Should a landlord replace carpets?

If you are wondering if a landlord should replace carpets in a rented property, you have come to the right place. Although there isn’t a specific statutory obligation highlighting whether landlords are responsible for carpets, it is always your responsibility to ensure your rental property is safe and habitable. 

Here, we’ll discuss your responsibilities as a landlord when it comes to carpets for your tenants, including why you may want to replace your carpets. 

Landlords’ legal responsibilities for carpets

As mentioned above, there are no legalities that state you should replace carpets in a rented property at any point, however, there is legislation that places a clear duty on landlords to maintain the property they are renting out and ensure it is fit for human habitation. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 is one such legislation. 

A carpet, while seemingly a minor detail, can significantly impact the habitability of a property, for example: 

• Excessively worn, ripped, or frayed carpets can become a trip hazard, posing a safety risk to tenants. 
• Carpets that are saturated with damp or harbouring mould can lead to significant health issues, such as skin irritations or respiratory problems
• Carpets that are beyond reasonable cleaning or that harbour persistent odours will make the property unpleasant and unhealthy to live in.

So, carpets can easily become a health and safety issue if they are not maintained properly, which will be seen as a landlord being in breach of their responsibility to provide a safe and habitable home. This means that yes, landlords are responsible for carpets. 

Why landlords should replace carpets

Let’s take a look at why landlords should replace carpets in their rental properties below. 

Condition of the carpet

One of the most obvious factors that will determine whether or not a landlord should replace a carpet will be the condition of the carpet. Carpets will fade and thin out, and it is normal that with age comes normal wear and tear. 

Also, if there are any isolated stains or marks that you cannot get out, you’ll need to think about replacing the carpets in your rental property. If, however, you’re able to easily mend these marks and stains, then you probably won’t need to replace all carpets. 

Another reason you’ll want to replace the carpets in your rental property is if the uncleanliness is beyond repair, even after professional cleaning. 

Health and safety risks

As mentioned above, any sign of mould growing on or beneath the carpet will demand immediate attention as it is a serious health hazard. Essentially, if carpets become unhygienic to the point of impacting your tenants’ daily living, you’ll need to replace them. 

Also, large holes, significant tears or severe buckling could create tripping hazards, especially for younger children or elderly residents. 

Cause of damage

You’ll need to understand why the carpet is damaged to the point where you’re considering replacing them. For example, normal wear and tear is something that can be expected as there will be a natural deterioration of an item over time with regular use. It is common that landlords are responsible for replacing carpets in this instance. 

If, however, tenants misuse or neglect the carpets in your rental property and the damage is significant enough beyond normal use, they may be held responsible for the cost of replacement. 

Do landlords have to clean carpets? 

There may be times when landlords are expected to clean carpets in their rental properties. 

As mentioned above, it will depend on whether or not the carpets are damaged or unclean due to the negligence of tenants. Instances where landlords are responsible for cleaning carpets include before a new tenancy agreement starts and new tenants move in. 

Tenancy agreement

One of the most proactive ways to prevent disputes over carpet conditions is to write up a clear and concise tenancy agreement. This document should clearly outline all expectations for both parties regarding the rental property, highlighting if landlords are responsible for carpets. 

Let’s look at some examples of what should be included in the tenancy agreement: 

• Maintenance standards: the expectations from both you as the landlord and tenants regarding the care and cleanliness of your property, including the carpets. 
• Responsibilities for damage: make sure that you differentiate between fair wear and tear and damage caused intentionally by tenants. 
• Detailed inventory and condition reports: ensure that you create a thorough inventory of the rental property and include the condition of the carpets. Make sure that you use photographic evidence in the inventory before tenants move in so that you have something to refer back to at the end of the tenancy.

Practical advice for landlords

There are a few things that you can implement as a landlord to ensure that your carpets are maintained and kept as clean as possible. 

Regular inspections

Make sure that you regularly inspect your property instead of waiting for tenant complaints. Scheduling periodic inspections will allow you to assess the condition of your carpets, where you’ll be able to identify any issues sooner rather than later. 

Assess when a replacement is needed

Try to identify if a replacement is needed by asking yourself whether the carpet is beyond reasonable repair or cleaning. If so, you need to identify whether or not the carpet poses a genuine health and safety risk to tenants.

As a landlord, you’ll need to ensure that your carpets don’t significantly detract from the overall habitability and appeal of the property. 

Professional evaluations

If, for some reason, you have inspected your rental property and noticed the carpets are dirty, but are unsure about the extent of the damage, you’ll need to gain a professional opinion. This is especially useful to establish whether or not there is mould in or under the carpets or if there is any structural damage to the carpet. 

Transparent communication

As always, we recommend that you establish and maintain open communication with your tenants. This way, you can discuss expectations about carpet care from the beginning or can inform them if any professional work needs to be carried out on the carpets. 

If your tenants are responsible for the damage to the carpets, you’ll need to present evidence to your tenants and discuss any potential liabilities with them transparently. 

In essence, it is clear that, as much as landlords are responsible for carpets in a rental property, tenants are also responsible for keeping them as clean as possible. Deciding whether or not you should replace carpets as a landlord can be a balancing act between your legal obligation to keep your property safe and habitable and ensuring tenants are satisfied. 

At CIA Landlords, you’ll find the best quotes for landlord insurance for your rental property. Get in touch with our team of experts for more information today on 01788 818 670. Also, for more advice on how to keep your rental property maintained, be sure to visit our resource centre.