UK Landlord Forum / Life

Thanks for any opinions on the following.

Tenants in London flat are pleasant people but it's like being in a cross between the movie, Withnail and I, Bridget Jones' diary and Animal House. They have been there only two months. They don't hoover. The dishwasher and the hooover which were both fine in August (I know because I used them) were fine, then they broke. They put their wet clothes on the wood, she burns her incense and it stinks up the house and the dust goes everywhere.

My desk is missing. I emailed them over a week ago asking in a nice way, because at least they are cheerful and only pay the rent slightly late, where is the desk. No reply. No reply either on asking whether a plumber can take away the old dishwasher [that broke during their residence] (despite text messaging them both and also sending an email about this.) Things could be much worse, I realise that.

Would you replace them? Thanks xo....

No I wouldn't.

I mean, I can see arguments for and against.

I would base my decision on how it makes me feel personally.

Are their actions actually affecting you, in the sense that you're stressed about it? If so, then I would replace them... because life's too short to be consciously allowing neglectful/inconsiderate people to bring you down. If it doesn't really bother you, and you can deal with it, just let them be.

That's my opinion anyways.

If it's bothering you that much then, yes. Timing is important though. I have a flat in London that was vacated last December and it took over 3 months to find suitable tenants as the market was dead in Jan and Feb.

Quote from: AJW on October 26, 2014, 04:29:01 PMThey don't hoover. The dishwasher and the hooover which were both fine in August (I know because I used them) were fine, then they broke. They put their wet clothes on the wood, she burns her incense and it stinks up the house and the dust goes everywhere.

You can't control how Tenants live their lives... one person's idea of cleanliness is completely different from somebody else. It's subjective. You've handed over the property as the home of these Tenants for a period of time... I would forget how they live (unless you have proper evidence that material damage is being caused to the property) and gear yourself up for what all Landlords should do anyway - a proper clean-up and potential refurbish at the end of the tenancy.

Stuff that creates smoke is not good... but it's not actually tobacco smoke and people could easily they don't like the zesty lemon-fresh smell of Cif  (or another brand) of stuff or one of those air-fresheners you stick in a plug... again, I'd say that it's just subjective stuff.

Things do break. My Tenants in one property have a good record in year 1... they broke the Dyson upright, the fridge freezer, the washing machine and the Aqualisa shower... oh, and the boiler went kaput too. All-in-all it was a very expensive year... but I had to grasp that, yes, things do break. I was just disappointed that things I'd personally used for years (this property was previously my home) all decided to commit suicide in that year. My partner didn't believe it - and we're still waiting for the Bosch dishwasher to 'break' - as she thinks the Tenants want to end up with everything being new... but I accepted it.

Quote from: AJW on October 26, 2014, 04:29:01 PMMy desk is missing. I emailed them over a week ago asking in a nice way, because at least they are cheerful and only pay the rent slightly late, where is the desk. No reply. No reply either on asking whether a plumber can take away the old dishwasher [that broke during their residence] (despite text messaging them both and also sending an email about this.) Things could be much worse, I realise that.

The desk issue is different... the Tenants are certainly not allowed to get rid of things without your consent. That's a kind of theft in a way. That said, if you have a good Inventory then you should be able to validate the desk is not there at the end of the tenancy and deduct for that.

If rent is coming in and there is no other 'trouble'... personally, I'd be minded to leave things as they are. They might stay for years and, by the time they eventually leave, you will have got thousands of Pounds from them and you certainly will care very little about any furniture that was in the property as it will be due a complete refresh. If they're there only for a year and have changed major things, then it's going to come down to the quality and detail of your Inventory and making deposit deductions in the correct way to ensure you don't lose-out too much.

I think you net it out well when you say that things could be much worse. Indeed.

Quote from: AJW on October 26, 2014, 04:29:01 PM
They don't hoover.............she burns her incense and it stinks up the house..................the dust goes everywhere.

I'd get rid of them.  Would drive me insane whilst I ate my dinner or was trying to relax watching TV if the floor needed hoovering and there was a smoky smell around with all the dust aswell.  You do live with them don't you?

Quote from: Riptide on October 28, 2014, 12:27:58 PMYou do live with them don't you?

If so, then AJW is a dirty bleepard too, as the hoover and dishwasher was last used by AJW back in August!

That is disgusting. 

A tricky one. I'd say let them stay....just an opinion. Electrical equipment does break so it's impossible to say if anyone is at fault. If any replacements break then there are defiantly issues. An engineer could determine a cause but that's extra cost to you. The dirt sounds irritating but providing nothing is perminatly damaged there should be a problem - it can always be cleaned when they leave.

Ultimately it comes down to your stand on letting the property. Are you purely looking for money? In that case let them live how they wont providing they don't cause neighbours issues or cost you an 'unacceptable' sum.

http://www.propertyletbyus.com

Thanks for the replies folks! I don't live with them. I used everything in the flat and left it spic an span before they moved in. Lol. They are just out of uni and nice enough but I think they are def not in nesting/homeowner mode. Due to the 2.4k fees or more that are paid in London for the rent level I am getting and that as someone else said, the market is dead in Dec/Jan/Feb... I think I am going to let things be unless they announce their departure in the next month or so. Thanks, Hippogriff, Riptide, et all! Have put things into perspective. If not literally damaging the property, then store up the money and just get the cleaners in at the end!