On the 1st of July 2015, the government introduced a new rental law that helps tenants to retain a larger part of their deposit when moving out of rented accommodation. The law defined what renovations tenants should or shouldn’t pay for – a brief summary is:

• A tenant shouldn’t pay for renovations that leave the home in a better condition than when the tenant moved in.

• A tenant should only pay for renovations that are necessary for damage exceeding the normal ‘wear and tear’ of living in the home.

Sadly, many landlords still impose charges or deductions on tenants for major renovations that they should pay for themselves. On this page you can learn about your rights.

The day you move in is a vital time to document the state of your apartment, so you have a record of its condition and can refute any false claims of damage or excessive wear and tear. Here are a few tips:

• Download a 360 photo app from an Appstore to take one all-encompassing picture of each room, or simply take multiple photos, paying close attention to details if you notice any existing damage.

• Remember to file any damage you discover in the apartment within 14 days of moving in. Any later, and a landlord could claim they were your fault. 

• If a move-in report is part of the leasing process, you should make sure to challenge anything you don’t find to be true – bring a friend if you’re not good at it yourself. This document will be a very important reference when you move out.

The rental rules state that your landlord should always provide a move-out report, with an overview of the renovations that need to be done following your tenancy. In most cases, you will get at least 7 days notice of the move-out inspection, which you’ll be invited to join. 

The landlord should also send you a copy of the move-out report no later than 14 days after you handed over the keys. If the landlord fails to do this, they will have no right to ask you to pay for necessary renovations. 

If your landlord has multiple rentals, you should have received a move-in report when you started the tenancy. If you didn’t, then you also don’t have to pay for renovations.

If you have already moved out and are unhappy about the amount your landlord is making you pay for refurbishment – or dispute what renovations they say are necessary – then Rent Hero can assess your case and help you pursue the matter through the legal system if necessary. Our fee is never more than what the compensation your receive and we work on ‘No win, no pay’ basis.