Deposit Issue - Damage to walls and garden

donegal100 · 25-08-2011 05:16PM #1

Hello all,
I am moving out of a house which I am renting next week and will have to deal with the landlord/deposit issue which I know will be a problem.

I hung some pictures on the wall. Three years on, on taking them down, the nails took off some plaster. I have now filled these small holes in with polyfilla but the colour is different to the wall. I assume the landlord can take something off the deposit for repainting. However, the rooms in question have not been painted for five years and needed repainting anyway. So my question is how much would be fair to take off the deposit? I would think €10 for each hole to repaint the small area?

I left a fairly large bare patch at the back of a large garden. It was a pet area, which the landlord know about. I have reseeded and put top soil on, but the grass will not be grown back by the time I leave. Unfortunatley the lease states that the garden must be left in the state it was found. As the grass has not yet grown the landlord is saying he will retain some of the deposit. My question is how much is fair, given the garden had some patches in it anyway when I moved in?

Thanks for any help you can give.

Donegal man

StillWaters · 25-08-2011 07:13PM

Can you not find a near match for the paint in a tester pot? Or else take a picture and get a paint shop to mix you up a small batch?

As you have made good the damage in the garden, I think it would be mean spirited of the LL to retain some of your deposit.

the_syco · 25-08-2011 07:45PM

donegal100 wrote: »

However, the rooms in question have not been painted for five years and needed repainting anyway. So my question is how much would be fair to take off the deposit? I would think €10 for each hole to repaint the small area?

You damaged the wall, and they look badly repaired. So, the landlord would probably get someone to paint the entire 4 walls. So, maybe 4 hours labour and the cost of the most expensive paint the landlord could buy will be the cost.

Or you get a can of paint that looks the same colour, a roller set, and do the walls yourself. The roller set will cost less than a fiver in Woodies DIY, and the paint will be maybe twenty, depends how much is in the can, and what quality it is (ask the people at Woodies, as they'll usually know the best to cover up DIY filled holes). The roller uses less paint than a paintbrush, and also does a better finish.

loyatemu · 25-08-2011 08:07PM

painting the walls once every 5 years is hardly a great imposition on the LL (some of the LLs on here claim they repaint after every letting). He can write of the cost & any decent painter will fill in the holes first, he definitely shouldn't take it out of the deposit.

donegal100 · 26-08-2011 09:14AM

We have filled in the (very) small holes or damage with pollyfilla so they are smooth.
Would it be worth saying that as the two rooms needed to be pained, (we did request this last year, but he said no), that we will make a contribution, say €30 per room?

petethebrick · 26-08-2011 10:37AM

I don't get it. Isn't it the landlord's responsibility to maintain the general upkeep of the property??? It's his job to paint the house, why should you be contributing anything.
You agreed to keep the garden in shape and you have - you repaired the damage and just because it hasn't seeded yet doesn't make any difference. If these are the only two issues with the house I would be pissed at losing any of the deposit

convert · 26-08-2011 10:46AM

Holes in the wall, no matter how small, would be considered beyond normal wear and tear, so a landlord would be entitled to retain a portion of the deposit to repair them (he would need to furnish receipts for the work to the tenant). However, if he had to paint them anyway, it would seem a little mean to keep a portion of the deposit as you tried to repair the damage. But technically he would be entitled to.

Would you consider talking to your landlord, asking him would he like you to repaint the room(s) in question instead of witholding part of the deposit?

Re. the garden: have you still got a receipt for the grass seed you purchased? That way you could show him that you've attempted to repair the garden, but that the seed hasn't struck yet. It might help?

3DataModem · 26-08-2011 12:41PM

Re: walls
You say "10 per hole" but is that what a painter would charge the LL? Sort it yourself, or be prepared for a bill from the LL's painter.

Re: garden
I agree you have done the right thing in reseeding, but remember the LL has to show the property to prospective tenants and believe me they are put off by an absent lawn. You will need to come to some agreement with the LL here.

Pkiernan · 27-08-2011 02:54AM

1. Paint the walls you damaged, or pay for them to be painted.

2. Tell the LL to get "f"'d regarding the grass. He hasn't a chance with the PTRB with regards to this.

djmcr · 27-08-2011 05:30PM

convert wrote: »

Holes in the wall, no matter how small,

Holes in the wall have been made good and give a ouple of weeks and grass will be back so the landlord is really being unfair

Ray Palmer · 29-08-2011 11:21AM

djmcr wrote: »

Holes in the wall have been made good and give a ouple of weeks and grass will be back so the landlord is really being unfair

The LL hasn't even said anything yet according to the OP.

If the wall was recently plastered and there are any holes in it the LL might be very annoyed. Make sure the wall is smooth and not just filled.

It is unlikely he will be bothered by needing to paint. I always assume new paint is required after a year. Let alone after 2

Fol20 · 29-08-2011 03:40PM

You can't go filling in walls or painting a house without the landlords permission. If I was the LL and I saw they were patched without u telling me. I'd use your deposit to get on professionally fixed.

Deposit Issue - Damage to walls and garden

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