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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

…Or is my landlord?

37 replies

Saffie980 · 15/11/2024 15:51

Hello, I need a sense check please.

I’ve just moved out of a house and a company has conducted a check-out review and noted a large crack on the cistern lid. I accidentally caused the damaged, so understand that there will be some deduction of my deposit. The toilet and flush all still work absolutely fine.

The landlord wants to claim £220 for the cracked cistern lid. I think that’s steep.

Am I being unreasonable? I’m no cistern expert so I can accept if I am being unreasonable!

…Or is my landlord?
OP posts:
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PrincessofWells · 15/11/2024 18:11

Treegate · 15/11/2024 17:48

You can see all the landlords on here.

Id say it’s wear and tear. They can’t have betterment and a new toilet would be so. Contest it.

Wear and tear doesn't include damage.

Treegate · 15/11/2024 17:48

You can see all the landlords on here.

Id say it’s wear and tear. They can’t have betterment and a new toilet would be so. Contest it.

PeloMom · 15/11/2024 17:45

YABU. My cleaner cracked our cistern the same way. It caused a leak and have to replace the cistern and toilet (luckily the flood was fairly minor so no real water damage).
we had to replace the whole lot as they don’t make the lids/ cistern we have any more. In addition, had to call a plumber as don’t want to risk causing even further damage by doing it myself, however simple other may think it is.

caringcarer · 15/11/2024 17:43

I'm a LL and I'd simply ask £80 to replace toilet and DH would fit it. It's actually not hard at all.

PrincessofWells · 15/11/2024 17:27

caringcarer · 15/11/2024 17:23

You can buy a new toilet including cistern at B&Q for £80. www.diy.com/departments/plumbsure-bodmin-white-close-coupled-toilet-with-standard-close-seat/3663602306306_BQ.prd

Yes plus at least £120 for two hours work from a plumber to remove the old one and fit the new one.

caringcarer · 15/11/2024 17:24

Saffie980 · 15/11/2024 17:04

Oh that’s interesting, thanks for sharing. Unfortunately I don’t know how it is.

Show quote history

Actually ARLA state carpets every 7 years.

caringcarer · 15/11/2024 17:23

You can buy a new toilet including cistern at B&Q for £80. www.diy.com/departments/plumbsure-bodmin-white-close-coupled-toilet-with-standard-close-seat/3663602306306_BQ.prd

vanillafudgecake · 15/11/2024 17:20

Startingagainandagain · 15/11/2024 17:04

First of all it is not up to your landlord or estate agent to make the decision to withdraw money from your deposit.

The deposit by law should be in an independent deposit scheme and the landlord need to prove to them that the deduction he is planning to request is justified.

You can contest this with the independent scheme.

Ask the agency to confirm where the deposit is kept and make it clear you are going to query the cost suggested with the deposit scheme.

Frankly does the cistern cover even need to be replaced just because of a small crack?

Is the toilet really old and have you lived in the property for several years? in which case you can argue that this is just normal wear and tear and the landlord is trying to get you to finance a toilet replacement.

It is up to the landlord to prove to the deposit scheme that his demands are reasonable.

Absolutely this.

It will most likely be in your favour and the adjudicators will consider residual lifespan, condition, age, quality, value and fair wear and tear of the toilet to avoid betterment.

If for any reason it works in the landlords favour they will only be able to claim based on its current value ie; all steps above are taken into account first. So if it is an old toilet they will probably be able to claim something like £10 at the worst.

mondaytosunday · 15/11/2024 17:07

You have to add the agent fee too - they will add something for their time arranging it and meeting the plumber etc. so their charge sounds reasonable to me. It's always going to be more expensive than if you had done it/arranged it.

Jc2001 · 15/11/2024 17:05

NigelHarmansNewWife · 15/11/2024 15:52

Of course it's too much. You can buy a whole new toilet for less. Dispute the amount.

Well that's what they might have to do, unless you can find that exact lid.

Copperkryten · 15/11/2024 17:05

I would source the lid myself on eBay, and swap it out. Easy peasy.
Is there a name of the toilet printed on it somewhere?

Startingagainandagain · 15/11/2024 17:04

First of all it is not up to your landlord or estate agent to make the decision to withdraw money from your deposit.

The deposit by law should be in an independent deposit scheme and the landlord need to prove to them that the deduction he is planning to request is justified.

You can contest this with the independent scheme.

Ask the agency to confirm where the deposit is kept and make it clear you are going to query the cost suggested with the deposit scheme.

Frankly does the cistern cover even need to be replaced just because of a small crack?

Is the toilet really old and have you lived in the property for several years? in which case you can argue that this is just normal wear and tear and the landlord is trying to get you to finance a toilet replacement.

It is up to the landlord to prove to the deposit scheme that his demands are reasonable.

Original poster
Saffie980 · 15/11/2024 17:04

MalbecandToast · 15/11/2024 17:02

THe way the tenancy deposit scheme looks at what is fair is like this:

The landlord buys a carpet for £1000 and the life expectancy is 10 years. If you damage the carpet when it is 2 years old, you would be expected to pay £800 for the replacement. Damage it at 9 years old and its only £100 you are expected to pay. It doesn't matter how long you personally have lived there.

Do you know how new the toilet is?

Edited

Oh that’s interesting, thanks for sharing. Unfortunately I don’t know how it is.

OP posts:
MalbecandToast · 15/11/2024 17:02

THe way the tenancy deposit scheme looks at what is fair is like this:

The landlord buys a carpet for £1000 and the life expectancy is 10 years. If you damage the carpet when it is 2 years old, you would be expected to pay £800 for the replacement. Damage it at 9 years old and its only £100 you are expected to pay. It doesn't matter how long you personally have lived there.

Do you know how new the toilet is?

AliceS1994 · 15/11/2024 16:55

This can be repaired extremely easily with a kit for about £15. That would be a fair deduction in my view, especially if you lived there a reasonably long time, then the odd minor accident would be reasonable wear and tear IMO.

BillStickersWillBeProsocuted · 15/11/2024 16:44

ChaosHol1 · 15/11/2024 16:37

Why would you even need a plumber to place a cistern lid on top of a toilet. Totally excessive unless he can't find the exact size and needs to replace the toilet in which case he'd need a plumber.

Are you saynig the landlord should do it themselves? In that case shouldn't they be compensated for their time and effort?

The flush button in the lid needs to be disconnected and then reconnected - probably a simple job but if I were the landlord I'd want a professional to do it rather than risk causing more damage myself

ChaosHol1 · 15/11/2024 16:37

Why would you even need a plumber to place a cistern lid on top of a toilet. Totally excessive unless he can't find the exact size and needs to replace the toilet in which case he'd need a plumber.

Original poster
Saffie980 · 15/11/2024 16:34

Seashellssanctuary · 15/11/2024 16:30

That's a bit of a drip feed, pun intended.

You decided not to replace at 150 and are now disputing 220. The difference is not extortionate considering different plumbers charge different rates.

With the extra information, it seems a bit of a pointless post.

Edited
Show quote history

I got the quote today to see if the landlord’s quote is reasonable. I was advised to do this by the letting agent. I have not instructed the plumber to do the work. Definitely not a pointless post as the issue is currently unresolved.

There is a £80 difference between quotes, which makes a big difference to me.

OP posts:
Seashellssanctuary · 15/11/2024 16:30

Saffie980 · 15/11/2024 16:09

I really wish I had replaced it myself. I requested a quote from a plumber and it was £90 for the part, and £50 + delivery for the lid which he sourced on eBay.

I absolutely think it’s right that I pay for the damage that I caused, but don’t want to be overcharged.

Show quote history

That's a bit of a drip feed, pun intended.

You decided not to replace at 150 and are now disputing 220. The difference is not extortionate considering different plumbers charge different rates.

With the extra information, it seems a bit of a pointless post.

Original poster
Saffie980 · 15/11/2024 16:28

SometimesCalmPerson · 15/11/2024 16:22

It doesn’t sound like you would be being over charged though.

What part does it need?

You said part and lid would be £140 plus delivery, but what about the plumbers payment?

Show quote history

Sorry, I’m not being very clear here. The plumber said £90 for his call out charge, and £50 for the cistern lid. To my untrained eye, the only part required is the cistern lid.

OP posts:
MidnightPatrol · 15/11/2024 16:25

Price inc labour doesn’t sound unreasonable I’m afraid.

SometimesCalmPerson · 15/11/2024 16:22

Saffie980 · 15/11/2024 16:09

I really wish I had replaced it myself. I requested a quote from a plumber and it was £90 for the part, and £50 + delivery for the lid which he sourced on eBay.

I absolutely think it’s right that I pay for the damage that I caused, but don’t want to be overcharged.

Show quote history

It doesn’t sound like you would be being over charged though.

What part does it need?

You said part and lid would be £140 plus delivery, but what about the plumbers payment?

BobbyBiscuits · 15/11/2024 16:12

I guess if you include the plumber installing it...but even then a whole new toilet would be around that price. Our cistern lid broke due to water pushing through, so we needed a whole new toilet as they didn't make that system separately anymore. It was very old.
If anything gets a quote and see if it's cheaper. I bet it will be. And if it's genuinely just the lid then it should only cost about fifty quid! And you wouldn't need a plumber. Just Google the serial number of the cistern/toilet.

LIZS · 15/11/2024 16:10

Then counterclaim with your quote

Original poster
Saffie980 · 15/11/2024 16:09

SometimesCalmPerson · 15/11/2024 16:00

Dispute the amount, you will win because tenants nearly always do, but I think the charge is fair. The entire toilet might need replacing if they can’t just replace the lid and someone will need to be paid to do the work. Plumbers aren’t cheap.

You had the option of replacing it yourself if you think it can be done cheaper.

I really wish I had replaced it myself. I requested a quote from a plumber and it was £90 for the part, and £50 + delivery for the lid which he sourced on eBay.

I absolutely think it’s right that I pay for the damage that I caused, but don’t want to be overcharged.

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