Council’s carpet binning policy criticised

Richmondshire District Council has been criticised over its policy of throwing out carpets before new tenants arrive at their authority-owned housing. This appears to go against the council’s policy of moving towards zero-carbon emissions.

One of the critics of this policy, councillor Stuart Parsons, said that housing officers should speak to incoming tenants about whether they wish for the existing carpets to remain. A three bedroom home can cost £1,000 to carpet and many tenants cannot afford this – it is much cheaper to have existing carpets cleaned.

A charity that funds new carpets for tenants who cannot afford them reported that carpets only two months old and still in excellent condition have been thrown away from council houses.

Senior council officers said that it was easier from a management perspective to throw carpets out and expect new tenants to install new ones.

Carpets in North Wales and Chester rental properties are changed before new tenants arrive if they are in a bad condition, but if they are stained or dirty, they can usually be revived by professional carpet cleaners.

A quality carpet should last for many years, even in a busy household. Provided it is regularly vacuumed and deep cleaned at least once a year, it should be useable for a long time. Some stain-resistant carpets are bleach cleanable to keep them virus free, and even those that are light-coloured can remain in good condition.

Landlords should install high-quality carpets in their properties, which will not need replacing during tenancy changes.