What happens if the property is damaged by the tenant?
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 states that tenants should ‘Make good any damage to the property caused by the behaviour or negligence of the tenant, members of his/her household or any other person lawfully visiting or living in the property’. It is useful to take an inventory of the property before any tenants move in, to detail the contents and condition of the property. If the tenants then damage the property then they should pay for the repairs or replacement as required. Should the tenants fail to meet the cost of the damage, then this can be taken from the deposit at the end of the tenancy. General wear and tear should however be accounted for. Examples of wear and tear would be, painting and decorating, some scratches and marks on often used areas.