End of tenancy inventory checks don’t stop with the cleanliness or condition of provided facilities/appliances, or to make sure original fixtures and fittings are still in place – or at least put back to where they were at the start of the tenancy. Inventory checks go further than that, and perhaps further than tenants may realise.
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An inventory clerk is also responsible for checking the condition of fitted carpets, and whether or not a professional carpet clean or repair service is required. In extreme cases, carpets may need replacing entirely. What do inventory clerks look for when examining carpets at the end of a lease? Let’s find out:
1. Excessive Dirt ☝️
It can happen to the best of us; dirt, mud and grime can get tracked in through the property on people’s shoes from the outside. Ground in mud and dirt is the number one culprit for carpet stains and the shortening of a carpet’s lifespan.
Carry conscientious maintenance with a consumer range cleaner. An inventory clerk will check to see if any build-up of dirt could be considered excessive, and so not general ‘wear and tear’.
2. Chemical Spills☝️
n most situations, the term ‘chemical spill’ will refer to the accidental spillage of cleaning products such as bleach. There are other products that can also permanently damage carpeting in this way, such as hair dye. In situations such as this, where the staining is permanent, the landlord may have to replace the carpet in its entirety – the cost of which will have to be passed on to the tenant.
Professional carpet cleaners Vale Carpet Cleaning note “coffee and wine spills are the most common spillage, it is important to blot immediately with a damp cloth rather than rub or smear”.
3. Damage by furniture☝️
Heavy furnishing, such as wardrobes, desks, sofas etc. can cause long term damage to carpets. A lot of the time this damage will fade, with indentations disappearing over time. This can depend on the type of carpet fibre used in the manufacturing process, however, and it is something the inventory clerk will have to make a note of for the landlord.
4. Foot traffic damage☝️
Areas that are prone to heavy foot traffic, such as hallways and entrances, will be among the first areas to be looked at in terms of carpet inspection. Shoes can take a heavy toll on carpets and carpets in high traffic areas can become badly damaged over time.
They can particularly take its toll on the carpet pile, and can not only cause shading but also cause the fibres to “fuzz” also known as “fuzzy pile”. A professional carpet cleaner can reset the pile using a static brush.
5 Bad Odours☝️
At the end of a lease the last thing a landlord wants, or needs is carpets that have lingering smells. Nothing is more certain to put off potential tenants faster than a carpet that smells of dog, or any other animal. Removing pet odours can be kept on top of but if it comes up during an inspection and the landlord feels a professional end of tenancy clean is in order then it will have an impact on the held deposit.
Pet odours are one of the most common complaints from new tenants, often owners of pets get so used to the smell, they can’t tell the difference. The other most common odour left by tenants is the smell of cigarettes.
Again smokers get so used to the smell they do not realize how bad or noticeable it is. A professional carpet clean as previously discussed is the best solution to totally eradicate cigarette smells.
6. Pulled carpet thread☝️
This can happen for any number of reasons, such as the thread becoming snagged on a vacuum cleaner. Small thread pulls, up to an inch, can be repaired quite easily but larger ones can pose more of a problem. It is because thread pulls can be quite difficult to repair if they are more than an inch or so, that inventory clerks will be on the lookout for them. For this reason, if a pull is spotted rather than pull it is important to have it snipped by scissors at its lowest point before it gets much worse.
7. Carpet Burns☝️
This kind of damage isn’t just isolated to cigarette ash. Candles that have been knocked in the past can leave a little burn mark. In addition, the most common carpet burn is that created by hair tongs/hair straighteners that have been left turned on. Unfortunately, the massive downside of carpet burns is that they cannot be cleaned or removed and repairs, replacements would be expensive.
8. Sunlight Damages☝️
Sun damage through patio doors is often the culprit in this scenario. And there is very little you can do to stop it from happening. Ensuring you have curtains or blinds that can be moved when the sun is shining in this area is really the only way to stop this from happening in the future. Lighter coloured carpets are more prone to damage. Sun damage also affects hardwood and laminate floors not just carpets.
In conclusion, there are other things that an inventory clerk will be looking for in the property at the time the lease comes to an end, but keeping the above in mind could mean that carpet cleaning and repair costs are not taken from your deposit!
