Majority of landlords cover property damage caused by tenants

Majority of landlords cover property damage caused by tenants

0:02 AM, 21st October 2024, About a month ago 4

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Landlords end up covering property damage 90% of the time, even when it’s the tenant’s fault, according to a new survey.

Research by Property Inventory Base reveals a lack of inventory process means only 10% of tenants are being charged for property damage.

If an end-of-tenancy inspection uncovers damage that wasn’t there during the initial inspection, the landlord can successfully claim repair costs from the tenant, typically deducted from the security deposit.

Landlords have no choice but to foot the bill

The firm claims landlords and letting agents need to show greater diligence when it comes to primary and secondary inspections.

Siân Hemming-Metcalfe operations director at Inventory Base, said: “Without a proper inventory process in place – one which ensures a high standard of inspections at the start and end of a tenancy – landlords have no idea whether a tenant is lying to them about the cause of damage to their property.

“Even if they do suspect the tenant is lying, they don’t have a leg to stand on because they failed to conduct a proper inventory inspection. The end result: the landlord has no choice but to foot the bill.”

Huge financial risk

The survey reveals that 56% of tenancies don’t have secondary inventory inspections.

Only 19% of tenants say they’ve had a situation where a final inspection found an issue that wasn’t in the original inventory.

Ms Hemming-Metcalfe says failing to do an inventory can leave at risk.

She said: “A good inventory practice is central to the successful management of a buy-to-let investment. It’s a landlord’s strongest defence against damage and poor tenant behaviour because it’s a record of proof that the tenant directly agrees to the report by adding their signature.

“To fail in doing inventories properly is to accept a huge financial risk, and given the ease and efficiency with which app-based inventories can now be completed, this risk is completely unnecessary.”


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david porter

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11:05 AM, 21st October 2024, About a month ago

We do have effective inventories but the realistic position is that very few tenants accept responsibility for the damage they caused.
It was never the case that children climbing on a garden wall caused it to have bricks missing, or windows broken by a football in the garden, It must have been “storm damage”
The bath overflowed and flooded the kitchen below?
Oh no it was a leaky tap- we didn't let the bath run and forget?

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11:33 AM, 21st October 2024, About a month ago

Obfuscated Data

Beaver

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16:19 PM, 21st October 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by Pete David at 21/10/2024 - 11:33
I have had similar experiences. "Storm damage" for damage done by tenants attaching washing lines to bits of the property and then their children swinging on the lines. "The light just fell off" (=my child was swing on it). "The door just fell off" (=my child was swinging on it).

Even when it's something pretty obvious with the tenant in the property. I have the drains inspected with a camera before the tenants move in. A year or so into the tenancy the drain is blocked and sewage is flowing out into the neighbours' garden. I pay for the same drainage engineer to come out and inspect and ask him to tell me if the problem is the drain, or misuse. The drainage engineer finds a "wad of material" in the drain, but won't say it's misuse. I pay. A year later the same thing happens...same problem with sewage, same engineer, "...no there's no problem with the drains, they are quite good, there was a wad of material up there." But the engineer won't say the damage is due to misuse.

So I do nothing at all to the drains because I don't need to as there's nothing wrong with them. Then when the tenants' teenage daughters move out the problem stops happening. But I ended up paying.

And yes, I have of course encountered the same problems with tenants trying to hide things from an inventory inspection.

Vibha Spal

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8:24 AM, 26th October 2024, About a month ago

I have noticed that, the engineer or any workmen never find faults with the tenants on any issues if misuse or abuse. The inventory clerk, I use always wants tenants out of the house. The tenants get an opportunity to say what they want before or after the inspection. The house has to empty, when the check in or check out is carried out. She misses some issues, like mattresses pictures. The previous one did everything, walls, doors, locks. This one also missed the key missing from the conservatory door leading outside, because the door was open.
She also puts lot of issues, like broken furniture, extractor fans not working on maintenance, when tenants have not notified and it has caused mould in the bathrooms.

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