Tenants Request...

[holysmokes]

Hi Everyone,

I'm letting my house to tenants on LHA for the first time with the help of the council.

The tenants that I interviewed last week, asked whether I could change the downstairs carpet to laminate flooring. Due to their children having Asthma....is this a common request other LL's hear from tenants?

Currently the house is set up for 5 members. The family that I saw had 6 members in total. So there for they requested whether I could buy a bunk bed and an extra chair. Should this be my responsibility to buy?

[jta]

Not exactly uncommon due to the prevalence of asthma these days, however, they are asking you to go to quite bit of expense before they take the tenancy, presumably you would have to get rid of your (good) carpet and find a chair and bunkbeds to suit.

How long do you expect them to stay? Would they be willing to contribute to the cost of the floor?

Don't be tempted to put down the cheap stuff just to keep them happy, you would need something that future tenants would be happy with as well.

It's all about the bottom line, if it's eroding your profit margin, don't do it.

But if you do, make sure it's on condition they are signed up for a good period with no break clause, and have a guarantor in place. Two years would be about right I think. That would show commitment on their part.

[mind the gap]

I think that is very sound advice. I would certainly try to extract some kind of commitment from the tenant, either in terms of a longer fixed term than usual or part-payment for the new flooring. New bunk beds can be bought relatively cheaply : £100 t IKEA or a pine furniture shop.

It may be possible that sanding and sealing the boards (I recommend semi-matt yacht varnish) is more cost-effective than having good quality waterproof laminate laid. The sanding is a palaver but once it's done, it lasts for ages with a minimum of maintenance.

[jeffrey]

Currently the house is set up for 5 members. The family that I saw had 6 members in total.
If I were the owner, I would not let to more than four joint tenants per Letting Agreement.

[mind the gap]

If I were the owner, I would not let to more than four joint tenants per Letting Agreement.

Er...I think this is a family with two parents and four children, Jeffrey.

[jeffrey]

Er...I think this is a family with two parents and four children, Jeffrey.
OK, I give up. Where does it say so?

[mind the gap]

OK, I give up. Where does it say so?

It was the reference to their children having asthma and the request for a bunk bed in #1 which gave it away! Plus, it is all one family. (The idea of any poor parents having to share a house with four of their grown-up offspring is too horrible to contemplate).

Just call me Miss Marple. ;)

[jeffrey]

If you are correct, the same holds true. L could let to two parents but not to all five/six.
The bunk-bedded children will presumably be minors, so disregard them for purposes of legal position.

[mind the gap]

If you are correct, the same holds true. L could let to two parents but not to all five/six.
The bunk-bedded children will presumably be minors, so disregard them for purposes of legal position.

I cannot be correct about both possibilities - I am assuming the children (or some of them at least) are minors!

I only mentioned the other possibility (children = adults) so I could feel glad I am not in that situation. Schadenfreude, if you will.

[mind the gap]

The bunk-bedded children
Now that makes me feel a bit nostalgic. Bunk beds were good for whispering all night to your brothers in when you were six, weren't they? And isn't it weird how you only ever fall out of the top bunk once?

[jeffrey]

But at least the ground is always there, to catch you.
Probably the EU's by now outlawed bunk-beds on some absurd pretext.

[mind the gap]

But at least the ground is always there, to catch you.
Probably the EU's by now outlawed bunk-beds on some absurd pretext.

No, just rude UKIP politicians! You can still buy bunk beds. And don't worry, children still fall out of them through the safety rails.

[jeffrey]

children still fall out of them through the safety rails.
How do they manage that?

[mind the gap]

How do they manage that?
It takes a lot of determination, but they all manage it in the end. Mine did, anyway.

[holysmokes]

Thanks for all the replys

The cost of buying a bunk bed, chairs and changing the perfectly good carpet for laminate flooring is going to cost too much extra. So I told the council today.

Luckily for me they said they made a mistake sending 6 people for a 3 bed room house. So I should be getting a smaller family in with less members.

Good thing I didn't end up buying furniture and signing contracts!

[jeffrey]

It takes a lot of determination, but they all manage it in the end. Mine did, anyway.
Perhaps you have to slice them thinly.

[mind the gap]

Perhaps you have to slice them thinly.

No, children are great wrigglers. You'd have a lot to talk about :D

[holysmokes]

Had a new tenant come and view the property today.

This tenant had two requests one that I buy a washing machine and two without sitting/lying on the bed, they requested if I could buy a brand new mattress.

Luckily for me the mattresses in the house are only 3 years old and in good condition. the potential tenant was complaining they have back pains and wanted a good bed. Luckily for me one mattress in particular in the house was an orthopedic mattress made for people with back pain that cost over £600. I told the tenant numerous times to sit on it/ lye down. But no, they refused and continued to request a new mattress.

Its insane!!! :eek: They just want everything NEW!

After how many years of use would you change a mattress?...or would you wait until the springs were ruined before you replaced it?

[jta]

If you buy a washing machine for them you are stuck with maintaining it, tell them the place is 'as is', if they don't like it rent somewhere else. The same thing goes for your mattresses, if they have such a condition they cannot use a perfectly good mattress then it is up to them to get the right one for themselves, or stick a board under the mattress like sensible people do. I think you might be having an eager look on your face in order to have the place rented out quickly. It almost seems a 'given' on this site that if potential tenants start off by asking for you to go to extra expenses before the tenancy starts then they ain't going to stop when they have you by the short and curlies after they have moved in. Cynical? Yep! it's my middle name.

[mind the gap]

If you buy a washing machine for them you are stuck with maintaining it, tell them the place is 'as is', if they don't like it rent somewhere else. The same thing goes for your mattresses, if they have such a condition they cannot use a perfectly good mattress then it is up to them to get the right one for themselves, or stick a board under the mattress like sensible people do. I think you might be having an eager look on your face in order to have the place rented out quickly. It almost seems a 'given' on this site that if potential tenants start off by asking for you to go to extra expenses before the tenancy starts then they ain't going to stop when they have you by the short and curlies after they have moved in. Cynical? Yep! it's my middle name.

Again, in priniciple, I couldn't agree more.

I suppose that In the end, market forces will rule. If you are really desperate and if they are the only potential tenants who've shown a flicker of interest, you may judge it financially more prudent in the long run to accede to their demands rather than lose them and have a long/er void period. (However, it sounds pretty cheeky to me for them to demand these things at this stage - suspect as jta says it wll be a case of 'give an inch, take a mile'. Warning bells? ).

Otherwise (ie if you are not that desperate), tell them that you are not going to replace a perfectly good mattress which you are confident any other tenant would be happy with, but that as a gesture of goodwill you won't charge them to have the current mattress removed and stored if they choose to provide their own;), and that a washing machine is not supplied with this property, full stop.

If you want a middle way, I would recommend supplying a washing machine but not a mattress. You can get some excellent white goods bargains on auction sites like the Comet and Currys ones - they often have tiny scratches/dents, etc., but come with the full guarantee and can be bought at substantial discounts.

In the end, your decision will probably hinge on how easy the property is to fill.

[LondonLL]

If you want a middle way, I would recommend supplying a washing machine but not a mattress. You can get some excellent white goods bargains on auction sites like the Comet and Currys ones - they often have tiny scratches/dents, etc., but come with the full guarantee and can be bought at substantial discounts.



This is great - I didn't know about this! Thanks for the tip.