, so the remaining value is 7/10 of the room carpet price. Then the damage is calculated at a percentage of the carpet area relative to the area of stain.

I’d also suggest that a make up spill in a bedroom would possibly be reasonable use/west & tear.

I’m an ex inventory clerk.

Don’t just accept any deductions! That deposit is YOUR money and the LL has to PROVE they have a right to take it.

I think she’s trying it on. Stand your ground!

A tenanted carpet is only assumed to last 5 years, and some wear and tear is to be expected.

Look her in the eye and say you will not accept any deductions and take it to the deposit service arbitration.

You will win. (I am a landlord.) If she has any sense she will realise this. She is better off settling. perhaps £50, as the underlay will not need replacing.

I would only agree to paying for her cleaner if she agrees that is in settlement of the stain.

I’d want to see the inventory and proof that the tenant was the first to live there and if not that the property was professionally cleaned specifically for the start of the op’s tenancy

Thanks everyone for your input. Stood my ground and said let's raise a TDS dispute and LL said she spoke to TDS and they have a good case but since we have been really good tenants they don't want to go that way route. Just happy we get all our deposit back as we already almost £400 down from cleaning

Well to be fair - end of tenancy cleaning is a cost to be factored in to renting as not fair to leave the place in anything other than the best state you can - but very very pleased you have your deposit back

They have no case at all - which is why she hasn’t pushed it!

Cheeky mare! Good for you tho!

Well done!
She knows damn well that arbitration requires her to prove each deduction with quotes etc. And usually comes out in favour of the tenant.

The only reason for a tenant to meet the landlord part of the way - my suggestion of offering £50, is that arbitration takes ages and if you expect a small deduction might be agreed, you might as well concede it and get the rest of your money back promptly.

Clean depends on what the inventory says. A 'good domestic clean' is what you or I would do with a vacuum cleaner. A professional clean involves steam cleaning the carpets, and generally polishing the lot.

I normally let properties with a prof clean, but sometimes if I need a quick turnaround have to make do with a good domestic. In which case that is how the tenants should leave it.

Ha ha @Needmoresleep - when we left the flat we rented whilst looking for new house I paid my cleaner for two days to come in and clean + professional carpet cleaners + window cleaners twice ( once before and once after cleaning ). Also my DH went all the way round the walls cleaning every mark off. So not a "professional clean " ( in the sense that a company who would leave a receipt - but I had paid my cleaner for two days work & done similar myself. but it was left ( though I say it myself ) in very good condition. I was there when the inventory person came round and she noticed a smear on the oven glass window where we had cleaned it , also a roman blind we had never used had some dust in the folds There were some marks on the carpet , but it had been properly / steam cleaned by a company - we had all our deposit back. The inventory clerk was astonished that in a flat with all white walls it did not need repainting before next tenant. We looked after it well. Also there were some things I was worrying about so e.g. shower curtain a bit used looking so I bought the nearest equivalent and left it ( she said we did not need to do that - wear and tear ) Some ceiling lights had gone and I couldn't get them out without fear of breaking so I bought the right lamps and left them in the house. Also movers had taken the phone and the router by accident so we bought new equivalents and left those.

I think our LL thought that in essence we had left the place in a state he could rent out immediately with no fuss so he gave us all deposit back.But he was reasonable and he was left with the cable TV wiring which I guess if he came back to the property was useful.

I think it is give and take. Treat the property as if it were your own ( and indeed we probably treated it better than if it were our own & a decent LL will be reasonable. But this is anecdote and experience and opinion rather than the legalities of deposits . I did last week go and help a friend of mine move out of a studio flat & similar approach - she is getting all her deposit back.

Not all to Needmore - just a general comment