Furnished Rental Question

[Anonymous]

Back in 2016 I rented my furnished vacation condo out year round. Was a one year lease and newlywed couple said mostly likely 2-3 years. We rented as not using much.

I charged same as an unfurnished unit. The couple were young so did not really have stuff so worked out good both of us.

Flash forward to 2024 they are still there. Furniture is starting to break.

This is an unusual situation as it was my vacation condo. Everything was super mint when they moved in as literally we painted, decorated and furnished and only used it 15-20 nights, it looked wonderful.

But 8 years is coming up, let’s say a coffee table, dining room table, end table, “breaks” and they replace what happens when they leave?

[Anonymous]

What doe your lease say? If it doesn't address the furniture it's probably on you. Was it good furniture or particle board?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What doe your lease say? If it doesn't address the furniture it's probably on you. Was it good furniture or particle board?

Does not address furniture. Beautiful living room set. 5 piece Lazy Boy. Real dining room set, brand new mattresses, also TV, phones, blender, toaster, pots and pans, kitchen ware, bedroom end tables, it was rented as if an Airbnb. Only thing we removed was linens. I mean even mattress pads, toilet brushes, broom, mop, Wall art, curtains, alarm clocks, clothes hangers, knives, spoons and forks, coffee maker, literally we just took sheets and blankets out of unit.

Given inflation I am scared of cost to replace items. Or do they leave the items they bought?

To be honest it never was intended to be this long. I think they were going to buy a home and housing took off so quick missed the window.

[Anonymous]

I would ask them to have the damaged items repaired or replaced. But, some of that stuff will not last forever and you need to just be realistic with it. If you wanted that stuff pristine you should have not left it in there. Its been 8 years.

[Anonymous]

You had 100% rental rate for 8 years! That's awesome.

They should take what they bought, honestly. You'll have to replace everything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You had 100% rental rate for 8 years! That's awesome.

They should take what they bought, honestly. You'll have to replace everything else.

Not really that normal for good areas, furniture depreciated after 7 years so anything sooner is damage

[Anonymous]

8 years is a long time with plenty of daily use. Would you really sleep on a mattress that someone else has been using for 8 years? The forks and knives even? You make is sound like they held you hostage and you just had to rent them a fully furnished placed for this long.

Do a walk through and see what you can keep. Mark it then everything else should go with them. You don't want to have to haul it out also do you?

[Anonymous]

Let them replace pieces they prefer to replace at their expense and let them take those with them when they move out. 8 years is a long time. You should be ok to write the furniture off at this point.

[Anonymous]

I would use normal “wear and tear” for furniture as well.
If it looks eight years old furniture because it is eight years old.
If there is obvious damage I can negotiate for keeping some money from security deposit.

[Anonymous]

PP Here
Put addendum on your next lease renewal about furniture saying the tenants will deliver the listed items in good condition normal wear and tear to be expected.
And it will be a good time to increase rent if their income allows it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP Here
Put addendum on your next lease renewal about furniture saying the tenants will deliver the listed items in good condition normal wear and tear to be expected.
And it will be a good time to increase rent if their income allows it.

I raised rent periodically but still below market as good people.

I ask as I got something that broke and they told me replacing. I am fine with that. But don’t want it to be things break they toss buy their own and take it all with them.

I live in a different state. At time I had choice put everything in storage, have it moved to my house in a different state and clog up my basement or rent furnished.

I even have a gas grill and patio furniture there.

My MIL and my mother has some Wooden solid furniture a long time like 40-60 years. So dining room table, kitchen table, coffee table etc in my opinion should be there in perfect shape unless they break or damage them. Other things do wear out.

I have full contents insurance on unit I wonder for things that should last like solid wooden furniture if broken or gone I can file a claim.

It would be annoying to take back unit and drive 300 miles back with family hoping to stay there to find it 1/2 empty. At that point I have to toss remaining furniture and rent unfurnished or spent thousands buying furniture. Neither a good choice. I rented furnished as assumed wrongly it be a 2-3 year thing. Not an 8-10 year thing. But I highly doubted they thought they would be there that long.

[Anonymous]

OP, just buy some new crap. You rented it furnished. That’s a cost of renting a furnished apartment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would use normal “wear and tear” for furniture as well.
If it looks eight years old furniture because it is eight years old.
If there is obvious damage I can negotiate for keeping some money from security deposit.

Exactly. Unless it looks like something has been abused (a dog chewed it, etc) you have to assume that furniture will experience normal wear and tear. Furnished apartments rent for more than unfurnished, and that’s what the extra rent is for. You wouldn’t expect carpet and paint to be pristine after 8 years and shouldn’t charge a tenant for replacement for normal wear and tear. Most furniture falls into that category.

[Anonymous]

You are not realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would use normal “wear and tear” for furniture as well.
If it looks eight years old furniture because it is eight years old.
If there is obvious damage I can negotiate for keeping some money from security deposit.

Exactly. Unless it looks like something has been abused (a dog chewed it, etc) you have to assume that furniture will experience normal wear and tear. Furnished apartments rent for more than unfurnished, and that’s what the extra rent is for. You wouldn’t expect carpet and paint to be pristine after 8 years and shouldn’t charge a tenant for replacement for normal wear and tear. Most furniture falls into that category.

OP that would be true if I charged more, but I charged zero extra because furnished. If anything I got a bit less. I turned down people who wanted it unfurnished. I did it as did not want to move stuff that is on me.

I think Covid ruined my things as was a dual income couple who both had full time jobs in person then with Covid both were home full time almost three years. The wife is still home 1/2 the time.

I moved 8 years ago and all the furnishing I bought from 8 years ago is still perfect. That is not a long time, but if you are home 24/7 for three years maybe it accelerates damage.