FAQs: Furniture charges

We always look for the most economical option when remedying any dilapidations. As cleaning is cheaper than replacing a mattress, we will try this in the first instance. Unfortunately, sometimes stains won’t come out and the mattress may need to be replaced after it has been cleaned. If it is excessively stained and beyond cleaning, we will arrange for a replacement and not attempt to clean it.

We recommend at the start of tenancies that mattress protectors are used to avoid these issues.

Charges for any missing or broken items of furniture are assessed fairly on a case-by-case basis and there are many factors to take into consideration. We will be looking at the following items initially:

• Whether the item can be repaired or whether it must be replaced
• How old the item is, and the original quality of the item
• The reasonable expected usage of the item
• What the cost of a replacement item would be
• The length of the tenancy

We would then calculate the apportionment for each item. For example, a item of furniture costing £90 with an expected lifespan of 4 years, which was new at the beginning of a 1 year tenancy has been broken and needs replacing. The item still has a further 3 years life expectancy and the landlord has only had 1 years use of the item. We would therefore calculate £90 divided by 4 years equals £22.50 per year, so the tenants would be charged £67.50 (3 years) and the landlord would pay the remaining £22.50 (1 year).

If the same item of furniture was 2 years old at the start of a 2 year tenancy, the item has reached its life expectancy of 4 years and would be replaced at the landlords cost.

If the item has been broken and the landlord decides they would like to replace it with a more expensive option, the tenant would still only be charged as though the item had been replaced with a ‘like for like’ replacement costing £90, with the landlord covering the additional cost of increased quality.