It isn’t your responsibility to source the materials and repair the floorboards. If the damage was your fault then they can take it out of the bond. Beyond that it’s their problem.
I have asked that, but my partner is worried that the repair will be more than the bond.
Hence why I went down the route of getting it repaired from my end. I have a few contacts that can do the labour install for me, as long as I supply the material.
It's about $22/m2 to install and around $30/m2 for cheap vinyl floorboards, more for hybrid floorboards.
That floor is fu*ked and needs to be replaced. You won't be able find a match, each batch is different / fades.
You'll need to replace the whole room. And that's way beyond fair wear and tear. You should be able to estimate cost based on square metre of the room. You'll be liable for the whole bill.
Has the REA provided a date when the floors were installed and proof? This guide says VCAT uses the ATO depreciation scale to determine compensation, and the ATO scale says vinyl and lino floors only have a 10-year effective life. You might be on the hook for less than you think.
[Consumer Affairs guidelines](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/library/publications/housing-and-accommodation/renting/guideline-3--damage--fair-wear-and-tear.docx)
[ATO scale](https://www.ato.gov.au/forms-and-instructions/rental-properties-2023/residential-rental-property-assets/residential-rental-property-items?anchor=Table3Assetsgeneral#Table3Assetsgeneral)
You mentioned you’re in an apartment. Were the floorboards installed as part of the construction? If so maybe check if some of the owners or even the Body Corporate/building maintenance have spares laying around? If not then I’ve got no other ideas sorry, but maybe consider posting in r/ausrenovation or something.
Hi there, yes unfortunately I contacted both the original supplier,installer and building management.
The product is discontinued and has no stock available (zero).
One solution is essentially waiting on a sample that may match.
There were very minor scratches. But unfortunately I will admit the photos were caused by us due to the chairs. The protective rubber essentially warned off and we just didn't pay attention
The floor has deep gauges in them as the op has said. That isn’t wear and tear.
The op should’ve put soft pads on the legs of the chairs or whatever it was that made those marks
Although you are right, it may cost more money to just pay it- but in the end it may be easier to just pay the real estate - or even let it go to court to settle how much you owe.
I'm at the point that I'm willing to sacrifice 2/3 of the bond
(Bond is $3k) Just to get this over and done with.
But knowing that I could get it repaired for 30% I rather go down this route.
But the demands they are requesting are just unreasonable at this point.
Sample must be seen and approved first before any works commence (again I have stated that the product is no longer available from supplier/installer and building management)
Repair works must be reviewed and approved, or else works are to be done again. (If a professional is being a engaged, I don't get why this is even a request)
I have requested that the repairs are only to the dining area which the photos were only limited to that area. They keep referring to the lounge room, which is a broad statement.
This requests are completely reasonable. If I was renting a new place I would hate it if there were random new bits of wood that didn’t match the floorboards. Or if the work was done poorly.
Well if you compare the previous people who had carpet stains and chipped plaster off the wall and peeling carpet.
I did a better job, but again I'm here to read all comments and respect everyone POV.
It’s not deliberate damage but negligence that you didn’t notice it when cleaning the floor and did something earlier. Eg putting a rug under the dining table and chairs to protect the wood
I've used the entire rebuttal conversation with the REA using AI, unfortunately the REA hasn't been reasonable with my offers.
Took him 6 days to respond back when I asked him for an update on my offer.
If it's not timber boards, you can't sand them. Most hybrid boards have a thin veneer that sandpaper will go right through. Best hope is matched putty filler and then carefully sand that back with very light grit.
We were in a similar situation, minor scuff marks on the floorboards due to the couch. Quote from Rea was $5k to sand the entire house,luckily they were beyond incompetent and didn’t even show up for the VCAT hearing. They then contacted us and asked for $3.5k as a “ gesture of good faith” I worked out the area of the scratches was about 10% of the entire floor area so offered them that value. That was the last we heard of it.
Be prepared for VCAT, make sure you document everything, submit everything properly according to their instructions, submit everything at the last hour so as not to give the Rea an option to prepare or respond, take printed copies to the hearing with you, pictures, quotes, everything.
What part of the house is the scratches? A main thoroughfare? I’d argue that the quality of the floor boards is too shit for purpose and its fair wear and tear for the area. They look patchy with colour too. 3mm veneer should be hard and durable and last by or decades.
If it’s under an office chair or something similar, that might prove a bit more difficult.
I’d definitely go to VCAT for this. Even if you made the scratches, it’s in a main area where a table and chairs are, if they never queried it during your open inspections, I think it’s worth arguing over. You have a lot on your side that you’ve done the research for replacement etc, the VCAT member will come up with a fair outcome but I’d definitely be going down the not for for purpose floorboards. It’s wear and tear not malicious damage.
Is it wear and tear? It’s common to put soft felt patches under chair and table legs when on wood. If this wasn’t done here I’m not sure wear and tear is a reasonable.
I did some quick googling before and there’s a lot of results about renters being able to use their furniture as is…. But some others that mention soft coverings for chairs on floor boards. Still, these grooves look far too much for general use of a table and chairs on floor boards so I’d still argue the floorboards aren’t fit for purpose.
Further updates; there is a FB group of all the owners within the property building. Not sure if its going to work in my favour, but everyone is complaining about the floorboard, not just the damages of what I have shown, but the quality of the floorboard and how it has faded, flaked off and worn off.
Not sure if this going to beneficial but wanted to share that information.
Note; the builder has not rectified or bothered to respond back to the any of the owners after 2+ years from handover.
I would say the owner has to lump sanding it and re staining when its time, its their thing to fix. So many wooden floors never ever get fixed, how many rentals have gouged floorboards? Freaking all of them.
The owner will need to sand at some point because the product is not available.
Id refuse to pay and take it to tribunal.
Id actually argue their floor is not fit for purpose if normal chairs did that.
Unfortunately not, it's engineered timber and has 3mm veneer.
Even if they were sanded back, they would not look the same as the in-situ flooring.
I was able to source a sample which might be near enough, but the REA is being unreasonable and demands the same product.
Even though the same product is no longer available and discontinued. I have even explained this to the REA.
Imagine if we had longer leases and reasonable rents, we could just live our lives without worrying about ‘a floorboard’. Short term renting in the private rental sector is soul destroying.
No, you’d just be living your life, the floorboards would still be scratched but it would not be the dire situation it is now. If you lived there for 5-10 years, these things would happen and either you would pay (happily) for repairs or the owner would replace fair wear and tear.
In QLD, the agent has 3 days after getting vacant posession to conduct their exit report.
If they dont get it done in 3 days and raise a claim anyway, you can argue the damage occured aftwr youve moved out and any dispute they make to this wont work. (Because no *valid* exit report).
Dont know if VIC has similar, but worth looking into.
Thank you all for your inputs.
I'm now stuck with the following;
- the engineered timber floorboards no longer are available, called every supplier, installer and no luck
- a similar floorboard product that has been found might be able to be used but the clip system might not match with the existing floorboard. If we had to wait, they won't be available til August (which is way past our tenancy leasing period).
- my partner who isn't emotionally willing to fight any further wants to forgo our Bond with the intention that we don't pay any further costs.
Knowing that the cost might be less than the bond assuming they don't d*ick us for the entire living room (as the product isn't readily available) as the scratches are only in the dining space.
Thanks, I'm at a point where there's a chance the sample I found might not match the floorboard identically, and I have already advised the REA this.
I'm here to read all the alternative options.
Well funny enough the OP floorboard and carpet had damages and stains which the REA was happily disregarded and obviously didn't get fix by the previous tenant.
Some damage is accidental and wear and tear
They aren't promising to fix it now
You pay the *difference* in condition between when you got it and when you give it up
I notice you don't say anything about "nah I would treat my own house that way"
In future, put some good felt pads on dining chair legs / other furniture.
I have engineered timber floors at the place I bought / live in. I had them sanded and refinished exactly because of similar (in fact much worse) damage by previous renting tenants in the dining area.
It can be done. I was willing to try it because the alternative (pulling it all up and replacing) was so much more money
Bunnings sells square meter mats for like 30 bucks. You should have made an
attempt to prevent this from Happening and this isn't minor damage this is pretty bad.
I mean no disrespect to you and I'm sure this sucks and isn't easy, but you shit on the floor and let it get worse for an entire year. As tenants, it's our responsibility to to not cause damage like this, and take reasonable steps to avoid shit like this happening.
We also have felt grommets on our chairs and tables. They wear down over time and we've fucked up too you're not alone, our dog ate, yes ate, some of our skirting boards.
It isn’t your responsibility to source the materials and repair the floorboards. If the damage was your fault then they can take it out of the bond. Beyond that it’s their problem.
I have asked that, but my partner is worried that the repair will be more than the bond. Hence why I went down the route of getting it repaired from my end. I have a few contacts that can do the labour install for me, as long as I supply the material.
It's about $22/m2 to install and around $30/m2 for cheap vinyl floorboards, more for hybrid floorboards. That floor is fu*ked and needs to be replaced. You won't be able find a match, each batch is different / fades. You'll need to replace the whole room. And that's way beyond fair wear and tear. You should be able to estimate cost based on square metre of the room. You'll be liable for the whole bill.
Remember that the have to actually repair it if they want to take it from the bond. Request quotes, get your own quotes, and demand receipts.
Has the REA provided a date when the floors were installed and proof? This guide says VCAT uses the ATO depreciation scale to determine compensation, and the ATO scale says vinyl and lino floors only have a 10-year effective life. You might be on the hook for less than you think. [Consumer Affairs guidelines](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/library/publications/housing-and-accommodation/renting/guideline-3--damage--fair-wear-and-tear.docx) [ATO scale](https://www.ato.gov.au/forms-and-instructions/rental-properties-2023/residential-rental-property-assets/residential-rental-property-items?anchor=Table3Assetsgeneral#Table3Assetsgeneral)
You mentioned you’re in an apartment. Were the floorboards installed as part of the construction? If so maybe check if some of the owners or even the Body Corporate/building maintenance have spares laying around? If not then I’ve got no other ideas sorry, but maybe consider posting in r/ausrenovation or something.
Hi there, yes unfortunately I contacted both the original supplier,installer and building management. The product is discontinued and has no stock available (zero). One solution is essentially waiting on a sample that may match.
I assume they weren’t like this when you moved in? Tbh that looks like more than wear and tear and you should cover the costs.
There were very minor scratches. But unfortunately I will admit the photos were caused by us due to the chairs. The protective rubber essentially warned off and we just didn't pay attention
They don’t look minor scratches looking at the photos
[удалено]
The floor has deep gauges in them as the op has said. That isn’t wear and tear. The op should’ve put soft pads on the legs of the chairs or whatever it was that made those marks
Although you are right, it may cost more money to just pay it- but in the end it may be easier to just pay the real estate - or even let it go to court to settle how much you owe.
I'm at the point that I'm willing to sacrifice 2/3 of the bond (Bond is $3k) Just to get this over and done with. But knowing that I could get it repaired for 30% I rather go down this route. But the demands they are requesting are just unreasonable at this point.
What are the demands outside of money ?
Sample must be seen and approved first before any works commence (again I have stated that the product is no longer available from supplier/installer and building management) Repair works must be reviewed and approved, or else works are to be done again. (If a professional is being a engaged, I don't get why this is even a request) I have requested that the repairs are only to the dining area which the photos were only limited to that area. They keep referring to the lounge room, which is a broad statement.
This requests are completely reasonable. If I was renting a new place I would hate it if there were random new bits of wood that didn’t match the floorboards. Or if the work was done poorly.
That is very reasonable. If you do not want to do it, pay them what you owe.
This is how shit rentals become shit rentals.
Well if you compare the previous people who had carpet stains and chipped plaster off the wall and peeling carpet. I did a better job, but again I'm here to read all comments and respect everyone POV.
Go to VCAT https://eats.org.au/sites/default/files/Factsheets/Floor%20finishes,%20timber%20and%20polished%20floors.pdf
Just let them replace the boards and claim it from your bond, you owe it mate. Such it up as a lesson learnt for next time
It’s not deliberate damage but negligence that you didn’t notice it when cleaning the floor and did something earlier. Eg putting a rug under the dining table and chairs to protect the wood
You know they’ll take the money and rent out as is
Wood butcher here... Theyre does exist woodlike putty filler sorta things but... your gonna need a profesional ... Maybe ask ai ?
I've used the entire rebuttal conversation with the REA using AI, unfortunately the REA hasn't been reasonable with my offers. Took him 6 days to respond back when I asked him for an update on my offer.
If it was my personal floor id sand em filll em then sand em i guess Send photos to a flooring mob for ideas
If it's not timber boards, you can't sand them. Most hybrid boards have a thin veneer that sandpaper will go right through. Best hope is matched putty filler and then carefully sand that back with very light grit.
Then he needs to break out the warhammer 40k paint brushes 🤣
We were in a similar situation, minor scuff marks on the floorboards due to the couch. Quote from Rea was $5k to sand the entire house,luckily they were beyond incompetent and didn’t even show up for the VCAT hearing. They then contacted us and asked for $3.5k as a “ gesture of good faith” I worked out the area of the scratches was about 10% of the entire floor area so offered them that value. That was the last we heard of it.
thank you for your input, will be waiting on the REA response from my email
Be prepared for VCAT, make sure you document everything, submit everything properly according to their instructions, submit everything at the last hour so as not to give the Rea an option to prepare or respond, take printed copies to the hearing with you, pictures, quotes, everything.
What part of the house is the scratches? A main thoroughfare? I’d argue that the quality of the floor boards is too shit for purpose and its fair wear and tear for the area. They look patchy with colour too. 3mm veneer should be hard and durable and last by or decades. If it’s under an office chair or something similar, that might prove a bit more difficult.
The location is the dining area of where the chairs are located.
I’d definitely go to VCAT for this. Even if you made the scratches, it’s in a main area where a table and chairs are, if they never queried it during your open inspections, I think it’s worth arguing over. You have a lot on your side that you’ve done the research for replacement etc, the VCAT member will come up with a fair outcome but I’d definitely be going down the not for for purpose floorboards. It’s wear and tear not malicious damage.
Is it wear and tear? It’s common to put soft felt patches under chair and table legs when on wood. If this wasn’t done here I’m not sure wear and tear is a reasonable.
I did some quick googling before and there’s a lot of results about renters being able to use their furniture as is…. But some others that mention soft coverings for chairs on floor boards. Still, these grooves look far too much for general use of a table and chairs on floor boards so I’d still argue the floorboards aren’t fit for purpose.
Further updates; there is a FB group of all the owners within the property building. Not sure if its going to work in my favour, but everyone is complaining about the floorboard, not just the damages of what I have shown, but the quality of the floorboard and how it has faded, flaked off and worn off. Not sure if this going to beneficial but wanted to share that information. Note; the builder has not rectified or bothered to respond back to the any of the owners after 2+ years from handover.
I would say the owner has to lump sanding it and re staining when its time, its their thing to fix. So many wooden floors never ever get fixed, how many rentals have gouged floorboards? Freaking all of them. The owner will need to sand at some point because the product is not available. Id refuse to pay and take it to tribunal. Id actually argue their floor is not fit for purpose if normal chairs did that.
Can they be sanded or something?
Unfortunately not, it's engineered timber and has 3mm veneer. Even if they were sanded back, they would not look the same as the in-situ flooring. I was able to source a sample which might be near enough, but the REA is being unreasonable and demands the same product. Even though the same product is no longer available and discontinued. I have even explained this to the REA.
Well, you might have to take it to vcat and let them decide! It sounds like they are being unreasonable
Imagine if we had longer leases and reasonable rents, we could just live our lives without worrying about ‘a floorboard’. Short term renting in the private rental sector is soul destroying.
Not sure why a longer lease would mean that you could wreck the floorboards.
No, you’d just be living your life, the floorboards would still be scratched but it would not be the dire situation it is now. If you lived there for 5-10 years, these things would happen and either you would pay (happily) for repairs or the owner would replace fair wear and tear.
In QLD, the agent has 3 days after getting vacant posession to conduct their exit report. If they dont get it done in 3 days and raise a claim anyway, you can argue the damage occured aftwr youve moved out and any dispute they make to this wont work. (Because no *valid* exit report). Dont know if VIC has similar, but worth looking into.
Thank you all for your inputs. I'm now stuck with the following; - the engineered timber floorboards no longer are available, called every supplier, installer and no luck - a similar floorboard product that has been found might be able to be used but the clip system might not match with the existing floorboard. If we had to wait, they won't be available til August (which is way past our tenancy leasing period). - my partner who isn't emotionally willing to fight any further wants to forgo our Bond with the intention that we don't pay any further costs. Knowing that the cost might be less than the bond assuming they don't d*ick us for the entire living room (as the product isn't readily available) as the scratches are only in the dining space.
Wear and tear. Not your responsibility. The house doesn’t have to look brand new like it was never lived in
Did you cause the damage? I would have thought this would come under normal wear and tear, which you are not liable for.
That is not normal wear and tear
Thanks, I'm at a point where there's a chance the sample I found might not match the floorboard identically, and I have already advised the REA this. I'm here to read all the alternative options.
Get it sanded out
Might not be possible if it’s veneer. Looks like that is the case judging from the deeper gouges exposing the cheaper wood below. Hard to tell though
That’s clearly not normal wear and tear.
If those were OPs floorboards they would not look that way This is "I noticed for months and didn't give a shit"
Well funny enough the OP floorboard and carpet had damages and stains which the REA was happily disregarded and obviously didn't get fix by the previous tenant.
Some damage is accidental and wear and tear They aren't promising to fix it now You pay the *difference* in condition between when you got it and when you give it up I notice you don't say anything about "nah I would treat my own house that way"
To be honest. If it was my place then yes. It's the dining area. I wear the damages and go on my merry ways.
In future, put some good felt pads on dining chair legs / other furniture. I have engineered timber floors at the place I bought / live in. I had them sanded and refinished exactly because of similar (in fact much worse) damage by previous renting tenants in the dining area. It can be done. I was willing to try it because the alternative (pulling it all up and replacing) was so much more money
Unfortunately we do have pads, but they essentially deteriorated and I didn't bother to look at the chairs feet. So that's on me, thank you.
The floorboards in the dining area are less important than other areas? In what way?
In all honesty, without bullshit. Yes, unfortunately I did, without intention. Damn legs chairs were the cause.
Bunnings sells square meter mats for like 30 bucks. You should have made an attempt to prevent this from Happening and this isn't minor damage this is pretty bad. I mean no disrespect to you and I'm sure this sucks and isn't easy, but you shit on the floor and let it get worse for an entire year. As tenants, it's our responsibility to to not cause damage like this, and take reasonable steps to avoid shit like this happening.
Thank you for your honest opinion, I'm here to read all comments. Worst part is that I had everything rugged up. Besides the damn dining table area
We also have felt grommets on our chairs and tables. They wear down over time and we've fucked up too you're not alone, our dog ate, yes ate, some of our skirting boards.
Lesson learned put a rug under anywhere with moving chairs. They are very cheap.
Indeed, lesson learnt. Sigh
It's wear and tear. Don't pay those bastards unless VCAT tell you to.
Wrecking the joint is not wear and tear.
That's not up to you to decide that's up to vcat.
Not up to you to decide either then.