Do you prefer bare walls or pictures and shelves hanging everywhere? If you like to decorate every free space on the wall, be careful. In a rented apartment, such decoration can be a problem. Once you leave, the owner may want something back from you. What?
Renting an apartment is a great solution at a time when not everyone can afford a mortgage. Living in someone else’s apartment has its joys and pitfalls. And especially when it comes time to move out, you may face an unexpected challenge in the form of repairs to fixed shelves, pictures or a TV on the wall. These holes and scratches on the walls may be small, but they often mean more than a minor imperfection to the property owner. How does the tenant stand in such a situation from a legal point of view?
Watch a video of the YT creation of the Do Something channel! Tomáš Krásenský: How I do it – filling holes drilled in masonry
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According to the law, the tenant should hand the apartment back in a condition that corresponds to normal wear and tear. But what do you mean by “normal wear and tear”? For example, these are small traces of normal use, but if there are interventions that change the appearance or damage the structure of the wall, a repair should be carried out. In other words, while a few minor nail holes may still be within tolerance, larger modifications or holes from heavy shelves and televisions may already be a problem.
Read the tenancy agreement carefully as it is all about responsibility for repairs. If it includes a specification of what is considered normal wear and tear, then you as a tenant have a better idea of what will be required of you.
In some cases, the contract requires the tenant to repair the holes themselves, while in others the landlord may take responsibility and make the repairs at their own expense. If the tenant does not want or is unable to carry out the repairs, it is possible that the owner will arrange for them to be carried out and subsequently re-invoice the costs.
For a smoother transfer of the apartment, it is worth taking a photo of the apartment. If the tenant documents the condition of the apartment upon moving in, he can document how the apartment looked before it was used. In the same way, the owner should take photos of the walls when handing over, so that he has an overview of any changes that have occurred during the rental period.
Any landlord appreciates it if the tenant takes care to leave no traces behind. When the tenant leaves and the apartment is cleaned and the walls fixed, not only does he avoid possible financial penalties, but above all he leaves with a clean slate, and that is appreciated.
Source: czechpoint101.com
