Apartment Expenses For Worn Out Blind

[garryl]

Unfortunately it is not like in the US. You have been pulling that curtain up and down for 3 years so if it breaks you must replace it. You do not have to replace the curtain but the landlord does not have to do ti either because it does not prevent you from using the property or its services. You can argue back and forth but you sign something that you know was not true or right, you should have mentioned this at the time of signing the contract and asked them to change it

Damn, as a landlord I repaired and replaced everything. Too late to know

 

[TomAtAlki]

Damn, as a landlord I repaired and replaced everything. Too late to know

We are landlords in Seattle and DO replace everything.
Nancy

 

[nikad]

I am a landlord in FL and i am constantly paying for repairs, I guess tenants in the US are happier (?) I am a tenant in BsAs, and except for one landlord that was always willing to fix whatever without even asking, it is always a struggle.

 

[nikad]

I agree - I have no problem paying to replace the strap - just wanted to get a rough idea on how things work here. I might even try replace it myself When we give the apartment back we aren't required to get a whole new curtain are we?

No. Most contracts say you have to return the property in the same good condition, minus the natural wear and tear that time / weather might have caused.

 

[BankNote]

No. Most contracts say you have to return the property in the same good condition, minus the natural wear and tear that time / weather might have caused.

To add my two cents here. I lived in a touristic ( fully furnished) apartment for 3 years. When I took over the apartment, the sofa in the living room looked like new ( was not necessarily new). But when I was leaving the apartment after 3 years, the sofa ( semi-cuero) had become torn, worn out, loss of color etc etc. But this is where the problem started. The landlord insisted that I have to get the sofa repaired and in "new" like condition, how it was handed over to me. This resulted in a very very nasty fight. Luckily for me, he had not taken any security money when I had moved in - as I had lived there a few times before ( on short trips) and I had no intention of living there for 3 years but we started with a 3 months short stay agreement and we just kept on extending.

Bottom line - I never paid up for repair of sofa. My grudge being that its wear and tear was cos I was sitting on that sofa non stop for 3 years and I am paying to use that sofa.. His grudge being that I was given a brand new sofa and should be handed over in same condition as given. I had misused the sofa!

I even shifted in the same building to another apartment and he ended up spoiling my name with everyone ( eg Porteros etc).

Comments, anyone?

 

[nikad]

To add my two cents here. I lived in a touristic ( fully furnished) apartment for 3 years. When I took over the apartment, the sofa in the living room looked like new ( was not necessarily new). But when I was leaving the apartment after 3 years, the sofa ( semi-cuero) had become torn, worn out, loss of color etc etc. But this is where the problem started. The landlord insisted that I have to get the sofa repaired and in "new" like condition, how it was handed over to me. This resulted in a very very nasty fight. Luckily for me, he had not taken any security money when I had moved in - as I had lived there a few times before ( on short trips) and I had no intention of living there for 3 years but we started with a 3 months short stay agreement and we just kept on extending.

Bottom line - I never paid up for repair of sofa. My grudge being that its wear and tear was cos I was sitting on that sofa non stop for 3 years and I am paying to use that sofa.. His grudge being that I was given a brand new sofa and should be handed over in same condition as given. I had misused the sofa!

I even shifted in the same building to another apartment and he ended up spoiling my name with everyone ( eg Porteros etc).

Comments, anyone?

A touristic rental has different rules. Of course the damage that furniture suffer, especially if it is not great quality in the first place, is greater. Your landlord did not ask for a security deposit, so it is his fault that he was left with a sofa in poor shape. Had you had a regular 2 year rental contract, your guarantor would have had to pay for it. As you can see temp a and long term leases both have their own pros and cons. If the landlord was super nice and helpful while you lived there, I would have tried to get it repaired - not get a new one -, if the landlord was horrible I would have done the same thing you did. It is hard to tell, as we only know one side of the story. I feel it is also important to note that the price you pay for a temp rental is higher due to these type of incidents and the landlord dealing with greater risk vs a regular lease.

 

[BankNote]

If the landlord was super nice and helpful while you lived there, I would have tried to get it repaired - not get a new one -, if the landlord was horrible I would have done the same thing you did. It is hard to tell, as we only know one side of the story. I feel it is also important to note that the price you pay for a temp rental is higher

In my opinion -

1. I was already paying a much higher price than the regular market price cos of it being a touristic rental.
2. I appreciated that the landlord never took any safety deposit from me. But he should appreciate that his touristic rental was occupied by me for 36 months non stop. all rent paid in time.
3. I used the sofa normally. But obviously if you use a object on a dail basis non stop for 3 years it will become used and "abused" which is different from say you pour a bottle of wine over it or have a dog in the house who eats it up or say have kids in the house who paint it with crayons.
4. despite everything I was ready to pay for the **damage** ( for me it was wear and tear) when I was vacating. He said he will revert. But he knew where I was going since I was shifting in the same building. So what he did was that he sent me the bill after 7 months!! My problem with that was first, I thought the matter was already closed. 2nd - I thought that after 7 months with inflation I have to pay more than 7 months ago. 3rd - I felt frustrated that he was able to chase me after 7 months - since he knew where I lived.

I just declined to pay.

His side of the story - you wanted?

As per him

1. This tenant is very bad
2. He broke my sofa.
3. he broke my sofa and did not pay.
4. he broke my sofa, did not pay and is absconding.
5. He broke my sofa. he broke my sofa. he broke my sofa.

 

[nikad]

In my opinion -

1. I was already paying a much higher price than the regular market price cos of it being a touristic rental.
2. I appreciated that the landlord never took any safety deposit from me. But he should appreciate that his touristic rental was occupied by me for 36 months non stop. all rent paid in time.
3. I used the sofa normally. But obviously if you use a object on a dail basis non stop for 3 years it will become used and "abused" which is different from say you pour a bottle of wine over it or have a dog in the house who eats it up or say have kids in the house who paint it with crayons.
4. despite everything I was ready to pay for the **damage** ( for me it was wear and tear) when I was vacating. He said he will revert. But he knew where I was going since I was shifting in the same building. So what he did was that he sent me the bill after 7 months!! My problem with that was first, I thought the matter was already closed. 2nd - I thought that after 7 months with inflation I have to pay more than 7 months ago. 3rd - I felt frustrated that he was able to chase me after 7 months - since he knew where I lived.

I just declined to pay.

His side of the story - you wanted?

As per him

1. This tenant is very bad
2. He broke my sofa.
3. he broke my sofa and did not pay.
4. he broke my sofa, did not pay and is absconding.
5. He broke my sofa. he broke my sofa. he broke my sofa.

As per #1 you cannot compare regular leases to touristic ( apples and oranges ) the real question is, was your touristic rental overpriced when compared to similar touristic rentals?
Not sure how you showed your appreciation for his #2.

I fully agree with your #3

Not sure why you just didn't get the sofa repaired if that was your idea. It is just weird to come up 7 months after with the bill, these things are usually agreed/paid upon n the spot ( you just get a couple quotes and that is it )
When you don't have regular garantias, usually word of mouth is very important. I would not have risked my reputation as a tenant over such a small thing, especially not when you are living in the same building as now your new landlord probably has heard about it by now and might try to get his own a** covered somehow ( just speculating here )

This could have been solved in a more adult / civil way imho. To escalate it to this point over a frigging piece of fabric is ridiculous. I think he was being nice not charging a deposit and then screwing you over it as most do, not many landlords do this. Maybe split the cost could have been a good solution for both of you.

 

[BankNote]

As per #1 you cannot compare regular leases to touristic ( apples and oranges ) the real question is, was your touristic rental overpriced when compared to similar touristic rentals?
Not sure how you showed your appreciation for his #2.

I fully agree with your #3

Not sure why you just didn't get the sofa repaired if that was your idea. It is just weird to come up 7 months after with the bill, these things are usually agreed/paid upon n the spot ( you just get a couple quotes and that is it )
When you don't have regular garantias, usually word of mouth is very important. I would not have risked my reputation as a tenant over such a small thing, especially not when you are living in the same building as now your new landlord probably has heard about it by now and might try to get his own a** covered somehow ( just speculating here )

This could have been solved in a more adult / civil way imho. To escalate it to this point over a frigging piece of fabric is ridiculous. I think he was being nice not charging a deposit and then screwing you over it as most do, not many landlords do this. Maybe split the cost could have been a good solution for both of you.

Yes, it was over priced. As he had about 6-8 apartments in the same building on rent. All same size and same furniture. I found out that I was paying the highest. Obviously, I was not pleased about it.

I agreed to pay for the sofa only and only because, he had not charged me a security deposit. It was my "pay back". But in my heart I did not believe I was liable for it as I had not "broken" the sofa. I had just used it non stop for 36 months on a daily basis.

Eventually, I did not pay up as he never reverted with the final bill till I had completed 7 months living in my new apartment.

Reputation goes both ways..If you want a a good reputation as a tenant - You also want a good reputation as a landlord!

 

[TomAtAlki]

One thing that seems weird to me is that we've lived in our apartment here for almost 9 years and my furniture does not look worn out. And the same goes for the furniture in my other homes in the past, maybe I got tired of living with the same stuff and got rid of it, but not worn out. What did you do to that sofa?
Nancy