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Acceptable Wear & Tear

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  • 16-03-2019 1:27pm
    #1
    whiteshorts
    Site Banned Posts: 880 ✭✭✭


    Just wondering after 5 years, what would constitute acceptable "Wear and Tear" or who would be responsible for replacing/fixing the following?

    (A) There are some tears in wallpaper around the house.
    (B) Crayon marks on walls and will need repainting.
    (C) Garden is bit of a mess, weeds growing and grass not in great shape.
    (D) Blinds and curtains grubby (not sure if they were new when moved in).
    (E) Wardrobe door broken.

    Tenants (Couple and 2 kids) moving out of a rented house, just before
    hand over of keys.
    Thanks.


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  • Options
    #2
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,519 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    A - I’d consider scuffs etc on paint & wallpaper to be normal wear & tear, assuming not excessive.

    B - Caused by the tenant, to be fixed by the tenant

    C - Depends on the contract, and who was responsible for the garden.

    D - I’d expect the tenant to keep the interior of the house in good shape, so tenant

    E - caused by the tenant, to be fixed by the tenant


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    #3
    jomalone14
    Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭jomalone14


    dudara wrote: »
    A - I’d consider scuffs etc on paint & wallpaper to be normal wear & tear, assuming not excessive.

    The wallpaper is torn in areas round the house, that's not normal wear and tear. Tenant should sort this out.


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    #4
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,519 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    jomalone14 wrote: »
    The wallpaper is torn in areas round the house, that's not normal wear and tear. Tenant should sort this out.

    We don’t know how bad it is. Without knowing how bad it is, I’m giving the benefit of the doubt and saying normal wear and tear.


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    #5
    zreba
    Registered Users Posts: 170 ✭✭zreba


    Anything which is passed it's expected lifespan should not be tenant's responsibility to replace. In this case, blinds and curtains being 5+ years are likely in this category.

    Crayon marks on walls is tenant's responsibility, this is not a normal wear and tear.


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    #6
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    I’d expect that if I let a house to a couple with two young kids that when they moved out 5 years later I would need to do some painting and decorating and a thorough professional deep clean before I let it again. Landlords responsibilty.


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    #7
    whippet
    Registered Users Posts: 7,672 ✭✭✭whippet


    zreba wrote: »
    Anything which is passed it's expected lifespan should not be tenant's responsibility to replace. In this case, blinds and curtains being 5+ years are likely in this category.

    Crayon marks on walls is tenant's responsibility, this is not a normal wear and tear.

    Who changes curtains and blinds every five years?


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    #8
    Samuel T. Cogley
    Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    whippet wrote: »
    Who changes curtains and blinds every five years?

    After 8 years the cost has been allowed against tax. One assumes the curtains etc. were already up so they likely have very little residual value.

    I'm not personally a fan of that concept but it's difficult to argue with the logic of it for the purposes of apportioning liability.


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    #9
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    These things are easily sorted though, a few hours would do it.

    Weed the garden, wash the curtains, and most wall paint is washable too to get crayon off.

    Give it a go anyway, or risk losing deposit... your choice, Effectively paying the landlord to do it.


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    #10
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    If the walls haven’t been painted in 5 years, they probably need to be painted anyhow, regardless of the crayon marks.
    A magic eraser from dealz for €1.50 will get crayon marks off tho. Easily


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    #11
    GGTrek
    Registered Users Posts: 834 ✭✭✭GGTrek


    jlm29 wrote: »
    If the walls haven’t been painted in 5 years, they probably need to be painted anyhow, regardless of the crayon marks.
    A magic eraser from dealz for €1.50 will get crayon marks off tho. Easily
    Sure, easy peasy professional work:D Never suprises me some posts in this forum.


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    #12
    zreba
    Registered Users Posts: 170 ✭✭zreba


    whippet wrote: »
    Who changes curtains and blinds every five years?

    They can last 20 years, but are expected to last 5. Beds 7-8 years, same mattresses, apartment grade carpets 5 years, but heavy duty commercial grade carpets even up to 20 years so it really depends, and if landlord says these blinds are 6 years old and demands a refund for damages he should be able to prove that the blinds were some heavy duty grade and expected to last more. I doubt he can.

    Sofas / armchairs are expected to last 7-8 years in rental, cookware 3-5 years so if there were any pots or cutlery and got worn then after 5 years tenant is likely not responsible any more for these damages.

    Tenants can't be expected to replace old, worn out stuff for a new one. This is landlord's cost.

    Crayon marks on walls are however purely tenant's responsibility. I'd say, if the walls haven't been repainted in the last 7+years, they're expected to be slightly dirty, so just remove the crayon and you should be ok. If the house have been recently repainted then this could be a different story if there are marks on walls after crayon removal.


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    #13
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    GGTrek wrote: »
    Sure, easy peasy professional work:D Never suprises me some posts in this forum.

    Cleaning walls isn’t a job for a professional. But it’s definiteky a job for a conscientious tenant who would like to see their deposit again


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    #14
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,123 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    zreba wrote: »
    They can last 20 years, but are expected to last 5. Beds 7-8 years, same mattresses, apartment grade carpets 5 years, but heavy duty commercial grade carpets even up to 20 years so it really depends, and if landlord says these blinds are 6 years old and demands a refund for damages he should be able to prove that the blinds were some heavy duty grade and expected to last more. I doubt he can.

    Sofas / armchairs are expected to last 7-8 years in rental, cookware 3-5 years so if there were any pots or cutlery and got worn then after 5 years tenant is likely not responsible any more for these damages.

    Tenants can't be expected to replace old, worn out stuff for a new one. This is landlord's cost.

    Crayon marks on walls are however purely tenant's responsibility. I'd say, if the walls haven't been repainted in the last 7+years, they're expected to be slightly dirty, so just remove the crayon and you should be ok. If the house have been recently repainted then this could be a different story if there are marks on walls after crayon removal.

    I would have thought it would be difficult to quantify perishability in this way, it’s like saying a car should last 10 years, if someone bangs into it after that then it’s tough look on the owner, it lasted longer than it was supposed to.

    Blinds/sofas etc should not be viewed as having a definitive lifespan, careful use means items tend to last longer, mistreatment invariably shortens it.


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    #15
    whiteshorts
    Site Banned Posts: 880 ✭✭✭whiteshorts


    Cheers for the comments.


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    #16
    FelaniaMump
    Registered Users Posts: 105 ✭✭FelaniaMump


    GGTrek wrote: »
    Sure, easy peasy professional work:D Never suprises me some posts in this forum.

    You need a professional to wipe off a bit of crayon? And you're surprised at other people's posts?


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    #17
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    A LL skills expect to redecorate after a long tenancy.

    For some reason furniture lasts about half or less the normal time in rental. Breakages far more common. Doesn't matter if it's good quality or not.


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