Household Hotspots in focus: the bedroom
No room is more reflective of the person who occupies a property than then bedroom is. It is perhaps the most personalised room in the house (particularly in properties shared by different individuals), with the occupant putting up posters and other decorations that they feel represent them, their personality and their hobbies and interests. We tend to spend a lot more time in the bedroom than we realise, as it's where we sleep, get dressed and generally spend a lot of our time lounging. As a result, the bedroom can often end up messier than other rooms.
For tenancy deposits in Scotland this is something to be mindful of in order to prevent disputes at the end of the tenancy. In this edition of Household Hotspots, which has been a regular feature in our Key Matters magazine, we look at some areas of the bedroom that could be potential sources of disputes.
It's often easy to forget as it's an area we don't typically see, but underneath the bed is an area that tenants should remember to clean before leaving the property. This may involve sweeping and vacuuming, as dust is likely to accumulate in the area.
Drawers should be emptied before vacating the property. This is another thing that is easy to forget as stored items aren't immediately visible, but personal belongings shouldn't be left in drawers. Items that have been left behind can contribute towards cleaning claims. Claims against tenancy deposits in Scotland that come under the category of cleaning were the most frequent that SafeDeposits Scotland observed last year.
Checking for any left-behind items also applies to wardrobes. Another consideration for wardrobes, specifically those with sliding door mechanisms, is to ensure that any runners attached are still intact when it is time to move out. Damage can be cause to the wardrobe by sliding the doors too hard, so this is something to be wary of.
As mentioned above, the bedroom tends to be a hotspot for decorations such as posters and picture frames. Bedroom walls should be left in the same condition as is detailed on the inventory, with no extra holes from pins or shelves. Colour of the wall paint or condition of wallpaper should be the same as described on the check-in report. The tenancy agreement should also be consulted before putting up any decorations that could potentially damage the wall, as the landlord may have a rule against it that could see them making a claim against the deposit.
A mattress protector may be provided at the beginning of the tenancy. Regardless of its condition at the end of the tenancy, the landlord cannot claim for replacement of one of these, as these should be replaced with a clean one when a tenant moves out in preparation for a new tenant moving in. When the tenant does move out, they should give the light switches and lightbulbs a check to make sure they are still working and are in the same condition as noted in the inventory. This extends not just to ceiling lights, but also to lamps if any were provided when the tenant first moved in. Again, this should be noted on the inventory.
SafeDeposits Scotland is a government approved deposit scheme in Scotland, and is the only scheme based in Scotland. We hold the deposit during the tenancy and return to the tenant at the end of the tenancy when the landlord or letting agent has agreed to repayment. We also provide an impartial adjudication service for tenants and landlords if they can't come to an agreement. Find out more about SafeDeposits Scotland and what we do.
