Can landlords charge for their time on repairs or cleaning?

Can landlords charge for their time on repairs or cleaning?

14:11 PM, 25th April 2018, About 6 years ago 6

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I always have a dilemma whether to do cleaning or repairs (when it definitely falls onto the tenants responsibility) at the end of a tenancy (or even during tenancy) myself or to use a contractor.

Can landlords charge tenants for their time and labour repairing or cleaning as if using a contractor?

Because if the landlords can’t do that, then I don’t see why landlords should carry out repairs or cleaning themselves, as it would only help the tenant to save their deposit while the landlord is offering time and labour for free.

Many Thanks

Mike


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Comments

Neil Patterson

14:24 PM, 25th April 2018, About 6 years ago

Hi Mike,

If the tenants does not agree the deduction from deposit you then have to justify the expenses in deposit dispute resolution.

You do not have to show you have already paid for the cleaning or repairs but you do have to present a justifiable case and there are examples of how to do this here from the TDS >> https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/resources/files/How%20to%20present%20your%20case%20to%20the%20TDS%20adjudicator.pdf

Fed Up Landlord

9:11 AM, 26th April 2018, About 6 years ago

Mike this is always a dilemma. I have to say in my experience with the DPS in disputed cases unless you have an invoice for the cleaning or repairs then they tend not to award it. So the landlord ends up spending his time and money without getting it back
( except for the actual materials with receipts) And sometimes if you go ahead and get it cleaned or repaired by a contractor and the tenant disputes it then you may not get it awarded. It's a bit of a lottery. When it's a dispute or a Single Claim where the tenant fails to respond, I find that a good digital inventory with a good check out inventory with a Schedule of Dilapidations linked to it quoting the breached clause from the tenancy agreement with an invoice from a contractor normally does the trick. Or if the tenant is present at book out identify the issues, take the date and time stamped photos, and then summarise the estimated cost on a book out form and get the tenant to sign it. Then deduct it from the deposit on the DPS or TDS system and see if they agree. You tend to find if they have agreed a deduction at the time they will be okay with that. But if I get the impression it's going to be a problematic one - and it's a lot of dilapidations- then I go the whole hog with the checkout inventory and claim for everything. If it's a wipe around if the skirting boards etc sometimes I don't bother as it takes longer to do the paperwork then it does to clean the property!

Question Everything

22:41 PM, 26th April 2018, About 6 years ago

I've been able to claim an hourly rate (£15/hr I think) on a deposit dispute resolution with the DPS for cleaning, and maintenance. In fact I also claimed for an hourly administration cost. I think it is just a matter of what is reasonable, and that tenant did not leave the property in a good state.

Simon Lever - Chartered Accountant helping clients get the best returns from their properties

11:47 AM, 28th April 2018, About 6 years ago

If you have your own managment company (owned and run by your partner/kids/sibling) to manage your own properties then they could invoice you for the cleaning work.

Mandy Thomson

12:35 PM, 1st May 2018, About 6 years ago

You can't charge yourself for your own labour, but you COULD theoretically charge a company that you own.

However, the company would subject to taxes, NI etc so this would only be worthwhile if you were carrying out a great deal of labour on your properties.

Question Everything

13:29 PM, 1st May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mandy Thomson at 01/05/2018 - 12:35
That's a different issue, this thread is about charging tenants for putting a property back to a reasonable state.

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