Question about Tenancy Agreements and removal of Sateliite Dishes

[Weegee]

Hi there

I have a question regarding standard tenancy agreements and

Satellite dishes.

The estate agents for our old flat, are currently holding

our deposit back?until we remove the satellite dish

from the flat.

The dish was installed on a communal roof of the

block of flats..but the landlord has requested its

removed.

The agent said that we have to remove ..?as

part of terms of our agreement?

I've read through our agreement and there

is no reference to ?satellite dishes?

Have any of you had to remove a satellite

dish when you have moved out of your

rented house or flat?

[cdonline]

Wouldn't it be easier and err.. polite to remove the dish.

[Keef]

Did the landlord give you permission to install the dish?

[Weegee]

Yep the landlord gave us permission to put the dish up.

We wanted to know if there are specific clauses about dishes.

At our present house...the old tenants had installed a dish

but the landlord didnt ask them to remove it when they moved

out.

We tried to ask Sky to remove the dish but they are not interested...

[AcedOut]

Why would you want to leave it there anyway? Surely easiest to take it down?

[martell1]

It's difficult to comment without seeing the acutal agreement, but normally if you have to ask permission to install a dish then you would have to remove it at the end of your tenancy. There should be something in the contract to leave the premises in the condition it was handed over and that would have been without the dish. Seems like you are best off just getting it removed and then you will get your money back and it is neither here nor there that your current landlord didn't ask the previous tenant to remove their dish (although you may want to put something in writing that you will not be responsible for the cost of removing it at the end or during your current tenancy)

[Weegee]

Hey martell1

Tbanks for that. Yep we got a rate from

a contractor of ?95 which is reasonable

We feared that they would quote hundreds

to do this job.

so not too bad...and means we can

get most of deposit back.

Thanks for all your input on this

guys!

(tu)

martell1 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's difficult to comment without seeing the

> acutal agreement, but normally if you have to ask

> permission to install a dish then you would have

> to remove it at the end of your tenancy. There

> should be something in the contract to leave the

> premises in the condition it was handed over and

> that would have been without the dish. Seems like

> you are best off just getting it removed and then

> you will get your money back and it is neither

> here nor there that your current landlord didn't

> ask the previous tenant to remove their dish

> (although you may want to put something in writing

> that you will not be responsible for the cost of

> removing it at the end or during your current

> tenancy)

[AcedOut]

Is it hard to access the roof and not too dangerous to do so? If so, and doesn't require the use of ladders or scaffold etc, then it's just a case of removing 4 bolts and chopping off the coax. There is no power going to the dish, so it's perfectly safe (that's assuming it's a standard Sky dish).

That said for ?95, I suppose it's peace of mind. If you call a handy-man, he may be able to do it for cheaper. It's not a technical job.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Why is the landlord so keen to get rid anyway? Chances are the next tenants (or someone down the line) will want to install Sky anyway

[karter]

Sean, it could be an excuse to keep weegee's deposit money.

[SeanMacGabhann]

oh no doubt karter.. But what is wrong with some people.. such short-term thinking benefits no-one, landlord included.

So he gains ?95 from WeeGee but possibly loses several tenants who think "given the choice of flats, I'll take the one which does jave the dish installed already"

[AcedOut]

It is pretty stupid. You could always negotiate with your landlord. Tell him you'll pay to have it removed if the next tenants don't require Sky. Chances are, they'll need it anyway as SMG points out. What does he have to lose?

[karter]

you just cannot negotiate with some landords Acedout...

[AcedOut]

Very true. Tell him you'll let him off paying you back interest on the deposit! (if only) ;)