Who should pay?

Who should pay?

11:45 AM, 24th October 2014, About 10 years ago 2

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A client has a property at the top (3rd floor) of a building that houses a dental practice. Who should pay

A lot of people use the main staircase over the other floors.

The dentists are saying that the tenants caused a lot of damage carrying a sofa up and down the stairs and that they are responsible for the redecoration. The tenants say no as there is a lot of traffic using the stairs and not all down to them so are refusing to pay anything – wear and tear.

Does the landlord have to pay the practice costs for redecoration because it is his tenants, if they won’t pay?

I feel they should share the cost between tenant and practice but the practice are refusing to pay too.

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

Maureen


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Comments

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

11:46 AM, 24th October 2014, About 10 years ago

Hi Maureen

Sounds like fair wear and tear to me, on that basis property owner should pay.
.

Ian Cognito

13:10 PM, 24th October 2014, About 10 years ago

Hi Maureen

It will be the Landlord of the building's responsibility (i.e the Freeholder) to maintain the communal stairs which are a common area. Costs of redecoration due to fair wear & tear will likely be recovered from tenants (i.e. leaseholders) via the service charge.

The lease will give details of how the charge is apportioned. It will probably be an equal split, though could vary dependent on probable use of communal areas (this is often the case when there is a communal lift).

That said, someone causing extensive damage by carrying a sofa upstairs would normally be liable (I presume, directly to the Landlord of the building) for the cost of repair less an amount for fair wear & tear.

That's the theory. Recovering the money may not be so easy!

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