What is “fair wear and tear” and why does it matter?

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Many contracts state that “fair wear and tear” on the property is acceptable in terms of the dilapidations process (the process by which a tenant exits the property and receives back their deposit), but what does “fair” mean in relation to wear and tear, and why do we need to be aware of it?

 

 

  • What is “wear and tear”?

“Wear and tear” refers to the results of use of a property in terms of damage occurring. This should be “natural” or as a result of “reasonable use”. This does not cover accidental damage where the item/property is being used in a manner for which it was not designed, for example.

 

 

  • What is “fair”?

“Fair” refers to the nature of the manner in which the “wear and tear” occurred. As we mentioned, accidental damage of an item/property where it has not been used in the correct way, is likely not to be covered by “fair wear and tear.”

You should ask yourself – has the change in state of this item/property (from start of tenancy to exit) occurred as a natural process? Or has tenant negligence caused this change in state to occur?

We use our own opinions and logic to help us make a decision, but it’s important to consider other mitigating factors too.

Let’s take wall damage for example:

  • Newly decorated wall, tenant lives in property for 6 months, large number of scuff marks along wall = likely tenant negligence.
  • Newly decorated wall, tenant lives in property for 3 years, large number of scuff marks along wall = likely considered fair wear and tear.

 

In this example you can see that the length of time a tenant has lived in the property for would impact the decision.

 

 

Other mitigating factors might include:

  • The quality of the item/area in the property – cheaper provisions are likely to be damaged more easily or wear out more quickly over time if regularly used.
  • Age or Lifespan of the item/area in the property – Old carpets wear out, one tenant cannot be held accountable for a carpet wearing out during their tenancy when it’s been “on the way” for 5 years. Equally, for furnished properties, a kettle might only be expected to have a lifespan of 1-2 years, this should be considered if it’s in disrepair at time of exit.
  • Do your tenants have kids? – More wear and tear should be accounted for, especially for families with young children.
  • Pets and other items outlined in the Tenancy Agreement – Your Tenancy Agreement outlines the expectations of the landlord to the tenants, so if there’s repainting requirements outlined in the Agreement, then this should be completed, before exit, irrelevant of wear and tear. Equally, if pets are allowed in the Agreement, then the impact of pets on the wear and tear in the property should be taken into consideration on exit as well.
  • Frequency of use and Defects/Maintenance – Items/areas of the property which are frequently used has an impact on the lifespan. Ie. An oven used daily is likely to have an impact on the wear and tear, or a hallway has more use than a dining area, so you would expect to see more wear and tear on those areas. Also, should a tenant advise a landlord of any defects or maintenance issues which are causing damage. Ie. A dripping tap might cause damage to a sink – if the tenant has advised the landlord, and the maintenance has not taken place, then the tenant is not to blame, and it would count as “fair wear and tear”. Our advice? Make a note of any issues occurring in the property and the point at which the landlord is advised and makes good on the issue. This will help if there is a dispute.

 

The majority of disputes over deposits can be solved simply by reviewing correspondence (we do advise all conversations relating to maintaining the property to be done in writing – email is fine – to avoid a lack of paper-trail) and by applying sensible and rational thought processes. Keeping things in writing allows for the dilapidations process to go as smoothly as possible, especially if, in the more difficult cases, you do find yourself going through arbitration. Landlords can also schedule regular property visits during a tenancy to monitor the state of the property and make sure that the tenants are being respectful and keeping the property in a good state of repair.

Professional Clean to make you happier and healthier

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Spring is looming around the corner and, whilst we’re all loving that January has – finally! – come to an end, Spring also means the feeling of needing some spring cleaning joy.

So, with that in mind, it’s time to talk spring-cleaning!

Cleaning might not be the top of everyone’s list of favourite pastimes but every once in a while having a professional cleaner scrub your home from top to bottom, could save you money in the long run. We’ll take you through why…

 

 

A professional clean makes your appliances last longer.

When you look after your oven, it looks after you. No, seriously it does! Take the oven, for example: Less dirt, grime and grease means less damage to your oven, allowing it to last longer and need replacing less often. In addition, it’s safer in terms of food safety and will ensure that it is more efficient as well as less likely to burn excess residue. Excess residue can also be extremely harmful as well as carcinogenic.

 

A professional clean can help keep your home allergy free

Getting a professional clean for your curtains, carpets, upholstery, bedding and floorings means less dust, less allergens and less allergy-related health issues.

 

You can reduce your anxiety, reduce arguments and keep a happy house with a professional clean once a week

Not just for a one off, a professional clean once a week can make your life easier by reducing arguments in the house and reducing anxiety.  Our brains love order, so a messy and unclean house can trigger our stress responses.  A professional clean, once a week, can reduce anxiety, reduce worry and reduce the stress hormones floating around our bodies.  That’s a lot more happiness for only approximately £20 – £25 a week

 

 

 

Getting professional cleaners can feel like an unnecessary expense but, in the long run, with a reduced carbon footprint, reduced need to replace appliances, reduced anxiety – you might save money, and you’ll feel fabulous too!

Moving House – Top Tips from the Experts – Part 2

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If you’ve read our Part 1 then we’re sure you’ll be interested in finding out what Part 2 entails.

So, here we go with the last Step for your moving and our extra bonus Top Tips for moving house.

 

Step 4: Prep your go-bag.

Now that you have packed and labelled all your things. When you’re moving house, you need to prepare the items which you need to have access to from the first minute in your new home. Pack these things last and label them up so they are really easy to find once you have moved – and we recommend packing them in your car, so you know exactly where they are once you have moved! Our top picks are:

  • Money / Debit or Credit cards – you might need to order takeout on your first night or have some last minute requirements which are at the bottom of the big pile of boxes needing unpacking!
  • Bedding – It’s much nicer to sleep in clean and fresh sheets in your new home. Pack these up for easy access and make sure you set up your bed quickly after you move – it’s one of the first things that you’ll need at the end of a long day.
  • Kettle, tea and coffee, snacks and other drinks – if you are getting some friends to help, you’re going to want to feed and water them, and stay refreshed yourself!
  • Teddies and comforters – don’t run the risk of your kids not sleeping; get their rooms set up first and make sure they have any special toys with them, they’ll be more comfortable and sleep better in your new home – then you can get on with the rest of the unpacking!
  • Chargers, smart phones, tablets and other gadgets – keep the kids entertained, give yourself a break and make sure you have enough juice for your gadgets by packing these up for easy access.
  • Some basic food stuffs – milk, cheese, bread and cereal. It’s likely that you will need something for breakfast in the following morning before you have done a shop.
  • Any important window coverings – don’t want the world seeing into your bedroom or front room? Consider quick installation temporary blinds or make sure you have time and tools for installing your own blinds and curtains from your previous home straight away.
  • Don’t forget the quick essentials such as toiletries, toilet roll, toothbrushes, clothes and sleepwear!

 

That’s it for packing!  But we know that’s not all you need to consider for moving house, so we have added some Bonus Tips for you below:

 

Our other top tips include:

  • Set up a food delivery in advance for the following day – no one wants to have to trawl the local supermarket immediately after moving house, so make it easy and get a delivery booked in. Unsure if they’ll find you? Choose “click and collect” options, at least it’s just a quick trip out instead of the long wander around the shop.
  • Ahead of time, check your new home for types of lightbulbs required and stock up with some spares. You don’t want to be in your new home without any lights!
  • If you’re hiring a van, get the insurance. It’s so important to make sure all your precious things are protected in transit, don’t scrimp on it if you can, it’s there to help and protect you.
  • Familiarise yourself with your nearest A&E, shops, dentists and other important locations around your new home, if you’re moving out of area.
  • Change your addresses for your billing and other important info, but also make sure you have forwarded your post!  This is so important as you will likely forget something and it can also protect your identity from fraudulent activity.  You can forward your mail with Royal Mail here.

 

What are your top tips for moving house?  Comment below or pop us a message on our social links!  We love to hear from you.

Moving House – Top Tips from the experts – Part 1

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Moving house is listed as one of the top most stressful occasions for a person’s life, but, we’re here today to tell you that it doesn’t have to be, if you’re prepared!

We do recommend using professional movers for your move if you can, but we do know that this is not always possible. So, if you’re planning on moving yourselves, here are our top tips for moving house, to make the process as easy as possible.

 

A little note, before we start… Get started as early as possible! You can never start too early – packing can take an age when you are moving house; better to be prepped early so you’re not too rushed.

 

Step 1: Make a list. Go through each room of your current place and make a note of what there is in each space.

  • The basics – ie. Furniture, areas that need sorting, estimate of amounts of clothing.
  • Don’t forget to look in cupboards, wardrobes, drawers and all the little nooks and crannies.
  • Make a note of any things that might need dismantling ie. Shelves, blinds, curtain rails, large furniture.
  • Finally, make a note of anything that should be left to be packed last.

 

Step 2: Get rid of stuff you don’t need. We like to use the questions rule:

  • Does it make you happy?
  • Does it make your life easier?
  • Does it make or save you money?
  • Do you have space for it in your next home?

(The “happy” question does also refer to things which we retain for emotional reasons such as keepsakes).

Bag or box items which don’t fit into any of these categories and then take to charity shops, recycle or resell or, if not suitable to reuse or recycle, take to a refuse centre where they can dispose of it properly. Remember that many charity shops will not take electronic items for health and safety reasons, so consider selling online or even doing a car-boot-sale.

 

 

Step 3: Box / Pack in order of priority. Start with your least visited room or space first. Tidy, pack and sort. Then, once that room is ready, you can move onto the next. Our top tip? Keep your boxes in the same room that they are designed to go into and label every box on the side with the room and the contents. Don’t forget to make it clear if the items inside are fragile or valuable. Leave your most frequently used items to the last moments.

 

So that’s our first part… stay tuned for Step 4 and our last top tips!

Concerns over Landlords and Students communication

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The BBC reported last week that students are up-in-arms about the treatment they receive from landlords, specifically at the end of their tenancies.

The BBC reported, Jessica Hickey of the University of Lincoln, is challenging her deposit reduction for her and her housemates, amounting to £1,600.

Miss Hickey is claiming that her deposit has been wrongly retained and additional fees added because she and her housemates were told that they did not leave the property in “a fit state” but the concerns raised by the landlord “did not allow for wear and tear”. She also states that items the landlord is claiming for include things she, and her housemates, requested him to fix during their tenancy.

The BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme also reports that they have heard from “dozens” of students experiencing similar issues with deposits being withheld.

 

 

The dilapidations process (the process by which a tenant leaves the property and is returned their deposit) is long-overdue an overhaul. In addition, many tenants do not know their right to contest their landlord’s deposit claim. The Tenancy Fees Act 2019 is intended to protect against unfair fees, but does not cover issues related to unfairly withheld deposits. The government-backed Tenancy Deposit Scheme does afford some protection however disputes over amounts withheld can take months leaving many students seriously out of pocket.

The National Union of Students (NUS) is now calling for a change of legislation to solve this issue. With 27% of students stating that they formally challenged their deposit return deductions but withdrawing and paying them anyway and 24% disagreeing with the deductions but not challenging it, clearly this is a concern for students across the country.

If you want to read the whole article, check it out here

Renting – 15 MORE reasons why you should rent

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Liked our post about 15 reasons why renting is great?  Well, we have 15 more reasons for you! Take a look below.

  1. Fixed rents not subject to changes in market (unlike mortgages). Mortgages are often on tracker rates which add interest affected by the UK Bank of England base rate.  Should the base rate increase then the mortgage payment increases.  Your rent cost is fixed for the term of your agreement.  It also costs landlords money to find new renters, so you are in a great position to negotiate a fixed term contract with your landlord if you want to stay for a period of time too.
  2. Lower insurance costs – only need contents rather than building. When you own your own home, you need to insure the house structure against things such as subsidence, flooding, and fire and damage.  This is in addition to the contents being insured as well.  A home fire is devastating whether owned or rented, but the cost of rebuilding a home is significantly higher than replacing the contents.  As such, insurance can be a hefty undertaking.
  3. Quicker search and confirmation process (rather than buying). Finding your dream home doesn’t take nearly as long when you are renting than when you are buying.  You might need to visit more properties but once you find your property, you can get the process of signing contracts done much more quickly.
  4. You can still save whilst you rent. Renting doesn’t mean never owning your own home – you can still be saving and you don’t have to live with your parents whilst you save.
  5. You won’t get stuck in a chain. Buying a house often involves chains of people.  These can collapse and then you’re back to square one again.  Who needs that stress?
  6. You’re not wasting money! You are actively paying for a roof over your head.
  7. 6 Month break clause. Want to change your mind?  Most contracts have a 6 month break clause meaning that if you are not happy you can get out of your contract.
  8. Test an area before buying. If you’re moving to a new location (ie. For a new job), it’s a great idea to rent first so you can test the area and see whereabouts you might want to live.  It’s a much cheaper process than buying and a cheaper mistake if you get it wrong.
  9. Get to know what kind of property. When you’re renting you can trial out different types of properties, from the traditional flat or semi-detached, to the less traditional house-boat or converted chapel.
  10. Renting is easier whilst you’re trying to build up your credit score. If your credit score is not quite so good for buying a house with all its credit checks for the mortgage – renting allows you to focus on building your credit score and if you’re still struggling, you can get a rented property underwritten with a guarantor.
  11. More disposable income. When you’re not having to pay for the additional expenses that come with owning a property, you have more disposable income to do the things you really want to do.
  12. Living with friends. Single?  Live with friends and build great friendships that last a lifetime.
  13. Less financial commitment for first time move in with partner. When you choose to move in with your partner, this can be a big risk – make things more cost effective and less risky by renting together rather than committing to a purchase.
  14. Less responsibility. Renting is perfect for people who are looking for less responsibility and more flexibility.
  15. Paperwork is easier and quicker. It takes less time to find a rented property, it’s also far easier and quicker to do the paperwork – just sign on the dotted line.