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  1. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    1,995

    Default Re: Suing After Tenants Ruined Carpets

    I owned a number of small multi-unit properties, and my rentals had been replaced from as little as 2-3 years to 10-12 years. I've been in the business 30 years, and had never charged for carpet replacement, even the 3 year one. The 3 year carpet was with a tenant under eviction, and he also filed bankruptcy. At my rentals, at around 12 years, the carpets are totally shot and in need of replacement to do a quick turnover.

    I spoke with tenants looking at my rentals, other owners renting them out, and following rental ads in the papers. Owners who do not paint, do not replace carpets, rent houses out at market takes 2 or more months. I rent it slightly below market, paint and recarpet where necessary, so generally, I got one guy moving out, and another moving in, even with painting and re-carpeting. With houses renting over $2,000/month, being ablle to coordinate painting, re-carpeting, and having less than a 7 day vacancy in between takes a bit of effort, and I just don't have the time to chase after prior tenants because I feel my carpets should last longer.

    Good carpeting even pays for itself.

    One of my tenants was a property manager for a major local LL who owned thousands of units, and I rented him a unit where the carpet was there for only 4 years, and I thought was in decent shape. He asked if he can replace it using his employer's carpet as they keep a warehouse full. He explained that his employer changes carpeting at least every 3 years, so if they had a tenant there for 4 years, moved, the carpeting would be automatically replaced, no question. The key is quick turnover, and they just don't have time arguing with prior tenants the carpets should last 10 years, and how dare you.

    I told him that was my policy as well, and my experience had been I get better tenants more quickly with good carpeting rather than trying to horse around trying to make carpeting last 10 or more years.

    BTW, my carpeting is depreciated over 3 years, as based on my experience, and that of the major local LL, that is the optimal time frame for replacement, and anything over 3 years is extra, above and beyond, which I am grateful. So you will not find me suing a tenant if carpeting only lasted 3 years.

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