Tenant requests

[Mak]

Anyone requested ceiling fans be installed in the bedrooms in their rented house?
Would you expect landlords to do it?

[Miss.September]

I guess it depends on the landlord! We had one great landlord who was happy to do whatever, but the others wouldn't even fix urgent repairs (leaking shower in upstairs bathroom resulting in ceiling damage in the room downstairs, shorting out rangehood that cut out the power if it was turned on).

I'd ask anyway. They can only say no.

ETA - Just a thought too, I guess it depends on how in demand the house you live in would be if you moved out. Like the house beside us is a dump. If the current tenants moved out, the landlord would have to spend a substantial amount of money to get the house to a decent standard (and it's not the tenant's fault the house is this way). All the tenant has asked for is a screen door. It's getting to the point that they're going to move out because they can't stand to live there anymore and the rent is being pushed up. It will cost the landlord far less to put in the screen door to keep the tenant happy, than the work they're going to have to do to get the house to a standard that can ask for the high rent they are expecting ITMS.

[Phteven]

No. I wouldn't put ceiling fans in for my tenant. They rented the place as is. I will repair anything that needs repairing but I won't install anything new.

[Mak]

Hmm thanks for the views! I guess cos the tenants have been in the house 2 years I would have expected to them to buy fans rather than get some installed! xx

[Feijoa Mum]

My sister has been renting from the same owner for nearly 5 years now and they have a fantastic relationship. Almost makes me want to rent again if I was to get a landlord like hers
They run a text past her saying things like the element has gone in the oven is it ok to get a new one? She will say "yes of course" then they give her the receipt and deduct the cost from their next rent. It helps that her DP is very handy and can do lots of bits and pieces around the house.
Sister wanted to paint the interior of the house so the landlord paid for the paint and my sister did all the painting herself. As she sees it, it is a win win. They cant afford to buy anytime soon and the landlord is happy to have them there as they treat the house like their own and are fantastic tenants.
She replaced the dishwasher within a day of them telling her it had died, and they are currently getting quotes to put aircon through the living areas.

So although I dont own a rental, I think if I had tenants I wanted to keep I would, if I was able do what I could to keep them. Dont you get it all back come tax time anyway??

[Phteven]

No, you don't get it all back come tax time. On-going maintenance is tax deductible (not a rebate) so are small expenses and capital works however installing a fan would probably be neither capital works or small expenses so it would not be deductible.
Frankly installing a fan would not increase the rental value enough to pay for itself.

[OceanPrincess]

So although I dont own a rental, I think if I had tenants I wanted to keep I would, if I was able do what I could to keep them. Dont you get it all back come tax time anyway??

Yep that. If they are good tenants, keep them happy

Mine are great. Hello, if you are reading this

[Rowellen]

Dont you get it all back come tax time anyway??

No. You can claim a portion of it spread out over several years (depending on what it is). Even then you only get back what your tax rate is. For most people, this would be 31.5% including medicare levy. As an example, if you outlay $2000 on 1/7/11, and you can claim depreciation at 30%, you would get back $189 in your 2012 tax return. Each year thereafter would be less. In the 2013 tax return, you'd get $132.50. Even then, you only get it as a refund if you have actually paid more tax than you needed to elsewhere. It's a common misunderstanding. A tax deduction of $x doesn't mean you get $x back, it means your income is reduced by $x and your tax is worked out on the lower amount.

I would consider putting in ceiling fans if the tenant requested it and they were good tenants. Some things I wouldn't consider. For example, our tenant requested permission to have a cat. We said no as the property is not suitable for pets (unfenced 1bed unit) and not allowed by body corporate anyway. I won't be surprised if she doesn't renew her lease because of it but it can't be helped. We have always repaired anything that needs repairing straight away.

[Beach Mama]

We have only been landlords for a few months and a request like I think we probably would put them in, particularly if the house was very hot, and there was no a/c in bedrooms etc. It also adds value to the property so for something like that yes we probably would. Cats OP?! Definitely not, as for any other requests I guess it would depend on the cost etc. and if it was worthwhile for us as an investment as well as if the tenants were being reasonable with the requests.

[Mak]

I wasn't keen as there is little/no return tax or otherwise and the place would rent pretty easily anyway at the current rent. My main worry was that the ceilings are pretty low and I have a bit of a fear of ceiling fans anyway! Should be interesting as I think the ball park quote was about $2000 to buy/install said fans. Will be interesting to see what it really is!
ETA - I wasn't thinking fans would add value either??!!!

[Phteven]

That quote seems very high to me unless there is a reason that the wiring would be very complex and time consuming.

[Beach Mama]

$2000!!!!!! What on earth!! Not so much add value I mean as being a selling/renting point if there was no other cooling in the house?

[Miss.September]

Wow! How many fans is that for? I know Beacon has fans at the moment for $90. With what my DH charges to install fans in Melb, that would equate to 7 fans.

[Phteven]

TBH I don't think ceiling fans add value. I wouldn't pay extra for them or even bother looking to see if a house had them (in fact I belong to the finding them a little alarming school). A/C on the other hand might add value both for capital gain and rental income and if it's well installed it isn't high maintenance. For $2k you could look at A/C instead.

[OceanPrincess]

Agree, 2000 is way high. Unless they want those fancy fans that have retractable blades???

They retail for like $150. That's a lot of money for wiring and installation... unless they want like 6 fans?

ETA: Just saw some on the Beacon lighting website for less than $100.

[Pholi]

I haven't been in this situation, though my parents have. If I were the tenent, I would be hopinng the landlord would see it as a valuable addition to the house which would increase its appeal to future tenents. As the landlord, it depends on the house and what heating/cooling mechanisms it already has, and where it's situated geographically. If it's somewhere that only gets a few uncomfortably hot nights per year, I'd say no. I believe my parents were happy to comply as the tenents were very desirable, quite long term, and offered to go halves in the cost. The tenent could choose to buy a standing fan for each room - ceiling fans are not the only option for them.

[Jennifer13]

We asked for a/c to be installed when we moved in three years ago. We offered to pay half the cost as a small rental increase over our two year lease.

[LionsandBears]

My Mum's tenant have asked for another A/C unit in the front bedrrom. It faces NW, so gets very hot. She's gotten quotes and has agreed to install it if they agree to an increase in rent. They're good tenants, they want to stay and she wants to keep them.