Hi everyone!


I've been subletting a room in a flat from a family of 4 who are not the owners. The contract did not mention how many months in advance I'd need to give notice, so I asked the lady when I moved. She said: 1 month is enough.
So I gave my notice after 2 years 2 days before Christmas last year. I already moved in my new place, pretty much forced by circumstances caused by the family that have nothing to do with my behavior. Being that I did not know how long I'd take to move out my belongings, I requested the inspection date to be a few weeks over 1 month, and they agreed.


I finished cleaning and fixing what I could, so they could start using the areas I used, and would like to request to have the inspection this week and let them fix on my expense what I could not. The lady said they would not be available. Could I legally ask the owner of the flat to come and do it? If so, how do I do it? Unfortunately, the family I dealt with did not provide an inspection paper stating that all I would use is in order before I moved in and I'm afraid they don't have pics of the wooden floor I had in my room before I moved in.

1. You have zero business with the owner if you are subletting.
2. Unfortunately you say... You mean the person you sublet from can't proof that things were in good order when you moved in. You lucky B......
3. You cannot on such short term demand a much earlier date for inspection.

What do you mean?

Who claims has to proof, so if somebody would claim that you wrecked a floor they have to proof that you accepted the floor without that damage. They cannot do such since they never had a proper handover when you accepted.

(tho it is only fair that you pay for what you damaged)

There are some minor scratches in the wooden (parkett) floor and some very small amount of paint came off while removing a tiny piece of scotch tape in the bathroom cabinet.



How much do you think that would cost to get fixed?

Do they have a deposit from you, and is it held in an account neither of you can access without the others signature?

Good point. I will contact the company who did the flooring in my room and bathroom cabinet to come and check and estimate the cost.

They've become mean to me. Why? All went well till mid November. (They are Swiss.) Is there a way i can legally delegate someone else to deal with them on my behalf (all type of communication) till the room inspection day? Even have that person hand them the key?

If you don't have a proper written contract, which seems to be the case from your earlier posts, then you can pretty much do what you like, even just send them the key by (registered) post if you prefer. Just make sure you take some pictures and that they're aware of the fact, to avoid unjustified claims of damage.

First, I would want written confirmation for the date the contract ends. Your room seems to have been unfurnished, so standard cancel rules apply, and that means three months notice period. If it was furnished (table+chair, bed, wardrobe(if any) all provided by the main renters) the notice period is two weeks.

Inspection is usually done around the contract's end so no, you can't demand the inspection be done now. However it would be in the main renter's interest, but of course they need to have time.

Yes, you can have somebody else deal with them, that's your decision.

Now I have a new problem. There's 3 tiny areas of the bathroom cabinet i used - the side close to the wall or "Ruckwand" that got affected (one is where the paint came off on a very small portion while removing a piece of scotch-tape). The ones I rented the room from-the couple- wanted me to ask the company who assembled it what fixing solution there was (the cabinet has 3 mirror doors and I used the 3 shelves behind 1 of them). I did and they said they could change the affected side close to the wall for a price way too high. The couple offered me a discount and said they would take care of it themselves by fixing it through that company. I have no guarantee they will use the money for what they said. Unless there is some way I could find out? I want to try to fix the affected areas myself and only if that doesn't work to replace that piece; but they don't want to let me do that.


What can I do?


This Thu is my room inspection and they don't want to do it till the bath cabinet is fixed. Is that legal?

And they have no obligation to use the money to fix the damages. It is like when you hit my car. I can either live we that or get it fixed, But even if I do not fixed it I will get money from your insurance because you damaged it and reduced it in value.

They're petty and it's better to get out of this "relation" as fast as you can. Pay whatever they ask and be done with it and hope you'll never hear or meet them again. (this is what I would do)

They don't own the flat. I sublet a room there for 2 years. As I wrote earlier, I want to fix it myself. Or were you just explaining me/us that in case I decide not to fix the "damages"?

Case ended. Mods please close this thread

Nah, not quite so fast.

It would be nice if you'd provide an update as to what happened. You're probably not the first to encounter this and won't be the last, and it could help others to know how you sorted the issue.

Now, that's not nice. How did it end/get sorted?

How is anyone with the same problem going to profit from this thread in future? That is what EF is about.

Sorry everyone!


I eventually did what greenmount suggested. I paid for the floor (one of the kids has been using that room since then, I assume they put carpets all over) and a discount of the price the company asked for the bathroom cabinet wall, but not to the company, as the couple doesn't intend to do the changes yet since they'll still be there for a while. I requested and was given a receipt of the discounted price.