# Preparing a property for new tenancy



## Kerrigan (3 Oct 2011)

Just wondering how far other LL's will go to facilitate new tenants in their properties.

I've had some very strange requests lately as regards furnishing, decoration etc.  

They say it's a buyers/renters market but some people are really taking the biscuit.

For example, I had a professional couple view this morning.  They explained they had moved county due to relocation of employment etc.  They began the usual chit chat about the state of the economy, which eventually lead them to explain how much TAX they were paying etc.

Getting to the point, they bargained me down.  I was happy enough as this particular property had been lying there for some time.  

They were gone about a half an hour when I got a phone call from them, with a list of things they felt needing doing at the house, before they could commit.  

They got more than a bargain for the rent yet wanted the house redecorated.

Am I being unreasonable?


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## beffers (3 Oct 2011)

It's hard to say without more details. For example, how long has it been since the place was painted? How old is the furniture & what kind of state is it in? Do the fixtures/fittings/carpets look clean, modern and well maintained, or are they old and shabby? Are the kitchen and bathrooms fairly new, or something out of the Brady Bunch ? What may seem presentable to you may not seem presentable to others. The house may have ticked all their boxes when it comes to the important stuff such as price, location, size, number of bedrooms etc etc hence their initial keenness. But after wards, when they have had a chance to think about the place, and perhaps look over pix that they may have taken of the house, they may have had second thoughts about the overall look of the place. I don't think it is unreasonable. It has happened to me. Once I got over the initial excitement at finding the perfect pad in the perfect location for the perfect price, I began to discover decorative things about it that I really didn't care to live with.


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## bugler (3 Oct 2011)

The real barometer of whether it's reasonable or not will be whether you can let it without doing these things.You say the property has been lying there some time, which implies weak demand in the area and/or the rent being too high. With the reduced rent you agreed to will you find other tenants willing to take the property?

As a tenant I think they should have mentioned redecorating before agreeing to take the place, if that is what they did.



> They got more than a bargain for the rent yet wanted the house redecorated.



Generally no such thing as bargains in the rental market. If you can't get tenants then your asking rent is too high. The market rate is the market rate, hit the market rate and you find a tenant. You are going to pay for redecoration via one method or another (pay upfront or else reduce rent further to the point where someone doesn't mind the condition of the property).

You need to objectively assess the likelihood of renting the place without redecoration.


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## Knuttell (4 Oct 2011)

Kerrigan said:


> this particular property had been lying there for some time.





> yet wanted the house redecorated.






These two observations are not unrelated,when I am renting a property,the previous tenants are not gone 10 minutes before I start and redecorate/paint & prepare the property for renting,the property is ready for viewing a day and a half later and priced competitively for the area,with at least 10 photos to accompany the DAFT ad.

If I have not got a good enough response within 5 days then the price is cut...there is no way in hell I am going to carry an empty property for more than a 8 days,if its priced well you can pick and choose your tenants as opposed to sitting around waiting til you get a bite.

You ask at the end of your post if you are being unreasonable..the only person you are being unreasonable to is yourself,by not being realistic about the current rental market and properly decorating your property you are allowing terms to be laid down to you.

Decorate the property,pitch it at the rent you were bargained down to in the end and I guarantee your phone will be ringing with decent tenants looking to rent it.


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## ClubMan (4 Oct 2011)

Kerrigan said:


> I've had some very strange requests lately as regards furnishing, decoration etc.
> 
> They say it's a buyers/renters market but some people are really taking the biscuit.
> 
> ...


Have to say that I don't consider that an unreasonable or strange request. What were the strange requests that did not take the biscuit?


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## csirl (4 Oct 2011)

It all depends on the costs. 

Cost of doing the changes v extra rent you can charge/less unoccupied time.

A LL I know with several properties once told me that if the cost of any changes is less than the money lost by waiting another month to get a tenant, then you make the changes.


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## minion (9 Oct 2011)

Reduce the rent and make the changes.  But get a new tenant.
Going from my experience, you are going to be driven mad by these guys, so get someone else.

While they may have been right to bargain you down as you asked too much and even right about getting it redecorated.  The fact that they went off after making the deal first and then came back trying to press their hand shows a certain type of personality dont you think.

If they had of asked for the changes at the time you were negotiating on the rent that would be a different story.

As has been said before there is a sweet spot between condition and rent that you must hit or you'll never rent it anyway.


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## monagt (9 Oct 2011)

> Reduce the rent and make the changes. But get a new tenant.



+1

I agree, they will never be happy, they should have mentioned it to your face.

They will persecute you over little things and lots of demands.


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## AlbacoreA (9 Oct 2011)

Kerrigan said:


> ...
> They got more than a bargain for the rent yet wanted the house redecorated.
> 
> Am I being unreasonable?



Dunno does it need redecorating?

That its been sitting there some time, (according to you) it suggests it does, or the rent is too high.


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## Kerrigan (15 Oct 2011)

Hi Guys,  thanks for all your responses.

The past couple of days have been a nightmare.  I let the property out to the professional couple.  The husband has now left the country on business and I have spent the past couple of days moving furniture from one room to another; as his wife did not like how the furniture was positioned.

She is now looking for a type of flooring in their bedroom.  Her BIL is a carpenter and would 'easily install it'.  She said she would furnish me with the invoice as soon as he was finished!  I've a feeling I've a year of migranes ahead of me!

This property is running at a loss as I bought it very late in the day.


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## Knuttell (15 Oct 2011)

Kerrigan said:


> *I have spent the past couple of days moving furniture from one room to another; as his wife did not like how the furniture was positioned.*
> 
> She is now looking for a type of flooring in their bedroom.  Her BIL is a carpenter and would 'easily install it'.  *She said she would furnish me with the invoice as soon as he was finished!*




She'll have you over to bring out the bins yet.

Time to put the foot down here hard and fast,she is taking you for a complete mug,whatever the initial agreement was between you thats all you signed up for,tell her highness this in no uncertain terms.

If they go so be it,no great loss by the sound of things,then redocrate and price it well for the market and get new tenants in and agree whats their responsibility and what is yours from the get go.


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## AlbacoreA (15 Oct 2011)

You need to get them out. They are treating you as a walkover and you are letting them.


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## delgirl (15 Oct 2011)

If they signed the lease accepting the property in the condition it was in at the time of signing and they're only in a few days, don't change anything.

If she wants a special floor, she can have it by all means, but she has to pay for it herself.

If she wants the furniture moved, let her do it herself with her BIL.

Be very careful otherwise you will end up out of pocket and stressed due to the continuing demands.

Learn to say no, nicely.


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## beffers (15 Oct 2011)

OP, time to start putting your foot down BIG TIME. You are being taken advantage of here. What on earth are you doing moving furniture around for her? If she wants it moved, let her do it herself. It is _her_ home now, not yours. If she was paying a mortgage, do you really think that her bank manager would come around and move her furniture for her? No diff with being her landlord.

Re the floor, she agreed to let the place as is. If she wants the floors redone, that's too damm bad.You are under no obligation what so ever to agree to her demands. Only agree to it if you think that it would add to the overall value of the apt, and make it easier to rent down the road. If you don't think it would, tell her to get lost. 

If you do decide to get the floors redone, get your own quote from reputable tradesmen that you know of that will do the job well and for a reasonable price. Do not let her brother in law in to start tearing up the floors in your property just because he is related to her. His loyalties are to his sister in law here, not you, as are hers to him. He could be some down on his luck cowboy who doesn't know one end of a hammer from another, and would totally eff the job up and leave you with an almighty headache. You really need to start laying down some boundaries here at the very beginning. If you don't, she will continue to walk all over you.


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## forestdog (14 Nov 2011)

Another fact to consider is that you may be stuck with them for more  than 1 year, even if it is only a 1 year lease, I have had to read up on  this a good bit recently, I am a tenant in private rented home and the  residential tenancy act (2004) gives a lot of leeway to tenants who have  been in a property for more than 6 month, i.e. the right to remain  there for up to four years, special condition applying. Just something to  be aware off.

I hope it all works out for you. I've just copied and pasted part of the act below, easily found on google.

*Security of Tenure (Part 4)*

                       Security of tenure is based on 4-year cycles from  the date Part 4 of the Act comes into force (i.e. 1st September 2004).  The landlord can terminate without specifying grounds during the first 6  months, but once a tenancy has lasted 6 months, the landlord will be  able to terminate that tenancy (known as a "Part 4 tenancy") during the  following 3 1 /2 years only if any of the following apply;
                    - the tenant does not comply with the obligations of the tenancy
                    - the dwelling is no longer suited to the occupants accommodation needs (e.g. overcrowded)
                    - the landlord intends to sell the dwelling in the next 3 months
                    - the landlord requires the dwelling for own or family member occupation
                    - the landlord intends to refurbish the dwelling
                    - the landlord intends to change the business use of the dwelling.


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## lucozade (15 May 2012)

So Kerrigan, how has it turned out since?.


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## DingDing (8 Jun 2012)

lucozade said:


> So Kerrigan, how has it turned out since?.



ditto


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## rachel.1 (26 Jun 2012)

Yea how has this turned out? I had similar redecoration issues recently. One request was valid, the mattresses were old so I replaced them. However then it turned into a bedroom makeover request, picking wallpaper colours and everything when I had got it painted only a year before! I think they key line to draw is between requirements and preferences, does she need this floor due to allergies or something? Or is it just something she likes?


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## facetious (28 Jun 2012)

rachel.1 said:


> Yea how has this turned out? I had similar redecoration issues recently. One request was valid, the mattresses were old so I replaced them. However then it turned into a bedroom makeover request, picking wallpaper colours and everything when I had got it painted only a year before! I think they key line to draw is between requirements and preferences, does she need this floor due to allergies or something? Or is it just something she likes?


It is not the landlord's obligation to change the flooring because the tenant has allergies - it is the tenant's responsibility to choose a property that suits their health.
If the flooring is not dangerous the landlord is not required to change it. Neither is the landlord required to change the decoration of any room during a tenancy - especially if it is just a one year agreement - the property is let "as is".

Never, ever let the tenant or the tenant's friends/whoever, do any kind of redecorating/repairs. 
If it goes wrong at a later stage, who will pay. 
Is the person qualified, insured to do the job? 
What happens if they spill paint on the floor?
If they fall off a ladder and break a leg or arm, they may sue you?

Furthermore, you should have an inventory attached to the lease agreement and signed by the tenant confirming the condition of all floors, walls, ceilings, doors, all furniture (itemised), appliances, etc. Many landlords now use photos and even videos (all with a date stamp). This inventory is vital especially at the end of the lease when the tenant leaves, so that "damage" can be assessed. 

If a tenant makes a claim against a landlord and there is no detailed inventory the landlord will find it very difficult to prove that the tenant damages the property/furniture/appliance. Lack of a detailed inventory is one of the main reasons that landlords loose a claim for "damage" beyond normal wear and tear.


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## lucozade (28 Jun 2012)

I'm getting worried I think Kerrigan may have been buried under the new flooring


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## Marigold77 (17 Aug 2012)

One house we rented had hot pink walls in one bedroom and dayglo turquoise in the other. We said yes, on condition that the bedrooms were repainted white which they agreed to. before we moved in. Also it was still full of their dead father' s stuff so we made sure that that was taken out. 

But another rental looked OK until we started to clean it properly. The carpets were thick with dust and sand which no amoount of vacuuming would get clean so we asked re laminated flooring and told the ll of a nearby shop with a special offer.

We took the carpet up ourselves and almost choked with the filth that came up.

When we took the cushions off the settee... so we asked him to remove it and replaced it with chairs..having already brought our own beds in. 

Some things are not apparent until you live in a place.


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