Damaged carpet ... by cats!

[dafttart]

I know i've just posted about how nice it is when your LL allows you have cats, however our cats have decided (when we're not there I might add as we do discipline them if they do bad things, so they dont do them again), that the steps on the stair carpet are the perfect place to scratch their claws.

They have a scratching tree which they're happily destrying slowly but obviously appear to like the stairs too.

It's got to the stage where about 4 of the steps have got scratched, and on one they've scratched the carpet away and you can see the underneth of it!

We know that whenever we move out they'll see this and probably want to replace the carpet - though I know we would only be charged a fair proportion of a new carpet (as we have been there for nearly 5 years), and wondered if anyone knew of anyway we could try to repair it ourselves or get someone in?

[Poppy]

What does your tenancy agreement state about reporting damage to the property to the landlord?

[PaulF]

1. You don't have to report damage caused by animals if it doesn't harm the structural fabric of the property but you obviously have to remedy it if possible.
2. Why hasn't the landlord (or agent if there is one) inspected the property at regular intervals when this could have been discussed?
3. As the carpet must be at least 5 years old (was it new when you moved in? What is the quality like - Axminster or Wilton or Allied Carpets cheapy?) then its age has to be taken into account
4. The landlord will only be able to pro-rata the damage towards a new carpet but it could extend to a hall or landing if it all matches, and I would suggest it could be zero if the carpet was only average quality even if it was new when you moved in as its "expected life" has expired.

[Miffy]

1. You don't have to report damage caused by animals if it doesn't harm the structural fabric of the property but you obviously have to remedy it if possible.
2. Why hasn't the landlord (or agent if there is one) inspected the property at regular intervals when this could have been discussed?
3. As the carpet must be at least 5 years old (was it new when you moved in? What is the quality like - Axminster or Wilton or Allied Carpets cheapy?) then its age has to be taken into account
4. The landlord will only be able to pro-rata the damage towards a new carpet but it could extend to a hall or landing if it all matches, and I would suggest it could be zero if the carpet was only average quality even if it was new when you moved in as its "expected life" has expired.

And then people wonder why landlords don't want pets in their properties-"My pet has damaged a perfectly serviceable carpet and caused you loads of unnecessary inconvenience but, hey, the carpet was old and was gonna die soon anyway!" Sheesh...

(With the greatest respect to Paulf etc. and not experienced as he obviously is but some of the things I read on this forum really do make my jaw drop...unbelievable what people seem to be able to get away with!)

[dafttart]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies :

We do have 6 monthly inspections, though I think we've always seemed to have a pile of stuff on the stairs where they have scratched when visited so they dont see it - only reason it's now showing more is because we've had a tidy up and removed the stuff on the stairs.

I'm a bit concerned about the 'matching' comment as the carpet is exactly the same in all of the rooms (not the kitchen, but the bathroom, lounge, landing, hallway, bedrooms x2). We know if they want to replace the carpet on the stairs, as they're in the lounge, then they'll want to replace that as well as the landing at the top of the stairs (which we understand) - though I have to say we'd be a bit peeved if they wanted the entire house recarpeted just so that everything matched again.

Not sure if the carpet was new, new - as the place was empty when we viewed it, but there were marks in the carpet where things like sofa, bed etc would have been - and from the post we still recieve for other people who used to live there it looks like there might have been 1 or 2 people prior to us (who might have put it in).

I'm not an expert on how to tell how good a quality a carpet is, but I wouldnt say it was a very expensive one - have to admit if we owned the property we would probably think about replacing it ourselves now as it is flat not soft anymore.

[Furat]

A carpet scratched right through by cats is not normal wear-and-tear.

By anyone's standards.

However the replacement should not cost more than 300.

[dafttart]

And then people wonder why landlords don't want pets in their properties-"My pet has damaged a perfectly serviceable carpet and caused you loads of unnecessary inconvenience but, hey, the carpet was old and was gonna die soon anyway!" Sheesh...

Miffy I can see where you're coming from and I do agree that some people do try to get away with things - but we accept that our cats have done the damage and I had posted in the hope that someone might be able to say if it could be repaired at all - though we are well aware that they will probably want to recarpet the lounge/stairs/landing and we accept that.

We would hope that our LL would appreciate that our cats may well have damaged their carpet, but we would also hope that the LL appreciates that WE have actually added value to their property by completly re-doing the garden. When we moved in it was literally a bit of lawn and 6 slabs for a patio - since moving in we have added plants, landscaped the top end of the garden by extending the patio, have incorprated a gravel area where we have our seating (as the garden's drainage is awful and the ground seemed permenantly boggy). So yes we might cause them a bit of inconvenience whenever we move out, but we have helped them - plus we have redecorated the place (as we know the ceilings had never been painted as the artex on the ceiling still had the long bits hanging from the ceiling - and no professional decorator is that good to miss all of those bits.

[Miffy]

WE have actually added value to their property by completly re-doing the garden. - plus we have redecorated the place

Ah, well, if I was your LL I would definitely take that into account. Probably worth the cost of the carpets...

The thing that made my jaw drop, though, was PaulF's advice that a tenant who just let their cats rip the carpet apart would probably be able to get away without paying for the new carpet. Since he seems to know his stuff, and the advice didn't depend on you having added value in other ways, I am left aghast- not with you, but with the system.

[lorenzo]

And then people wonder why landlords don't want pets in their properties-"My pet has damaged a perfectly serviceable carpet and caused you loads of unnecessary inconvenience but, hey, the carpet was old and was gonna die soon anyway!" Sheesh...

(With the greatest respect to Paulf etc. and not experienced as he obviously is but some of the things I read on this forum really do make my jaw drop...unbelievable what people seem to be able to get away with!)

With respect, this attitude is majoring on the minors don't you think?

This LL has had no voids for five years and has undoubtedly picked up 10s of 1000s pounds in cap gain... possibly even 7 figures, while the income from the T has paid the mortgage and possibly more during that time.

Fair recompense for a piece of crappy carpet that has fulfilled its service life I reckon.

[Paragon]

Ah, well, if I was your LL I would definitely take that into account. Probably worth the cost of the carpets...

The thing that made my jaw drop, though, was PaulF's advice that a tenant who just let their cats rip the carpet apart would probably be able to get away without paying for the new carpet. Since he seems to know his stuff, and the advice didn't depend on you having added value in other ways, I am left aghast- not with you, but with the system.

PaulF is very good and knowledgable, but lets don't make him infallible. No offense meant Paul, just trying to keep things in perspective.

[jeffrey]

Perhaps there should be an exclusion claws?

[dafttart]

With respect, this attitude is majoring on the minors don't you think?

This LL has had no voids for five years and has undoubtedly picked up 10s of 1000s pounds in cap gain... possibly even 7 figures, while the income from the T has paid the mortgage and possibly more during that time.

Fair recompense for a piece of crappy carpet that has fulfilled its service life I reckon.

We will certainly see whenever we do move out (though I do not think it will be by our choice as a mortgage is still out of the question) how much they think about what you have said, when it comes to assessing the property/garden.

Thankfully, in the nearly 5 years we've been there our rent has only got up £90 over those 5 years, but the house has gone up in value by around £60k! (We couldnt even afford a mortgage to buy the house we live in)

[Miffy]

With respect, this attitude is majoring on the minors don't you think?

With the VERY GREATEST RESPECT, Minister (Was "Yes Minister" ever broadcast down under?) I don't think that ripping up a carpet is, by any stretch of the imagination, fair wear & tear. I am a soft touch on far too many things, but I reckon that would be too much for me. (In the OPs situation, I agree she might persuade me with her efforts elsewhere).

This LL has had no voids for five years and has undoubtedly picked up 10s of 1000s pounds in cap gain... possibly even 7 figures, while the income from the T has paid the mortgage and possibly more during that time.

That is hardly the point and is certainly not an excuse to vandalise the property. Why don't we just give the tenant a year or two rent free whilst we are at it, as the LL has clearly had far too good a deal out of the situation?

Fair recompense for a piece of crappy carpet that has fulfilled its service life I reckon.

You are assuming a lot. Maybe its my puritan methodist upbringing ;-)) but I expect carpets to last a good long time (both in my own house and my rented properties, before anyone asks ;-)) ) If the only reason to be throwing it out and going to the hassle and added void period of getting a new carpet was the fact that my tenant couldn't treat it with respect, I would be, um, mildly upset...

[Miffy]

We will certainly see whenever we do move out (though I do not think it will be by our choice as a mortgage is still out of the question) how much they think about what you have said, when it comes to assessing the property/garden.

Thankfully, in the nearly 5 years we've been there our rent has only got up £90 over those 5 years, but the house has gone up in value by around £60k! (We couldnt even afford a mortgage to buy the house we live in)

One of my properties was occupied by the same couple for 6 years and we didn't raise the rent on them at all. I suspect that would be for similar reasons to your situation and is, in a sense, your "reward" for being a good tenant, who is trusted to look after the property. The landlord views you as being "worth" more than a new tenant, despite the fact that he could get more rent nowadays on the open market.

It may well be that in your situation the LL would be cool about it. How often do you speak to the LL? Could you bring it up gently in advance after reminding him how you have always got on well and looked after & improved the property etc? (I take it this is not a common occurrence). If you let the LL discover the damage as a rude shock, he is less likely to be forgiving IMHO.

[Ericthelobster]

We do have 6 monthly inspections, though I think we've always seemed to have a pile of stuff on the stairs where they have scratched when visited so they dont see it

Coincidence, that!