Tenant wants to put in new bathroom

[Rzim]

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

@Rzim

The bathroom is very old and shabby. I trust her to get good people in - what concerns me is if we change our minds in a few months and want the property back (which is very unlikely!)

You should have done this before you took on tenants to be honest and yes I am a landlord

@Bigassbeebuzzbuzz not all housing associations are the same or councils
& usable but clean & old fashioned bathroom in a cheap place is OK as long as it works - we don't know : rent (op may charge low amount aka area type of property so replacing bathroom at "only" £5000 may not be economically viable if rent is low & other expenses had to be factored in ) what op means by shabby,
BUT I would be wary of having tenant putting bathroom in. You don't know about the quality of work - they could do damage (leaks) & if they put shower in they need certification by electrician - & they might deduct half baked/dangerous work from deposit or with hold rent for higher amount & you could land up with all sorts of problems
However, if you could afford it in a year, say, & get a decent basic job done properly & it really needs it this might be an idea

I would just check w CAB or a landlords association that you wouldn’t be liable if you turfed her out early

@Rzim

The bathroom is very old and shabby. I trust her to get good people in - what concerns me is if we change our minds in a few months and want the property back (which is very unlikely!)

Typical landlord/lady. Bet your own bathroom isn’t old and shabby.

Thx for all these comments - some helpful advice. My fault - I phrased the initial post badly - the upstairs bathroom is perhaps 10 years old and works very well - just now to her style. The downstairs bathroom is new and has a power shower. I would never rent a property I wouldn't live in myself - and until recently lived in this one! Sorry to cause a hornet's net discussion - I have never been a landlord before so didn't know if this ever happens - hence initial post!

Well if a 10 year old bathroom = old and shabby I don’t know what that makes mine! 🤣
If it’s just down to taste and it’s clean and works well then the answer to her is no.

What if this is her ‘taste’ ? 🤣

@Rzim - helpful update. Informatively there are a lot of landlords who rent properties in a condition that they would not live in themselves (and would not let to friends/family). Invariably they don’t have the money to maintain to an adequate standard either - in which case I would argue that they do not have the resources to be a landlord. There’s always an excuse though - usually an inherited property that they can’t sell.

But 10 years can be quite old for a bathroom nowadays - especially if was budget or mid-range. It is great that it is broadly functional - but that can cover quite a range. Is all the grouting and sealant in excellent order. Is there any mould (especially the stuff that re-appears 7-10 days after cleaning). What’s the extraction like. Is the flooring good - especially sealant around the suite areas.

To be honest, as a landlord, I would rather - and have done in the past - pay myself for a quality refurb of a high traffic area. I think it cost me £4,500 for a new bathroom in 2009 (labour was a chunk of that). I sold it in 2011 and it was all still intact and looking good when the house was sold in 2017!

I'd check legally that if she installs fixtures and fittings that this doesn't give her any rights.
I'd get an email from her saying that she's happy to pay for and leave the bathroom there when she leaves, regardless of when her tenancy ends or somesuch. What if she rips out everything the day she leaves, what rights have you then.
Be professional about it. She's not your friend. Seek advice or even ask a friendly local estate agent what they think.
I think I'd be saying No the bathroom stays as is. It's too dodgy.

My bathroom was put in 30 years ago when we moved in. Apart from some paint, washers on the taps and a replacement loo seat I haven't needed to do much. I put in six ceiling lights which the electrician thought made it look like Broadway but he doesn't need to put on make up in a room with light from a small north facing window.

The kitchen is tired and shabby but not unhygienic. If I was renting it out I'd get a new one but I'm not so I won't.

My post was deleted as I was fuming, fine.

But it basically said: don't be a dick- don't let them spend thousands of their pounds if you even remotely have a 1% thought in the back of your head that you might want the house back at any point.

@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.

@Nanny0gg I so agree with you! I also stopped watching Homes under the Hammer for this very reason: so sick of '...if you want to sell on you would need to replace XYZ and do something about ABC...but if you are renting, just a fresh coat of paint, maybe a carpet and you could get a return of 7% in this area..' I also agree with the poster who said we should be more like the continent on regards to renting.

@Pudmyboy same it really grates me. But have you seen the state of most houses on rightmove? It’s like you buy a house and have to renovate it so it’s not grotty 70% of the time.

It’s no wonder people go for new builds.

@StaplesCorner

Why do landlords so often make themselves out to be "victims"? Just say sorry no but we can offer to put a new one in ourselves.

Because they are automatically attacked on here just for being LL’s, with no regard to circumstances.

Have I understood that it is being lived in as a second home? If so what type of tenancy agreement do they have?

@Staryflight445

It’s no wonder people go for new builds.

Shudder I don’t