will need replacing at some point, usually sooner rather than latter, albeit the carpet as opposed to the underlay. Must admit though that i have had same tenant in one flat now for 8 years but the carpet's are disgusting. I think he must hoover up once a year and eat his dinner off the carpet but if thats how he wants to live and the rent is paid promto then I will recarpet on vacation with the same basic felt backed cord at a cost of approx =A3300. Quick lick of paint and it will look good as new again. Will top notch carpets and underlay make any diff to the rent you will get?
I am hoping that using good underlay will mean that only the carpet will need replacing at whatever point.
I have just managed to evict the last of this type of tenant, (I hope), and am refurbishing to a standard which is attracting professional people.
It definitely affects the type of tenant I get, (which is critical), and I am reasonably sure that it is affecting the rent. Cloud 9 or Tredaire Seventh Heaven, (at £2.20 +/- a yard), makes a massive difference to the feel of even a cheap carpet, (say retail at £3.99 a yard).
I guess I am actually wondering if anyone has experienced an improvement in feel by buying the extra 2mm of underlay?
I'd recommend felt underlay, but not sure for tenants... it will certainly outlast the rubber ribbed variety. Rubber crumb underlay (e.g. Treadmore) is very good, too (old car tyres!). Carpet fitters recommend rubber rib or whatever, though, 'cos it is easier to use. The the thickness of the underlay isn't as important as the resiliance - you could, for instance, put in 15mm of upholstery sponge rubber, but it would be bettered by almost any proper carpet underlay! I would not be *too* penny-pinching, if you work out the extra cost of reasonable underlay/carpet (rather than that thin courduroy-like really cheap stuff) you will probably find that a) the cost won't be a large factor in your return, especially if your accountant's OK, and b) it will, as you say, improve the "quality" feel of your let and hopefully attract a better class of tenant!
Rubber crumb or the other rubber things are blooming awful when, not if, they fail. 1/4" thick layer of black dust to collect up...
Cloud 9 etc is not rubber but poly something or other foam chips bonded together and sealed between thin plastic film.
Clound 9 an the ilk is much lighter and just as easy to cut and lay as the rubber things. It also has better sound and heat insulation properties. I don't know what its failure mode is but at least it starts with the substrate is between two plastic films.
I wouldn't use anything other than one of these poly foam underlays now. As for thickness, 9 mm poly foam is ample, unless you really want to go the full luxury feel in perhaps a bedroom with a good carpet (not the =A33.99 cheapy stuff...).
Ha! Ha! Ha! Just because someone wears a suit and has a monthly salary means nothing in terms of tenantlike behaviour. I've seen professional people with kitchens that a brothel-keeper would be ashamed of.
I cant dispute that but my experience has been of 14 flats, all bought with Housing benefit tenants, and my biggest concern was the lack of payment of rent. This was always blamed on the benefit system and, to some degree, I sympathised. However, I have been taken for a few rides and it takes a few months to realise that it is the tenant who is taking the mickey, and not the system.
At least with people paying their own rent, you know when they dont pay that they cant blame it on the governments system. So...... as soon as a payment is missed, I will be on notice. If 2 payments are missed, it is enough to issue a sec. 8 notice, and a summons 14 days later.
If I get wind that a flat is not being looked after, I can issue a sec.
21 notice, and most people who earn money will play ball for fear of CCJ's etc...
And, so far..... with 6 flats let to "professionals", for 7 months now, there have been no problems, and the rent has been paid on the dot, (and the rents are approx. 50% higher as well - £500pm +/- as against £325pm
+/- previously. This was unheard of previously.
I've also got properties which are worth substantially more than they were previously, (over and above the rise in the market), and which could be sold individually if appropriate.
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