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Etat des lieux, how difficult is it to "survive" them...
Good morning dear expats,
I'm leaving my apartment after almost 3 years, (I know I have to pay the one month's rent penalty for this), my question is related to the "etat des lieux".
Is it very detailed and thorough even after these 2+ years?, which are acceptable wear and tear exceptions? and 3rd, any recommendation for a professional cleaning company I could use?.
Thanks in advance.
well it all depends how you are presenting it to your landlord and the relationship occured with you over the years. however don't risk it and take the first EdL and compare it with the state of the place right now. anything that is different or damaged needs to be fixed by you.
check for limescale (tartrage) in taps and sinks, holes in walls, marks in the painted surfaces, scratches in the floor and so on,
usually wear and tear kicks in after 9 years in the same place but it is more related to the paint.
if you are in good relation you could always suggest the landlord to come round to have a preview of the place so he/she can give you some input.
Absolutely disagree - wear and tear does not kick in after 9 years! That would be absurd!!! Also wear and tear relates to anything in the property, not only to the paint! If there is significant damage (i.e., hole in the wall, broken/burn/scratched floor, damaged closets etc.) then you will have to fix that. If the walls are not as white as there were 2+ years ago and if there are no holes, big black spots, etc. then it is the landlord's responsibility to re-paint the walls if he so wishes.
Be aware those who perform EdL know landlords and tend to be on their side. So, if you can avoid it all together and find an agreement with the landlord that is for sure a better solution.
so you are telling me if a landlord rents out a perfectly painted property and the tenant is a chain smoker and after two years the walls are yellow, then is the landlord having to repaint that?
good luck in arguing that.
usually after 9 years the tenant is not expected to repaint the apartment. if an electrical appliance broke down then is landlord responsibility but if it is due to tenant's fault (like too much limescale accumulated in a dishwasher or washing machine) then the tenant that has to pay.
this is not UK and rules are different.
Dear R
Damage caused by cigarette smoke is not wear and tear. It is damage.
Even after 2 years, the tenant is not expected to repaint the apartment, as redecoration is the landlord's responsibility, and it shouldn't need redecorating for another 7 years.
If an appliance is broken, then it may well be the tenant's responsibility to get it fixed. It depends on the nature of the problem.
The cost of wear is for the landlord. Always. The cost of tear (damage) is for the tenant. Defining what's what i not particularly well defined, which is why an expert is usually employed, however, as previously suggested, doing an informal check with the landlord before you move out can save a lot of time and money.
Do not trust a landlord who refuses to check it with you themselves and insists on only using an expert. Collusion is not unknown.
The bottom line is: there is a lot of discretion and no written rules.
So if you leave the place in a decent state (i.e., as similar as possible to how it was when you moved in) then you shouldn't have an issue. If you have pictures to prove the previous state that obviously helps.
As I say this, I presume you have not caused significant damages to the flat.
R makes a very good point: this is not the UK, so you really need to make sure you don't get screwed by a Belgian landlord. I hear it happens all the time. And it doesn't make it OK just because you're not in the UK.
The bottom line is: there is a lot of discretion and no written rules.
So if you leave the place in a decent state (i.e., as similar as possible to how it was when you moved in) then you shouldn't have an issue. If you have pictures to prove the previous state that obviously helps.
As I say this, I presume you have not caused significant damages to the flat.
R makes a very good point: this is not the UK, so you really need to make sure you don't get screwed by a Belgian landlord. I hear it happens all the time. And it doesn't make it OK just because you're not in the UK.
ops, typo * significant damage
The first and most important consideration is your relationship with your landlord/lady. If the relationship is good you should have nothing to worry about; if it's bad you certainly will have.
We moved twice, in both cases we had a good relationship. The first one checked around the place herself and was out within 10 minutes. The second one had a professional 'expert' who took well over a hour and went though everything in detail; 2 days later we had our deposit, in full, in cash and with compound interest and a letter thanking us for having been good tenants and for having left the place in such good order. In both cases we did all the cleaning ourselves.
You are perfectly free to hire - and pay for - your own expert if you are concerned that there might be problems.
Also remember that people tend to complain about bad landlords and post comments on line; they don't bother to post comments to tell you about good experiences.
And bad tenants tend to blame the landlord...
