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Original poster

Tenant wants to put in new bathroom

167 replies

Rzim · 03/01/2022 00:01

At their expense - have said they will let me approve the bathroom set. This sounds too
Good to be true -
She has only been in for 3 months - is this normal

OP posts:
lottiegarbanzo · 03/01/2022 09:53

Let her put it in but sign a disclaimer that she us responsible for any repairs to the bathroom going forward. Also that shee agrees to leave it or put it back to the original bathroom if shee leaves. Request copies of invoices from the plumber thats fitting to make sure he us qualified and insured.

This is terrible, legally meaningless advice. Do not take it.

When the tenant leaves they will do so quickly, will not put things right and you will be left with a shoddy, possibly malfunctioning bathroom and no contractual relationship with the tradespeople who fitted it.

Silvershroud · 03/01/2022 09:53

@Aquamarine1029

The bathroom is very old and shabby.

You should be the one replacing it. Why haven't you?

An agree from me! I think generally tenants are treated shabbily. I wish everyone had a chance to buy- maybe that will be possible one day.
IndigoToo · 03/01/2022 09:54

I’ve read previous threads on here where the sellers took the bathroom with them when they moved out….. Could that actually happen in a rental if the tenant pays for it?

Excitedforthefuture · 03/01/2022 09:55

@Sitchervice

This is why I don't like landlords, they always think about money. If the bathroom needs improvement and you would hate to use it yourself. Do something about it!

Don't let your tenents live in a place you wouldn't live in yourself. It's not fair!

I think you meant to say some landlords
Excitedforthefuture · 03/01/2022 09:56

@IndigoToo

I’ve read previous threads on here where the sellers took the bathroom with them when they moved out….. Could that actually happen in a rental if the tenant pays for it?
But the tenant would have had to keep all the old items and have them reinstalled!
Starstar7 · 03/01/2022 09:56

@PaniniHead

If the tenant pays for it- what is to stop her taking the bath/shower/sink/toilet with her when she moves? Might be extreme but there is a possibility.
The tenant could do this but they would have to return it to exactly how it was before..which is very unlikely and just wouldn't be worth it.
Excitedforthefuture · 03/01/2022 09:58

@Etinoxaurus

Do you know at how short notice the landlord could ask you to leave?

Presumably the meant knows the notice period

EmmaH2022 · 03/01/2022 09:59

@Flickflak

Old and shabby doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be replaced. Gosh when I was renting there were bathrooms that hadn’t been touched since about 1982! Old and shabby, yes, but also functional.
Yes, I'm confused about this too. They rented the property seeing the bathroom as it is.

How old is it?

I wouldn't let someone do work in my property without knowing all the details.

Nanny0gg · 03/01/2022 10:00

@elbea

I suppose it all depends on by shabby you mean dated but perfectly functional or starting to fall apart. I wouldn’t change a dated but functional bathroom suite, it’s wasteful.
As long as that’s what you’d be happy to live with
Nanny0gg · 03/01/2022 10:03

This is why I can’t watch Homes Under the Hammer any more.

Landlord buys grotty property, gives it a lick of paint (literally) puts down some cheap carpet and thinks that it’ll do because it’s for renting out.

VintageCookbook · 03/01/2022 10:03

Yes, I'm confused about this too. They rented the property seeing the bathroom as it is

Perhaps they had no other choice.

wyleee · 03/01/2022 10:07

Your tenant appears to see this as a long term let if they’re willing to do this. You are concerned you may change your mind and want the property back. You don’t appear to be on the same page. I think accepting is taking the piss tbh, you have said your bathroom is shabby, you should pay for it.

chiefcha · 03/01/2022 10:07

If a bathroom is truly old and shabby as in things are falling apart, then it should be the landlord's responsibility.

But old and shabby to some could mean a perfectly OK bathroom that just isn't up to instagram aesthetic standards.

If it's the latter then if I were a LL I wouldn't want a tenant messing with it.

I'm a tenant btw and very rarely feel on the side of LLs!

NinaDefoe · 03/01/2022 10:07

You need to sort out the old and shabby bathroom OP.

NinaDefoe · 03/01/2022 10:08

@Nanny0gg

This is why I can’t watch Homes Under the Hammer any more.

Landlord buys grotty property, gives it a lick of paint (literally) puts down some cheap carpet and thinks that it’ll do because it’s for renting out.

This.
Popopopo · 03/01/2022 10:09

Please don't rip your tenant off like this. How long is their contact for? It wouldnt be so bad if we had long term protected tenancies in this country but I'm guessing they just have a year or two?

Popopopo · 03/01/2022 10:10

Contract*

crowsfeet57 · 03/01/2022 10:10

If you agree to this OP, make sure it is done to a high standard or you'll spend a fortune repairing it.

I work in social housing and if tenants put in their own bathrooms, kitchens, light fittings etc we no longer maintain those elements.

TooSpotty · 03/01/2022 10:12

We rent out our house and are tenants ourselves, as we had to move for work. We have just spent thousands between tenants to sort out various issues. We make a loss from renting it out as our mortgage is high, and we want to sell after this set of tenants leaves. But we had to spend the money to make sure the house was in good condition.

As tenants I can tell you it’s horrible living with things you don’t like yourself and wouldn’t have in a house you own - I initially typed ‘your own home’ but of course a house you rent should be your home. The rental market is crazy in most places right now, so the OP’s tenant may well not have had their pick of properties, and after three months clearly they are totally fed up of having a bathroom that probably depresses them.

As a landlord I’d do the decent thing and replace it myself.

Failingallotmenteur · 03/01/2022 10:13

@lottiegarbanzo

No. The answer is no.

Do it yourself. Negotiate a rent increase to contribute to costs.

It's your house. Not their house.

You need to keep things simple, retain your rights to give them notice (without the emotional blackmail of 'but we paid for the bathroom') and retain a direct contractual relationship with all tradespeople, in case anything goes wrong. You will have no recourse at all if someone else's tradesperson causes you a problem.

100% this

You wrote: it sounds too good to be true
It is.

Some scenarios for you:

Tradesman accidentally ruins a hallway carpet during installation - who remedies that, tenant or you? How do you sort out recompense?
If it's a flat- tradesman accidentally breaks a pipe which floods downstairs flat. How would you sort out recompense? Who deals with the neighbours and potentially freeholder if structural damage?
2 years down the line, tenant is moving out. On inspection they have subsequently chipped the bath, broken the toilet seat and cracked the mirror. But how can you calculate repair costs, they will argue they paid?

This has got nightmare written all over it unless you are extremely lucky and it all goes perfectly without a hitch.

StellaGibson118 · 03/01/2022 10:13

Yes it is normal if you see yourself living there for a long time. A lot of people can't afford to buy now so want to make their rented home more liveable and usually this is at their expense because most landlords can't be arsed.

Butchyrestingface · 03/01/2022 10:17

Where the hell do you live that properties coming on the market are so like gold dust that a tenant who's only been in your home 2 minutes is prepared to fork out £££ for a new bathroom???

My late mum put in a new bathroom, kitchen and a full refurb of her rented flat over the 24 years she lived there, but that was a council tenancy and she was more or less guaranteed to be there until the end of her days (which she was).

CambsAlways · 03/01/2022 10:18

I think as a landlord you should be replacing an old and shabby bathroom

traka · 03/01/2022 10:19

Ppl saying it must be dreadful if tenant wants to replace it, it can't be that bad if they decided to live there in the first place

If it's fit for purpose then that's all the LL needs to provide. If the shower isn't heating up for example then that's not acceptable and a different matter

Original poster
Rzim · 03/01/2022 10:20

Gosh I forget what a judgemental lot Mumsnetters are!!

It's a second home for the tenant - she has got a below market rental rate due to the second bathroom - which is perfectly clean and works very well - just an '80s vibe and she wants something brand new and up to date!

Thank you for some of the useful advice above though without the judgements!

OP posts: