Does my tenant have the right to remove an air source heat pump?

Does my tenant have the right to remove an air source heat pump?

0:01 AM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago 14

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Hello, looking for advice, please. My tenant took it upon himself to install an air source heat pump without informing me. The property already has efficient underfloor electric heating (EPC C) I would have refused had he asked.

He broke his tenancy agreement and left before the break clause. Now he wants to have ‘his’ air source heat pump back. It would cost me £1500 to have it drained and removed.

Does he have the legal right to have it back?

Please help!

Helen


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Paul Power

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7:08 AM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

I would get a quote to remove and make good to the original standard including any required decoration. Once obtained agree to the return on the basis the costs are covered by the ex tenant. Also in correspondence request the documents detailing permissions granted by you as LL to carrybout the works. Then read your AST to see what clauses you can quote regarding unauthorised work. As a tenant I have seen more than a few ASTs that cover this kind of thing. Edit just a thought but if this was installed under any grants or schemes then shouldn't you as LL have been involved? Not sure if you can check against anything but may be worth it just in case something has been claimed effectively in your name

Crossed_Swords

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9:02 AM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

Let them have it back as I think it belongs to them but they must pay the costs of reputable removal and making good any damage, removal of pipes etc.

Judith Wordsworth

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9:42 AM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

They installed it and are now longer resident.
Do you want to keep it to use in the property? If so pay them the 2nd hand price.
If you want rid, then would get them to use the company who installed it to remove and then make good.
Wouldn’t bother with the hassle of breach of contract. Did they pay to the end of the tenancy? Have you still got the deposit on protection? Does the deposit cover making good?
Could be an eco rental benefit??

RoseD

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10:35 AM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

Why did you not query this at the end of the tenancy agreement? It's of no consequence he left early it should have been 'flagged' at check out that you'd not given permission for this installation and what was his intentions for removal or otherwise. Is it something in all honesty benefits the property as presumably he installed it for good reason? I sense you looking to use as trade off for early exit from tenancy otherwise you'd surely have retained deposit to get it removed.....or flagged as an issue with the tenant (and TDS) on departure!

Freda Blogs

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11:01 AM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

Once the tenant has left the property and checked out, he has no entitlement to come back for anything, so I don’t see that you have any obligation to return the heat pump if you choose not to. Or, maybe add to the bill the rental equivalent for the period of delay in reletting due to removal and reinstatement of the pump?
Also, I understood that air source heat pumps need to have the heating pipework changed in order to be effective.
Have you checked whether any of your original pipework has been altered and whether the remaining system is working effectively?

DGM

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11:24 AM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

You say you have electric underfloor heating, I am a bit confused what is the heat pump running - the hot water?
Have you also radiators?
Not sure why you have radiators if you already have underfloor heating
The pipework for radiators needs to be increased to at least 28mm or better 35mm as the water temperature is lower to benefit from a heat pump, have they increased the pipe sizes?
Lots of questions, you need to be more specific

JaSam

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12:52 PM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by DGM at 06/07/2023 - 11:24
Agree the OP is not clear. If you are electric how can a heat pump be installed unless you already have a gas/oil boiler with water pipes which contradict the point in electric UFH. Unless it’s a heat pump for just the hot water? Or are you sure it’s even a heat pump and not split air conditioning?

FYI my heat pump works on 10mm micro bore pipe so the necessity to increase bore size is a myth, but a heat rejection calculation should have been performed.

ICEMAN

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13:24 PM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

Has the right to their stuff but due to f gas regs has to remove it by licenced person.
The bill for removal lands on tenant, tenant gets hardware back and holes in wall, electrical safe isolation and so on has to be made good... Bill on tenant as well.

Just note tho... The hardware itself for a general split system is about 500 starting... I think they probably cut their losses

DPT

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13:28 PM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

Anything affixed to the building by the tenant becomes the property of the landlord. You can just decline.

DGM

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15:02 PM, 6th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by JaSam at 06/07/2023 - 12:52
JaSam, do you have underfloor heating or radiators?
Microbore fine for UFH, but if you have traditional radiators all the experts say the heat output is not sufficient for this and needs bigger pipes. I am no expert just what people have told me and supplier websites as I am looking into a heat pump for a refurb

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