Tenant’s ceiling fans destroyed after surrendering keys?

Tenant’s ceiling fans destroyed after surrendering keys?

9:40 AM, 15th January 2018, About 7 years ago 5

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I had a fairly high maintenance tenant who was causing so much grief after 2 years I served a section 21.

Eventually they left my property and put the keys through the door. I recently contacted her about some furniture, two broken wardrobes and a corner piece of her sofa and after she tried to get my decorators to move it for her, then tried to to say I should put it in storage.

Finally she emailed me to say she didn’t need the items. In the meantime she had put up 2 ceiling fans which had caused problems with the electrics so naturally I have instructed an electrician to remove them.

Now she is demanding to know why her fans have been smashed and left outside the house? Where do I stand on this matter.

She moved out Dec 8th 2017.

Many thanks

Fiona


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Comments

Dennis Forrest

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12:50 PM, 15th January 2018, About 7 years ago

You say that your tenant was high maintenance which I don't quite understand. Was it your property that was deficient in some way and the tenant kept on complaining or did you have to keep chasing up late payments for rent? Tenants expect and deserve high standards and repairs and faults need to be fixed quickly. In theory you could have tenants which continue to complain for no reason but in 20 years over several properties never experienced this. I've had some very untidy ones and some half-soaked ones like one lady tenant who went away on holiday leaving her laptop on display and had only locked the door on the yale and not the mortice as well. The door was easily forced open and her laptop stolen. Presumably you property was let unfurnished? If this is the case then presumably you made sure that the tenant knew she was responsible for removing their furniture at the end of the tenancy? Tenants can do minor things to properties without permission like hanging a picture on a wall or changing a lampshade as long as they keep the original. However I would not expect any of my tenants to repaint any walls a different colour or make permanent changes to light fittings without my permission. As regards the tenant installing ceiling fans, did you give her permission and did you insist that they were wired up by a qualified electrician? If she had done this without permission she had broken one of the terms of her tenancy agreement. However it might have been a good idea when you knew when your electrician was coming to take them down to arrange for the tenant to collect them on the same day if she still wanted them back.

Rob Crawford

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14:10 PM, 15th January 2018, About 7 years ago

Is there a clause within the AST that states how tenant belongings will be treated if left at the property after they leave? Normally a number of days in storage will be stated before disposal.

H B

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20:04 PM, 15th January 2018, About 7 years ago

You were within your rights to remove the fans, but if they were broken in the process of removing them, you probably need to compensate her.

Chris @ Possession Friend

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11:22 AM, 20th January 2018, About 7 years ago

For the detailed guidance on Abandonded Goods, see http://www.PossessionFriend.uk. Landlord Advice. Abandonded Goods.
Use the complimentary Notice to tenants under the Torts ( Interference with Goods ) Act, 1977.

Michael Barnes

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18:39 PM, 20th January 2018, About 7 years ago

I would have thought that as the fans were fixed and wired in, then they became part of the property when the tenant vacated, and therefore yours, particularly if they were replacing the light fittings that you had supplied at the start of the tenancy.

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