Tenants broke bed - who pays

Hi Bronte,

I am a believer that if a tenant breaks an item (whether intentionally or accidentally) then they are liable for either a good repair (bringing it back to its previous state) or pay for a replacement which should be of the same type condition and year. If they fail to find a suitable replacement then they are liable for the cost of the suitable replacement; that is, on a pro rata basis according to its age.

If a landlord just lets damage/breakages go then the tenants will become (or have already become) complacent and " easy come, easy go" is the order of the day.

I think we previously agreed that the PRTB's definition of "fair wear and tear" is very much on the tenant's side. A landlord should not have to redecorate a property at the end of a 1 year lease but may have to and it is put down to "normal" fair wear and tear. My parents (and I) never redecorated a house even every 5 years; the family looked after it, and many of the walls of those properties were always wallpapered.

Maybe it's just me in my old age!

This is what the deposit is for. But at 8 yrs you couldn't charge a fee for a new bed, just a % of it.

But you'd have to look at it in context if it was the only item after a long trouble free tenancy then I'd let it go.