Take or leave it..

Lux23

So I went to see a flat yesterday. It was in reasonably good condition, but the current tenant had been living there for about three years and the place needed a good scrub and a lick of paint.

So I asked the letting agent how long it would take to repaint, clean up and replace or clean the mattresses. I would have thought these things were fairly standard, but he said 'the landlady doesn't want to put anything into it at all, so she will clean it herself, but that's all she will do'.

Now the place was in a good nick and I could have tidied it up, but I just found that attitude appalling, so my gut was to just say no on the basis that if she like that before you move in, she would be useless at fixing things.

So is it unreasonable to ask for a lick of paint, a good clean and a new mattress? Being honest, I could deal without the paint, but my skin crawls at the idea of sleeping on a dirty mattress.

draiochtanois

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Lux23

draiochtanois wrote: »

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I was always under the assumption that it was in your rights to get a new mattress when you sign a lease, I have had letting agents tell me this? The rent was a grand a month for a one bed, you would expect a certain standard for that price.

Thargor

Lux23 wrote: »

I was always under the assumption that it was in your rights to get a new mattress when you sign a lease

Lol, not a hope in hell, buy a matress yourself or use mattress protectors.

Lux23

Ok, well buying one would be no big deal, but I assuming they have to take the old one away then? I wouldn't bring the new one with me either to be fair.

I just don't understand landlords who don't want to upkeep their property.

draiochtanois

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Lux23

Well part of running a business is looking after your assets so they appreciate in value rather than depreciate, if you allow an apartment to fall into disrepair in boom times, you will never rent it in the bad times.

murphaph

Lux23 wrote: »

Well part of running a business is looking after your assets so they appreciate in value rather than depreciate, if you allow an apartment to fall into disrepair in boom times, you will never rent it in the bad times.

A lick of paint and a new mattress would increase the value of an apartment by precisely nothing. Well, maybe a lick of paint would make the place a bit more saleable but the lick of paint can go on just before it's sold or rented "in bad times". That's the current reality.

I agree with you that any landlord that ignores structural problems or similar is playing a silly game but a LL in this market can definitely avoid painting a property internally and not suffer any adverse effects, never mind the mattress.

Miamiheat

murphaph wrote: »

A lick of paint and a new mattress would increase the value of an apartment by precisely nothing. Well, maybe a lick of paint would make the place a bit more saleable but the lick of paint can go on just before it's sold or rented "in bad times". That's the current reality.

I agree with you that any landlord that ignores structural problems or similar is playing a silly game but a LL in this market can definitely avoid painting a property internally and not suffer any adverse effects, never mind the mattress.

That is still unacceptable IMO. A tenant going in a clean and well presented apartment is likely to be more careful and treat it like a home. Rent a dump like most LL's are used to do in this country and then come crying on the forums that you have bad tenants that treat your precious property like a dump.
I am lucky my LL understands that and I would go the extra mile to keep him happy.
OP i believe if you change the mattress that the company delivering can remove the old one for a small fee. As far as paint and cleanliness and appliances in working order i would have zero tolerance but the market is what it is and the standards in this country are extremely low. Careful as the greedy LL might want to hold your deposit for having disposed of a crappy mattress. Make sure you have approval in writing.
best of luck

MarkAnthony

My take is a clean mattress of course - mattress protectors always on, but if you want a new one buy it yourself, I'm also not storing the old one.

Paint, needs to be kept in good order, my place was freshly painted before letting it, but it'll be 5 years before it gets another full coat.

€1100 one bed in CC. OP your LL sounds like a wagon, if you can walk, do so but there are plenty like her I'm afraid.

handlemaster

Lux23 wrote: »

Well part of running a business is looking after your assets so they appreciate in value rather than depreciate, if you allow an apartment to fall into disrepair in boom times, you will never rent it in the bad times.

A mattress is not an asset