Tenants broke bed - who pays

Hi Bronte,

I am a believer that if a tenant breaks an item (whether intentionally or accidentally) then they are liable for either a good repair (bringing it back to its previous state) or pay for a replacement which should be of the same type condition and year. If they fail to find a suitable replacement then they are liable for the cost of the suitable replacement; that is, on a pro rata basis according to its age.

If a landlord just lets damage/breakages go then the tenants will become (or have already become) complacent and " easy come, easy go" is the order of the day.

I think we previously agreed that the PRTB's definition of "fair wear and tear" is very much on the tenant's side. A landlord should not have to redecorate a property at the end of a 1 year lease but may have to and it is put down to "normal" fair wear and tear. My parents (and I) never redecorated a house even every 5 years; the family looked after it, and many of the walls of those properties were always wallpapered.

Maybe it's just me in my old age!
 
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This is what the deposit is for. But at 8 yrs you couldn't charge a fee for a new bed, just a % of it.

But you'd have to look at it in context if it was the only item after a long trouble free tenancy then I'd let it go.