Question
A tenant that has lived in my rental house for nearly 5 years is requesting that I install new carpeting as a condition of her renewing her lease for another year. She claims that the law requires carpet be changed out every 5 years.
Answer
I know of no jurisdiction that specifies when a carpet must be replaced. An exception would be if the carpet condition raised a habitability issue, particularly one of health or safety – as examples, bug infested or torn to the degree tenants
could be injured from tripping. Well-cared-for carpeting can last for 10 years or more. Manufacturers typically guarantee their carpeting for 10, 15, or more years I once managed a property where the tenant had lived in the unit since
its construction and the original cheap builder’s special carpet was still very serviceable after 17 years of their occupancy.
Unfortunately, I’ve also managed properties that had to have 1-year-old carpet replaced because it was badly damaged by the tenants or their pets.
Policies regarding carpet replacement must take into account how important it is to retain a tenant that is complaining about the existing carpet and how the condition of existing carpet will affect the rent you can get from a new tenant. Sometimes a tenant may be willing to pay a higher rent in order to obtain new carpeting. The landlord must evaluate such a deal based on the amount of rent increase possible and the history of the requesting tenant related to his/her care of the rental unit. Each case must be considered on an individual basis.
