How much work would you put into a long-term t rental?

WaitPatientlyOnTheLord · 06-22-2016, 08:05 PM

We rent an apartment that's kinda tacky and icky. When I first moved in I was all gung ho about repainting it and stuff (I think I even posted about it in here) but it turns out the land Lord can be a bit of a jerk and we didn't think we'd stay here past a year. Well we'll have been here two years in August and we plan to spend five more years here. I feel like I want to fix the place up a bit. The rent is cheap for the area. It has some features we don't want to give up and DH just signed a contract to teach at the school down the road next school year and we're praying that will be a long term placement. Oh, and there's a little room to grow here.

So we're thinking of replacing a carpet we hate in one of the bedrooms. The larger bedroom and living room both have laminate "wood" floors and the 'll mentioned he had plans to do that last bedroom in the same. So we're thinking of offering to do it for a rent discount one month. That's the only thing we can see him agreeing to. The rest, he won't care if we improve it because he doesn't care that it's junk.

So it will all be on us.

I'm planning to d go to the habitat for humanity restore and looking for paint. It looks like the walls only have primer on them. They look terrible. We're thinking of adding a ceiling fan to the bedrooms-maybe we should get permission for that one?

The kitchen cupboards/countertops are in poor condition. Besides just being an outdated eyesore, they need some functional things repaired. DH is a shop/construction teacher. He could totes redo the cupboards himself. It'd just be the cost.

Anyways, just curious which, if any of these you'd consider taking on to improve your enjoyment of your home...if you were eventually going to be leaving it all to the benefit of a sleazy landlord?

SalH · 06-22-2016, 08:08 PM

I would get the landlords permission. After that: do what you want to do to live there, and are prepared to do and pay for, and eventually walk away from. So that's financial and time / energy costs you incur.

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Aerynne · 06-22-2016, 08:09 PM

If it will keep you reasonably satisfied there and prevent you wanting to move to a more expensive place, I would think it would be worth the expense of at least some of it. I would definitely paint the kitchen cabinets if you're allowed to. I'd get one of those counter-refinishing kits but I wouldn't buy new countertops unless you can score a huge deal (Ikea?). I would paint the walls and talk to him about the floor. Home matters, even if it's not forever. It matters that you feel good in your home.

milkmommy · 06-22-2016, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SalH

I would get the landlords permission. After that: do what you want to do to live there, and are prepared to do and pay for, and eventually walk away from. So that's financial and time / energy costs you incur.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

and get the permission in writing.. We made the mistake of just getting a verbal okay to paint a bedroom. When we moved out they claimed we didn't have permission and that it cost some really over the top amount to "fix". Then went to claim that we'd painted almost every room which we didn't but got charged anyways.

mommylove · 06-22-2016, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaitPatientlyOnTheLord

Anyways, just curious which, if any of these you'd consider taking on to improve your enjoyment of your home...if you were eventually going to be leaving it all to the benefit of a sleazy landlord?

I would reframe this. 5 years of wear & tear on all you'd put in really won't benefit the landlord that much.

The benefit really is in the amount of enjoyment you'll get from your home over the next 5 years. Only you can put a pricetag on that.

SalH · 06-22-2016, 08:54 PM

Yes always get any agreement in writing. To do that without making a fuss about it, just communicate with the landlord by email. Then keep a print of the Emails with your lease papers. And write the emails with a prospective audience in mind: future landlords, future agents,and anyone who has to adjudicate on the agreement you have with him.

My kitchen here (4-5 yr rental) is falling apart. We get maintenance to fix it when the doors fall off or drawers fall apart. My priority on your list would be the floor. I hate yucky carpet.

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---------- Post added at 01:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:12 PM ----------

In our last house we paved an area damaged by a previous tenant. Landlord may have contributed slightly to cost, can't remember... But it stood us in good stead esp at the end of the lease when we had damaged the carpet accidentally. I like adding more than people expect but you have to be able to walk away with nothing at the end. For me 5 years like in my current house, is not long term. But the pavers in our last house: we couldn't have lived there without doing that and we had all the bricks salvaged from where they had been taken up.

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MaySunflowers · 06-22-2016, 11:57 PM

If your landlord gives you permission and it makes you happy then do it. Your happiness is the only thing you'd get out of it. We did it once with a terrible landlord, he agreed we could use one month's rent to replace carpet.

WaitPatientlyOnTheLord · 06-23-2016, 12:26 PM

I do already have his verbal permission to paint, but maybe I'll text his wife (he refuses to text, we have no email address for them) and confirm permission for painting... and yes, I think the wood floors are the next big one and I believe he will say yes to that cus then he won't have to do it later.

Part of me thinks though that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission.

the LL is so sleazy we already assume he'll find any excuse not to return our security deposit.

like we cracked the glass top range. The security deposit is just $500, so we're assuming he'll keep it for the cracked range top. We've basically already told the deposit goodbye in our hearts.

mamacat · 06-23-2016, 04:18 PM

Still get something in writing or he could take you to small claims court

Quiteria · 06-23-2016, 07:06 PM

email is better than text for proof

SalH · 06-24-2016, 02:21 AM

Agreed re texts and emails but do the best you can with what you've got.

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---------- Post added at 06:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:49 PM ----------

I would probably write a letter saying " thank you for the permission you gave us to paint when we spoke about this matter on [date] "and then mention whatever else you need to.

That way you have referred to a vernal agreement in writing. He can choose to write k or not.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

mamacat · 06-24-2016, 04:43 AM

What does lease say about any changes re paint and such.Would def take a look and see

06-22-2016, 08:05 PM	#1
WaitPatientlyOnTheLord Rose Garden I'm most definitely an INFJ. ;-) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: New England, USA Posts: 7,264	How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? We rent an apartment that's kinda tacky and icky. When I first moved in I was all gung ho about repainting it and stuff (I think I even posted about it in here) but it turns out the land Lord can be a bit of a jerk and we didn't think we'd stay here past a year. Well we'll have been here two years in August and we plan to spend five more years here. I feel like I want to fix the place up a bit. The rent is cheap for the area. It has some features we don't want to give up and DH just signed a contract to teach at the school down the road next school year and we're praying that will be a long term placement. Oh, and there's a little room to grow here. So we're thinking of replacing a carpet we hate in one of the bedrooms. The larger bedroom and living room both have laminate "wood" floors and the 'll mentioned he had plans to do that last bedroom in the same. So we're thinking of offering to do it for a rent discount one month. That's the only thing we can see him agreeing to. The rest, he won't care if we improve it because he doesn't care that it's junk. So it will all be on us. I'm planning to d go to the habitat for humanity restore and looking for paint. It looks like the walls only have primer on them. They look terrible. We're thinking of adding a ceiling fan to the bedrooms-maybe we should get permission for that one? The kitchen cupboards/countertops are in poor condition. Besides just being an outdated eyesore, they need some functional things repaired. DH is a shop/construction teacher. He could totes redo the cupboards himself. It'd just be the cost. Anyways, just curious which, if any of these you'd consider taking on to improve your enjoyment of your home...if you were eventually going to be leaving it all to the benefit of a sleazy landlord?

06-22-2016, 08:08 PM	#2
SalH Rose Trellis Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 1,590	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? I would get the landlords permission. After that: do what you want to do to live there, and are prepared to do and pay for, and eventually walk away from. So that's financial and time / energy costs you incur. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ Sal (41) wife to Matthew (41) Home educating mummy to: DS1 (13), DS2 (11) DS3 (9), DD1 (7), DD2 (5) and DD3 (3).

06-22-2016, 08:09 PM	#3
Aerynne Rose Garden Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 27,359	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? If it will keep you reasonably satisfied there and prevent you wanting to move to a more expensive place, I would think it would be worth the expense of at least some of it. I would definitely paint the kitchen cabinets if you're allowed to. I'd get one of those counter-refinishing kits but I wouldn't buy new countertops unless you can score a huge deal (Ikea?). I would paint the walls and talk to him about the floor. Home matters, even if it's not forever. It matters that you feel good in your home. __________________ Erin born of water and of the Spirit 4/96 married 5/02 Mama to: 2004 2007 2010 2012 2017 2019 Jan 2, 2024 And many I hope to hold in heaven one day

06-22-2016, 08:54 PM	#6
SalH Rose Trellis Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 1,590	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? Yes always get any agreement in writing. To do that without making a fuss about it, just communicate with the landlord by email. Then keep a print of the Emails with your lease papers. And write the emails with a prospective audience in mind: future landlords, future agents,and anyone who has to adjudicate on the agreement you have with him. My kitchen here (4-5 yr rental) is falling apart. We get maintenance to fix it when the doors fall off or drawers fall apart. My priority on your list would be the floor. I hate yucky carpet. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk ---------- Post added at 01:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:12 PM ---------- In our last house we paved an area damaged by a previous tenant. Landlord may have contributed slightly to cost, can't remember... But it stood us in good stead esp at the end of the lease when we had damaged the carpet accidentally. I like adding more than people expect but you have to be able to walk away with nothing at the end. For me 5 years like in my current house, is not long term. But the pavers in our last house: we couldn't have lived there without doing that and we had all the bricks salvaged from where they had been taken up. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ Sal (41) wife to Matthew (41) Home educating mummy to: DS1 (13), DS2 (11) DS3 (9), DD1 (7), DD2 (5) and DD3 (3).

06-22-2016, 11:57 PM	#7
MaySunflowers Deactivated Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: UK Posts: 7,781	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? If your landlord gives you permission and it makes you happy then do it. Your happiness is the only thing you'd get out of it. We did it once with a terrible landlord, he agreed we could use one month's rent to replace carpet.

06-23-2016, 12:26 PM	#8
WaitPatientlyOnTheLord Rose Garden I'm most definitely an INFJ. ;-) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: New England, USA Posts: 7,264	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? I do already have his verbal permission to paint, but maybe I'll text his wife (he refuses to text, we have no email address for them) and confirm permission for painting... and yes, I think the wood floors are the next big one and I believe he will say yes to that cus then he won't have to do it later. Part of me thinks though that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission. the LL is so sleazy we already assume he'll find any excuse not to return our security deposit. like we cracked the glass top range. The security deposit is just $500, so we're assuming he'll keep it for the cracked range top. We've basically already told the deposit goodbye in our hearts.

06-23-2016, 04:18 PM	#9
mamacat Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 26,473	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? Still get something in writing or he could take you to small claims court __________________ ~Catherine~ Mama to 5: C W C J S And Grandma to 3: A ,K and baby C

06-23-2016, 07:06 PM	#10
Quiteria Rose Garden Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 23,483	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? email is better than text for proof __________________ Homeschooling mama to five: a young adult (graduated!), two high schoolers, a big kid, and a kindergartner And yes, they've all aged overnight since the last time you read my out-of-date sigg.

06-24-2016, 02:21 AM	#11
SalH Rose Trellis Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 1,590	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? Agreed re texts and emails but do the best you can with what you've got. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk ---------- Post added at 06:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:49 PM ---------- I would probably write a letter saying " thank you for the permission you gave us to paint when we spoke about this matter on [date] "and then mention whatever else you need to. That way you have referred to a vernal agreement in writing. He can choose to write k or not. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ Sal (41) wife to Matthew (41) Home educating mummy to: DS1 (13), DS2 (11) DS3 (9), DD1 (7), DD2 (5) and DD3 (3).

06-24-2016, 04:43 AM	#12
mamacat Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 26,473	Re: How much work would you put into a long-term t rental? What does lease say about any changes re paint and such.Would def take a look and see __________________ ~Catherine~ Mama to 5: C W C J S And Grandma to 3: A ,K and baby C

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