Tenant wants removal of fixtures - WWYD

The tenant had signed a lease for my property without inspecting it and was unaware that the lounge room and bedrooms have wall-mounted TV brackets and a wall-mounted TV stand in the living room. There are also some nails for hanging photos.
They are asking to have all these removed, stating that they are ugly, an inconvenience and a hazard.

What would you do as the landlord? Oblige at your expense?

 

What was shown on the adverts? If the brackets or picture hooks (or the TVs & pictures were visible) and the tenant didn't take issue, tough. If there are no photos tell them that you will break the lease immediately and they can find somewhere else. Brackets etc are usually near aerial outlet & power - what does the tenant intend to do?

(I hear Brisvegas is a tight market at present and they will see sense).

Also keep up your sleeve/for further discussion, that you will not allow any other fixings on walls or be repainting as you will need to reinstate the brackets when the tenant leaves.

 

There is no obligation to remove anything as you rented the property as is. You may want to do this as gesture of good will or depending on the demeanour of the the tenant you may refuse the request as it may set up a paten of doing what the tenant wants when the tenant wants it. I would take the advice of your property manager.

 

In WA, there is legislation that allows tenants to affix heavy furniture to the walls (including flat screen TVs), that are at risk of toppling over. The tenant must inform the owner first. The owner can’t stop the tenant from doing this, but they must rectify at the end of the tenancy. This was put in place due to the death and injury of a number of toddlers climbing up furniture.

 

How interesting considering that owners and managing agents are getting more and more requests from tenants to put up tv brackets and hooks on walls etc.. and in your case... the tenant doesn't want any of it at all.

As for what you would do.. I agree with @Scott No Mates' comments.

 

I came in into my IP after my tenants left, it had couple of TV mounts on the wall (have no idea when they where put in, may be before those tenants, I bought it tenanted).
I'm doing a full reno to bring the house to it's former glory and as part of this process, I've removed the mounts.

What's left behind it ugly! Big holes in the wall and the wall has to be painted + patches for the ****** job that was done to run power and aerial to it)
For me, it's not a big deal cause I'm doing plaster jobs and painting to the whole house, but if they remove the mounts from the wall in your place - what left behind will be as ugly as the mounts.

I'd say - if you don't want the mounts there, tell them they can remove only if they fix the wall professionally (when you approve the tradies that will do the work), on their own expense.
Otherwise - nope.

 

If I were the tenant I'd just pull the nails out and hang a picture over / infront of the TV brackets.
Maybe suggest something similar if your not interested in removing it.

I did exactly that (portable shelving with a large picture resting on top) with a place I rented that come with a crappy early generation flat sceen TV.

 

Gee whizz, tough crowd!

If it were my property I would say he can remove them at his cost and likewise have the same reinstated when he leaves.

Even though he is renting , it is after all his home and nothing more ugly than an unused TV bracket on a wall.

 

Times have changed, there is the VESA standard, so majority of modern flat screen tv's will fit
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...MQFnoECEEQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2joAhRZ5tmtD0YZeF3EsEO
The VESA Interface Standard defines the distance in millimeters between the four mounting holes on the back of a TV (distance horizontally x distance vertically). VESA is a standard used for TV wall mounts and wall mounting systems, adapted by most TV brands.

 

Yes, removing them may mean the wall needs to be painted (at tenant's cost or live with it patchy) and then reinstate and paint at end of lease (again at tenant's cost),

I am reasonably handy and do all the patching and painting between tenants from them mounting mirrors, hanging pictures or just messing paintwork.

Final inspection and Bond disposal sorts out these issues as there is usually some reinstatement or repair work between tenants.

It really is not a big deal.

 

I've never heard of a tenant wanting picture hooks removed before, how odd. Wanting to remove the TV brackets makes more sense- I don't think I have more tjan one or two tenants that have TV's mounted on the walls.

I agree with a couple of earlier comments- the tenants are welcome to remove and patch/paint to a professional standard to suit themselves, but not at your expense.

 

Ahhh....you can just tell these tenants are gonna be lovely angels who you'd want to rent to long term.


Keep all correspondence and documentation. I have a feeling you'll one day need it.

 

Me too! To remove & patch & paint is costly and time consuming. The tenant leased it 'as is', however I may give them the opportunity to break lease, if they wish.

 

Televisions and computers should not be in bedrooms. they interfere with sleep cycles. I would not like to have a television bracket in a bedroom. However, this view is not shared by all.

A reno IP had a hole about 300 X 200 mm where the television was mounted on the wall, cables, broken plaster, connector hanging. It worked but looked horrible. A sparky fixed the wiring and it took me a while to fix the hole. As the entire IP was being painted the patch was all but invisible. Installing brackets at the start of a lease and removing at the end or vice versa is tedious.

This is the simplest solution.

 

You mean stuff like this, not much you can do about it apparently, you need to have a good reason to not let them put nails in.