UK Landlord Forum / Life

I thought I did this OK but would like to warn people that you may need to be more thorough than I was!

Everywhere looked fairly clean and I did notice they had lost all the keys for the double glazed windows. I therefore deducted the cost of replacements from their deposit.  There were other minor problems like they threw out the microwave and badly dented the new fridge/freezer and took up the flooring in bathroom and replaced with horrible carpet tiles but I let them off all that as they always paid their rent on time.

I didn't think to check the shower as it looked OK but having put new flooring down, washed down all the tiles, painted the room and put in new mirror, shelves, loo roll holder and towel rails we switched it on and water is pouring out from underneath and the top is all cracked which was too high for me to see.  OH says they obviously haven't used it for years but failed to tell us they had broken it.  Now we need to find a new shower with the same fittings or it's going to be a real big job.

I have experienced the same with a neatly hidden (with a plug-in air freshener) broken plug socket... you learn as you go. The advice I can give is choose either:

- be completely lackadaisical about Check-Outs and accept there'll be gaps you have to fill - pro here is that it's easier on you, less confrontational etc.
- be completely focused on Checks-Outs and don't accept that anything they've damaged is up to you to remedy

A half-way house is also fine. Or inbetween. Or just different. But, again, it's people that cause trouble - not buildings.

I once did a quick check before my tenant moved back to Sweden.His wife and young daughter had come over to clean the place,and were busily wielding dusters.The next day I transferred his full deposit,a bit of a rigmarole involving a trip to the bank.I popped into the flat,and was horrified to see the carpet,which had been hidden under packing cases,was covered in cigarette burns,and big patches of engine oil.Lesson learnt.

As an inventory clerk I would recommend using an inventory clerk

That way you can tell your tenants a 3rd party will check the property and you will return the deposit once you have reviewed the report.

Thanks everyone.  I think I am too trusting.  The tenant and I agreed a time to do final check and when I got there she said she was really pushed for time so I felt pressured to do it quickly.  She also said they really needed their deposit back asap as they had items to buy for their new property.  I didn't  even notice until next day that she had taken all the light bulbs.   lesson learned, take your time and be thorough.