Charlie09
0 Thanks
3 Posts
Your advice would be very much appreciated; I have decided not to renew my tenants 12-month contract and they are due to vacate the property on Saturday 30th September 2023.
Within days of moving into the property, their vehicle started to leak engine oil onto the allocated parking space and the oil has now damaged the tarmac beyond repair.
After many calls and emails to the lettings agent which went unacknowledged the tenants finally arranged for an external company to pressure wash the driveway on Friday 15th September 2023 because I refused to renew the agreement due to the damage.
Needless to say, the oil remains and the tenants are now suggesting digging out the damaged area, filling it and then painting their part of the driveway so they can have their full deposit returned. The driveway serves three vehicles and the tenants have use of the middle parking space so it will look very odd indeed and tarmac repairs never last and I certainly have never come across a paint which will paint over oil.
Needless to say, any return of deposit cannot be agreed until the exit tenancy appointment takes place to assess any further damage, however, can I request that they either engage the services of another professional company who specialise in the removal of the engine oil and not to use a pressure washing company and the work to be completed before they move out, or can I say if they do not do this then I will engage a contractor and they will be charged. Also if the oil cannot be removed would they be charged with relaying the whole driveway with new tarmac? Not sure where I stand. Your advice would be appreciated. I do have photos prior to them moving in showing the driveway oil free, the oil patch is extremely large.
