Recovering carpet damage?

Our Experts Answer:

You should first find out how much it will cost to replace the carpets. Get a quote from a carpet supplier and installer. If the carpet in one room is just over a year old, then most of the replacement cost for that room can be attributed to the tenant. However, the Tenancy Tribunal generally values carpet according to its depreciated value over time. It is likely, therefore, that a 12-year old carpet will be valued very low. I suggest you contact your accountant or Inland Revenue Department to obtain an appropriate depreciation factor to apply to the cost of the carpet. Then discuss the calculations with your tenant. Working out a fair recovery could save you the time and cost of a Tenancy Tribunal application.