subject: What you need to know about fair wear and tear and value damage [print this page] The legal process now gives a more concrete definition. A tenant cannot be accountable at the end of the stay for alterations in a property's state brought about by what landlords call as reasonable use of the premises by the tenant and the ordinary operation of natural forces'. The most essential concepts for good Fair Wear and Tear' decision making are experience and also common sense learned as an inventory clerk.
The determination of what can be taken in as fair wear and tear is one of the very demanding fields for a letting agent, landlord, or inventory management company, in contrast to damage and subsequent costs. Good guidelines, relevant experience, and common sense are major factors in forming an unprejudiced and objective decision, even though this area is complex and often subjective. Below are some key things to be worth knowing when making a decision that I have listed, based on years of experience and on the No Letting Go ethos.
Based on APIP and ARLA guidelines as well as those laid down by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, No Letting Go has formulated its fair wear and tear and depreciation values. By pointing out a number of key criteria including the the original signed inventory , tenancy agreement clauses, property visit reports, check in document, and any other available information made available by the client such as replacements/repairs subjected during the term of the tenancy, the decision made by the letting agent, landlord or inventory company is duly taken into consideration.
Determinants to be considered when assessing what constitutes fair wear and tear are the type of tenant (family, single occupancy etc.), length of tenancy, whether smoking or pets have been allowed with the landlords' permission, the severity of the damage as well as the original age and quality of the item. An allowance must be made for depreciation, the landlord is not allowed betterment' in other words they cannot replace old items with new at the full cost to the tenant,.
Thus stated that such items are of a medium quality at the start of the tenancy, the landlord's contents, dcor, fixtures and fittings all have a typical life expectancy as presented in proceeding table. These figures should only be made as bases when finding replacement values or compensation by the tenant to the landlord at the end of the tenancy because they only provide a broad view of the item life-span.
Dcor:
Hallway/landing/stairs --------- 2-3 years
Dining Room ------------------- Approx. 6 years
Kitchen/bathroom ------------- 2-3 years
Living room ------------------- Approx. 4 years
Bedroom ---------------------- Approx. 5 years
Wear and tear of carpets:
Budget Carpet ---------------- 2 3 years
Medium quality carpet ------- 4 - 8 years
High quality carpet ----------- Up to 15 years
Appliances
Washing Machines ----------- 3 5 years
Cookers/Ovens/Hobs ------- 4 6 years
Fridges ----------------------- 5 8 years
The agent needs to divide the replacement cost of the item by the life expectancy in months to calculate the depreciation costs and to get the rate of depreciation per month. To obtain the total depreciation, multiply this monthly depreciation rate by the number of months the item has been in service. To give you the depreciated value, subtract this depreciation from the replacement cost.
An approximate value will be required on the potential value and age of the product by referring to the original inventory, in case there is no proof of purchase. To take account for warranties and guarantees (eg. 10 year guarantees) as well as the usage, the type and quality of the product is also taken into consideration. A medium quality carpet with a professional couple residing at a property would last for typically 5 years, whereas a family occupancy would bring the lifespan to typically 3 years. Furthermore, a family of four most probably use a washing machine more often than a professional couple and therefore this needs to be considered and reflected in the decision-making process. To scrutinize the quality of carpets, wooden floors , laminated flooring, etc., it is equally advisable to seek a professional contractor's help.
One thing worth noting is that any work that would happen during the tenancy has to be taken into consideration. For instance, the tenant is required to ensure that the property is vacated in a professionally clean condition if a property was labeled as dirty at the check in and either the agent or landlord applied for professional cleaning to be done after the check in. Although the tenant must be given the opportunity to clean the property to a professional standard at the end of the tenancy should they wish to do so, the landlord or agent needs to have the receipt for the professional cleaning process.
UK's premium national inventory management company is No Letting Go. Please contact No Letting Go on 0845 659 9980 or visit our website at www.nolettinggo.co.uk for other data or questions on our professional inventory management service all throughout UK.
There is a duty to get the most practical , reasonable,and appropriate way to analyse remedy where damage has been caused for which the owner can justly be allowed to claim re-compensation. Know where you stand now and find professional inventory management schemes.
What you need to know about fair wear and tear and value damage
