New information has surfaced showing that landlords are increasingly being left with grimy properties at the end of their tenancies. The report conducted by propertyletbyus.com a leading online agent, has unveiled that nearly one third of landlords face filthy ovens upon departure, followed by stained carpets and floor coverings (22%). In addition to this, the study which included over 500 landlords has also highlighted how over 60% of landlords are left with heaps of garbage from the tenants in the sheds, garages even the lofts.
Pet damage is also a big concern with one out of every six landlords having this experience, whether in terms of damaged woodwork or snags and scratches to the furnishings. Additionally 40% of landlords have been recorded to find their property redecorated without permission, with a further 7% having faced damaged from children such as crayon on walls.
The Managing Director at Property Let By US, Jane Morris states that, “…around 400,000 landlords in the UK have had their property damaged by tenants in the last 12 months”. This means that more and more landlords are being slapped with huge cleaning bills at checkout, which more often than not are being contested by the tenant.
Morris goes on to reiterate the importance for landlords to conduct thorough reference checks before taking on a new client. Moreover, it is vital that there is an inventory and that there are consistent regular check-ups on the property, not only inspect the property but to engage with the tenant and discuss any issues that have occurred in order to resolve them as quickly and as soon as possible. This is perhaps most wise as with a better relationship they will most likely be better respect and less mess at the end of the tenancy.
