UK Landlord Forum / Life

hi forum.  i am selling my property with an agency.  the tenant has lived there for years.  the property has a lot of spotlights but most need replacement bulbs.  tenant has never replaced any and relies on table lamps.  My prospective buyers viewing the property which is dimly lit and tenant is very messy.

Buy some bulbs and go round to replace them.

thanks sort of knew but its the principle.  I'm not the tenants handyman.  She's separated. Do I replace her toilet rolls when the holder is empty?
these are basics most decent tenants should do themselves surely?   

The principle you're missing is a simple one... your prospective buyers are being put-off by the existing situation. What has been suggested is you bite-the-bullet to improve your chances of selling, at the best price.

Or you could stick by your principles and cross your arms. You came here with the problem, now you don't agree with the advice... typical principled person - get pragmatic about it.

You're the one conducting viewings while the existing Tenant is in situ. The Tenant has a responsibility to hand you the property back as it was when they took it on - with working light bulbs... or you deduct from the Deposit at departure and put them back yourself... you don't get to dictate whether your Tenant has working light bulbs while they're in residence.

Quote from: heavykarma on August 18, 2019, 01:26:11 PMBuy some bulbs and go round to replace them.

This is the right advice... I'd just point out that the Tenant is under no obligation to allow this change of light bulbs. 

i get everyones point.  guess my stance is to the detriment of my sale.  thanks i will sort the  bulbs myself with gritted teeth.

 If the Tenant allows you to...  ...good luck, and with the sale.

Hint - buy a full set. It's very unlikely, if any are remaining in operation, you'd end up getting a matching colour / temperature / intensity of light. So buy the whole bundle at once... and change them all at once. And consider LEDs (unless on dimmers) and consider the planet... our home. Our only home.

Old Chinese saying- "Principles are like knickers,sometimes you have to drop them".