Tenant’s improvements concerns?
I have been letting residential properties for 14 years, but have encountered something for the first time. I have granted an AST to a single retired gentleman, and he has taken possession. He has always been an owner-occupier so he has been able to do as he likes in houses he has owned.
He wants to carry out some improvements – at his own expense – but I am a bit wary.
He has asked if he can replace all the carpets with laminate flooring, and he is keen to have a patio in the garden. We have to keep reminding him that it is a rented property. The existing carpets are not new, but they are in good condition and every few years I replace them room by room between tenancies if it is required.
On the face of it, a tenant willing to carry out improvements looks good, but I have concerns about the quality of workmanship and what happens at the end of the tenancy. The property is a bungalow and this will be my third retired tenant. Generally, their generation are ideal tenants.
He has indicated he wants to stay long term. However, I have not encountered a scenario of a tenant wanting to do improvements before, and I would welcome the views of readers, please.
Hugh
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Small Shop - simple contract?
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 559
5:10 PM, 28th July 2021, About 5 years ago
To a great extent you have to go with your gut feeling. My tenants are in it for the long haul so I don’t make too many restrictions, although I am cautious in the early days and don’t let them get carried away. If they are looking at spendign seriouis money then I come to some agreement as to the cost.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 97
6:54 PM, 28th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Years ago I had some bedsits, all were magnolia and woodchip (I know) . One tenant said that he wanted to stay there long term and could he put his own mark on the room, I said so long as he does not take the paper off then he could . A couple of months later he moved out without warning as they do, so on entering the room he had covered the woodchip with a flowered wallpaper, not all the way as he obviously ran out, then he painted the built in cupboards pillar box red and the skirtings navy blue but only part the way round that was a huge learning curve for me. But you’ve got to laugh havn’t you.
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 49
4:32 PM, 31st July 2021, About 5 years ago
I had a tenant who took up and disposed of a brand new (plain, neutral) carpet in the sitting room and replaced it with laminate flooring (without telling me). Unfortunately she didn’t know how to do the edges so there was a gap of several inches all the way around. Fortunately, when I had a pink fit about it, she paid someone to finish it off.
Member Since February 2018 - Comments: 26
9:13 AM, 3rd August 2021, About 5 years ago
I am grateful to all contributors for your comments and collective advice on this matter. I visited the tenant yesterday and we have agreed a roadmap for how we proceed which everyone is happy with. The responses have helped greatly – thank you!