New tenant wants a 'proper bed'..

[mind the gap]

LOL MTG, so you're of the opinion I should get her to organise the sofa-bed be chucked out and I order her a new bed + new mattress, which she is then responsible for fitting together. Right?

Really was hoping to try the mattress topper option, to see if that will make her happy first..

Actually, I've changed my mind about the topper. She'll probably object to that too and you will be back to square one.

So, yes, explain that this is something you're doing out of the kindness of your heart and not because you are obliged since you are not (explain why). Tell her that you are doing it on the premise that she organises the dismantling and removal* of the sofa bed (unless there is room for it in the shared lounge?). Perhaps the other Ts will help. She must also be willing to be at home to take delivery of the new one. If it's from IKEA they will bring it up to her room and even put it together, I think, if you pay them extra. Or you can insist she puts it together herself (although that isn't ideal, as if she doesn't do it properly, it could break and she'll moan again. And you'll be stuck with a broken bed to repair when she moves out - or even sooner. If bed provider won't assemble it, get a handyman to - ask her to pay? An hour's labour - £20?).

(*Tell her the local council will collect it from outside the property, for a fee - about £30. Or she can give it to charity. Or to anyone who wants it - Freecycle).

[Lawcruncher]

Sew kittens to them?

Kittens have needle-like claws.

[westminster]

She is a new tenant, so I do want to address her complaint and maintain good relations, but at the same time I want to make it clear what's on the table.

Your thoughts/advice?

What's on the table is the fact that you've let a room without a proper bed, which looked like a bed but isn't a bed, it's a bit of foam split in half not meant for every day use as a bed. The tenant has a valid complaint. Buy a bed.

[ram]

All together now, by a majority vote.

BUY A BED

[Chel]

I agree with most of the forum - buy her a bed!

If she wasn't specifically told that she would be sleeping on a sofa bed when viewing the property, I can see why she says its unacceptable. I viewed a place recently, looked great but on the way out I noticed that I couldn't see an oven. I brought this up to the agent, who confirmed that the place didn't have an oven at all - which was a deal breaker for me. If I hadn't noticed, I'd have moved into the place, I'd feel a bit cheated, and I'm sure I'd be contacting the agents saying I'd expected an oven too! By saying she can't accept this, she probably means that if she'd been aware of it, she wouldn't have taken the room.

There are things that a tenant will safely assume will be provided in a furnished property. If the bed looked like a bed when she viewed it, and she had no way of knowing otherwise (i.e. it wasn't pointed out during the viewing), then of course she would assume it was a normal bed meant for permanent use. Bit unfair on her to move in and get a sub-standard bed (I know its a very nice one, but no sofa bed is a substitute for a permanent one, otherwise they'd be a lot more common).

I know you're not legally obligated, but if she didn't have it pointed out to her before she took the room, I think it'd be mighty decent of you to get her a bed. (:

[mind the gap]

All together now, by a majority vote.

BUY A BED

Ram, I have come to the conclusion that you are going soft in your old age.

Your posts are normally much crustier and more cynical than this!

[mind the gap]

sparkie, make sure you come back and tell us the outcome of this megathread!

I feel I know this Swiss girl personally by now.

[ram]

Ram, I have come to the conclusion that you are going soft
in your old age.

Your posts are normally much crustier and more cynical than this!

I do apologise for the lack of entertainment value I bring
to the forum, but I sometimes don't have time to be crustier
and more cynical.

But as with some posts, some only have one right answer, and
this is one of them, but others were on my side after my No. 3
post, so no need to be "My normal self", in this instance.

You will notice my "about me" states :-

Biography:Often puts different slant on the problem. ( it works )

R.a.M.

[mind the gap]

I do apologise for the lack of entertainment value I bring
to the forum, but I sometimes don't have time to be crustier
and more cynical.

Don't apologise. I prefer non-crusty!

[midlandslandlord]

So what happens when the bed is in, and there's no room for a sofa?

Shooting stick?

<:

ML

[ram]

So what happens when the bed is in, and there's no room for a sofa?

Shooting stick?

Hey, that's my job to be sarcastic !

But how about http://www.sleeplandbeds.co.uk/futon-bunk-bed

Couch on bottom, bed on top if space is limited.

Although Swiss girl may want a double bed, maybe timber panelling
to remind her of the picture postcard swiss chalet, and a sauna in
the corner, with strapping blond male "for occational use" to keep
the hot rocks coming.

R.a.M.

[midlandslandlord]

Hey, that's my job to be sarcastic !

But how about http://www.sleeplandbeds.co.uk/futon-bunk-bed

Couch on bottom, bed on top if space is limited.

Although Swiss girl may want a double bed, maybe timber panelling
to remind her of the picture postcard swiss chalet, and a sauna in
the corner, with strapping blond male "for occational use" to keep
the hot rocks coming.

R.a.M.

Saunas are Sweden, dear Ram. So are blonds.

Switzerland is cuckoo clocks, chocolate bars, billions in secret bank accounts, and tax exile pop stars/footballers on Zimmer Frames desperately trying to pass themselves off as proletariat rather than ubercapitalists in search of being fashionable (hello, Bob).

JRR Toolkit seemed to have a thing about Sweden, given that the Elves in his film were all like the Abba blonde and the men were all like hairy Vikings. All Aragorn needed was a Viking hat and a bar of soap to be tortured with.

In my experience footballers are the most money-grubbing of the lot.

ML

[Darth Wookie]

Midlandslandlord - I've had a sauna in Switzerland and had a chocolate bar in Sweden, so not everything is as simple as it seems.

However, back on track, I'd also go with the general theme here of encouraging the OP to buy a bed. At least with a Swiss tenant, you know the rent will be paid like clockwork and she'll know a good tax loophole for the income.

[sparkie]

Apologies for my long absence. I was in a coma for all these months laid up in hospital after being brutally attacked by R.a.M. But I came out of it finally, but still emotionally scarred for life.

UPDATE:

So yes, I bought her a brand spanking new double bed, with sparkling new mattress topped off with a new mattress protector to boot. The sofabed was dealt with by the tenant. She probably sold it for a few hundred pounds for all I know. But as agreed, she did put the bed frame together etc and is now a happy camper.

Special thanks to MTG for all the good suggestions

[mind the gap]

You are more than welcome!

Glad it all worked out well. I bet she's pleased with her new bed.