By Steve Roulstone
One issue that continues to raise its head from time to time is the condition of property when the Tenant moves in. Not when it has been left in any poor state by the outgoing Tenant, because any agent knows how to deal with that problem. After all it is in the agents power to do what is needed to deal with the state and condition of a property when it is the outgoing Tenant that has caused the problem and of course the Agent will also be aware when the work is going to be carried out and when the next Tenant is due to move in. No the problem I am referring to is when the property is new to the market, or new to the Agent and it is the Landlord who is not carrying out the work they have promised and the work is therefore NOT in the control of the Agent.
First impression.
It is not common for Agents to criticise Landlords, but when this happens it is the Agent that bears the brunt of the complaints from the new Tenant and let’s be honest, why shouldn’t they complain, if the first thing they have to do is clean the property from top to bottom because work they have been promised has not been carried out! I know how I would feel under such circumstances and even if it is just one room, because of say decoration, it matters not, because most Ladies will then feel the whole house has been left in a poor state. Now most of the time, one persons ‘clean’ is a matter of conjecture rather than a definitive condition, but the problems caused by allowing this situation to arise for the rest of the Tenancy can be very damaging.
No choice!
Of course the big problem for any incoming Tenant is the lack of options most would have when faced with a dirty house. In the majority of cases everything depends on the move and having either left another rented or property that has been sold, no other options exist and this is when bad feelings really set in because nobody likes to be left with a ‘fait accompli’ that they have no say in or no other choice. Left to fester, the Landlord immediately has a problem on his hands and I would venture to suggest that if the property is being self managed (Tenant find for the Agent) then it is highly possible that the whole Tenancy will fair badly from that moment onwards.
Check it out!
There is no doubt when the Tenants do leave it is going to be very difficult for the Agent or Landlord to prove any damage or cleanliness issues caused by the Tenant and even if let’s say the garden is not looked after with an uncut lawn, heels will be dug in if it mentioned because of the state of the house when they moved in. The other area commonly causing problems is the furniture not wanted by the Tenant being left at the property. Put simply, just because the Landlord does not want it, why should the Tenant have to put up with it?
Start well – end well.
Compare that situation to a house presented in excellent order, clean and ready to be occupied. Then the Tenant starts the Tenancy well and knows that they are not the only ones who want or need to look after the property. Over the years we have had many situations like this, where the solution is not in our hands (We cannot employ cleaners or move furniture without permission) and the disappointment is that it continues to happen. Best advice is not always listened to, but the follow up from the Tenants is always heard, because we are the Agent of the Landlord and are duty bound to look after his interests it is our job to do so: But it does not mean we enjoy it!
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