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I have had rental property for 25 years. I follow the state statutes closely. I use a national guideline chart for estimated repair/cleaning fees to try and be fair. I have changed and revised many clauses and terms over these years. I have (and still do) have wonderful tenants and certainly had some nightmares. I have researched and researched but not really finding my problem in print.
I know the differences in "normal wear & tear" -vs- "damages". I completely re-modeled a unit with full paint, new carpet, new vinyl, light fixtures, etc. before a new tenant moved in. This tenant moved out just nine months later because they purchased a home. (they were month to month) They not only repainted one room green with wallpaper border (which I never allow), all of the walls need re-painting due to gouges and just plain filth. There were only two young adults - no children. I DO NOT feel this is "normal wear & tear". I feel re-painting is a normal wear & tear item when the same tenant stays at least more than a year, preferably two. Maybe someone out there can tell me their thoughts in this matter. I would love to hear tenant and landlord opinions alike. It would be greatly appreciated.
When we move from our house (rented about a year) there will be a few dings (nothing major) in the walls that the movers made coming in with our stuff, my son made getting his hockey equipment out the door, etc. We're planning on patching and repainting those when we leave but it will be up to the landlord if he decides to repaint the rest of the house.
And there's a piece of sheetrock/plaster that got wet when the roof leaked and I told him about it but he never fixed it (up in the attic) and it's gotten worse over time. So that's his problem too, IMO.
I have had rental property for 25 years. I follow the state statutes closely. I use a national guideline chart for estimated repair/cleaning fees to try and be fair. I have changed and revised many clauses and terms over these years. I have (and still do) have wonderful tenants and certainly had some nightmares. I have researched and researched but not really finding my problem in print.
I know the differences in "normal wear & tear" -vs- "damages". I completely re-modeled a unit with full paint, new carpet, new vinyl, light fixtures, etc. before a new tenant moved in. This tenant moved out just nine months later because they purchased a home. (they were month to month) They not only repainted one room green with wallpaper border (which I never allow), all of the walls need re-painting due to gouges and just plain filth. There were only two young adults - no children. I DO NOT feel this is "normal wear & tear". I feel re-painting is a normal wear & tear item when the same tenant stays at least more than a year, preferably two. Maybe someone out there can tell me their thoughts in this matter. I would love to hear tenant and landlord opinions alike. It would be greatly appreciated.
I agree that the painted and wallpapered wall is clearly beyond normal wear and tear. That green will probably take several coats of white paint to cover, and the border will be time consuming to get down- they absolutely ought be charged for this.
The dirty walls are a grayer area. If you always paint when a tenant moves out anyway, is there really an extra cost? That's up to you I guess.
I have had rental property for 25 years. I follow the state statutes closely. I use a national guideline chart for estimated repair/cleaning fees to try and be fair. I have changed and revised many clauses and terms over these years. I have (and still do) have wonderful tenants and certainly had some nightmares. I have researched and researched but not really finding my problem in print.
I know the differences in "normal wear & tear" -vs- "damages". I completely re-modeled a unit with full paint, new carpet, new vinyl, light fixtures, etc. before a new tenant moved in. This tenant moved out just nine months later because they purchased a home. (they were month to month) They not only repainted one room green with wallpaper border (which I never allow), all of the walls need re-painting due to gouges and just plain filth. There were only two young adults - no children. I DO NOT feel this is "normal wear & tear". I feel re-painting is a normal wear & tear item when the same tenant stays at least more than a year, preferably two. Maybe someone out there can tell me their thoughts in this matter. I would love to hear tenant and landlord opinions alike. It would be greatly appreciated.
I know exactly what you mean. Normal wear and tear is extremely vague. However, I believe you could certainly charge them for repainting the green room and removing the wallpaper and you could could charge them for cleaning and major gouges. I believe that total repainting does generally come under the heading of normal wear and tear whenever a tenant moves out and I doubt you'd get away with charging for that. Of course, it's ridiculous that you have to redo the place after only 9 mos.
Unfortunately, a landlord's life is often not a happy one.
Hope you have photos of before and after.
Agree with the green and wall border (which may be difficult to remove). The other would be somewhat ok if you still can touch it up with the original color. If not, I would charge.
I have a similar situation in that she was there for a year but she repainted some walls a not-to-bad color (I didn't approve it, but I said as long as it was neutral -- well this is a bit darker than that) however, she went round to each room and put white putty over the picture nail holes which does means I have to paint the whole place -- and she did not leave any of the original paint -- which would be easy to cover if I had it.. what do you think of that one?
Agree with the green and wall border (which may be difficult to remove). The other would be somewhat ok if you still can touch it up with the original color. If not, I would charge.
I have a similar situation in that she was there for a year but she repainted some walls a not-to-bad color (I didn't approve it, but I said as long as it was neutral -- well this is a bit darker than that) however, she went round to each room and put white putty over the picture nail holes which does means I have to paint the whole place -- and she did not leave any of the original paint -- which would be easy to cover if I had it.. what do you think of that one?
It's always in my rental agreements that painting is not allowed. I've been through so many re-models of properties I purchase that are covered in wallpaper. The stuff should be outlawed!!!! I have removed so much of it that I despise wallpaper, even borders. That part isn't even my biggest issue because I did charge them for it but I just don't agree that repainting in nine months is considered normal wear & tear. I luckily reached the mother of one and she is coming to remove, repaint and clean. Unbelievable.. She probably feels guilty because she stood right there with her son during the preview and vouched for him. ha. I think she's embarrassed. Thanks for the comments.
I agree that the painted and wallpapered wall is clearly beyond normal wear and tear. That green will probably take several coats of white paint to cover, and the border will be time consuming to get down- they absolutely ought be charged for this.
The dirty walls are a grayer area. If you always paint when a tenant moves out anyway, is there really an extra cost? That's up to you I guess.
I don't paint everytime - only if it's been a long time tenant. This is actually a place I purchased out of foreclosure and re-modeled it. They were my first in this unit. But since they moved out, a tree has fallen on one end and I just had to replace the roof. What a wonderful life, lol.
First mistake you made in not having it written into the rental agreement that you will be conducting a property walk through every 90 days. That would include all landscape watering and maintenance, and a detailed inspection of the interior. That way you find out what kind of people you're dealing with before they move out and leave a disaster. Don't allow them nine months to destroy the place before you check on them.
Having a "no painting" clause is a good idea, but if you don't inspect, you don't know. There is no way a home should need repainting in nine months. Two years would be the least before it needs painting, especially with two adults and no children. How do two adults get the walls dirty? My wife and I have lived in our home for five years, and the walls look like the day we moved in..! That's another reason to do periodic inspections.
You must also do a pre-move-in walk through, so both parties agree on the condition going in. Do it with a check list, signed by both parties after the walk through. When the renters leave, you both do a move out walk through with a check list. Anything on the two lists that don't match, they have the option to repair, or they pay for.
You are running a business, and you need a complete paper trail for the protection of both parties. With those two check list, you will kick butt if it ends up in court.
Charge them for anything required to restore it to the condition it was in when they moved in. I just had a renter vacate after only nine months, and it is in move in condition, and they had five boys...! When you hold two months rent as security deposit, it's amazing how clean people can be...!
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