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Original poster

Tenant false call out. Who pays?

132 replies

DonutCone · 10/11/2018 19:29

If you are a tenant and you ask the landlord to arrange someone to fix the boiler as the hot water isn’t working; but when the plumber comes round it turns out that you have had the boiler on the wrong setting Blush Would you then expect to have to pay the call put charge as there wasn’t anything actually wrong. Or should the LL pay as you did really think there was something wrong when you ask for the call out?

OP posts:
AlexanderHamilton · 10/11/2018 20:29

From experience working for a plumbing firm our contract is with the landlord so they are liable to pay us but in cases of tenant error (or as happened recently a tenant messing with things they shouldn’t) the landlord would contra-charge the tenant.

Thesearmsofmine · 10/11/2018 20:30

I’m a tenant and I would pay. Tbh if there is an issue we always google it first to see if it can be easily sorted.

cstaff · 10/11/2018 20:34

In this case definitely the tenant

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AnchorDownDeepBreath · 10/11/2018 20:34

I would agree that the tenant should pay in this situation - the landlord had done everything that they could to teach you how to use the heating and if you'd asked them, they'd have been able to show you for free...

I appreciate it was a mistake and you feel bad already; but I'd definitely be offering to pay in these circumstances (even across two months if I needed to for cash flow).

If I'm honest, I'd be worried that letting the LL pay for this would damage relations and they'd get rid of me when the contract ran out, if they feared I'd cost them unnecessary money.

ILikeyourHairyHands · 10/11/2018 20:35

Sorry. You pay. I was renting a house once, the electricity went off and when I checked the box all the switches were down so nothing had tripped. Called the agents who sent an electrician. I'd forgotten there were two fuse boxes for different parts of the house. My fault completely. I paid.

mumslave · 10/11/2018 20:35

I’m a LL and would expect the tenant to cover the cost in this instance, especially if you have been in the property long enough to have used the boiler successfully before. The LL will appreciate it and will go the extra mile in the future to sort problems out quickly for you because you are a good and fair tenant. If not, the LL should still respond quickly and fairly to any future issues as is their obligation, but don’t be surprised if your rent goes up next year to cover the cost of any unnecessary call outs like this. Contrary to popular belief, landlords are not rolling in it, they are running a business with costs to cover, mortgages to pay and need to earn a living to put food on the table.

Original poster
DonutCone · 10/11/2018 20:36

Ok I’ve emailed the LL. I’ve apologized said that it was a mistake, I will be more careful in future and I really appreciate that they got someone to come out so quickly.

I haven’t offered to pay as I’m hoping that as it’s a one off they will let me off Blush. However if they come back and ask me to pay I will offer half.

OP posts:
MulderitsmeX · 10/11/2018 20:38

Landlord pays i think, is OP had fiddled with the knobs and broken it she would be in trouble!

Waffles80 · 10/11/2018 20:39

Could you ask the landlord if you could pay it gradually - with a little each month added to the rent?

YABVVU to expect LL to pay.

As for the PP who said the landlord is getting enough money out of you, I wonder if they’d steal from a shop because, hey, they make loads of money out of customers?Hmm

Janedoe5000 · 10/11/2018 20:40

You should pay. You've already admitted it was your fault. If I was the landlord I'd take it out if your deposit at the end.

DuchessStabby · 10/11/2018 20:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Janedoe5000 · 10/11/2018 20:42

Why offer half? You're 100% responsible.

InfiniteSheldon · 10/11/2018 20:43

As a LL I would send you an invoice for this and expect it to be paid.

AlexanderHamilton · 10/11/2018 20:43

Was it an out of hours call out?

If so I think you definately should pay as most homeowners would wait until normal working hours rather than pay the cost of an OOH callout. The Landlord wouldn’t have had that choice.

PippaRabbit · 10/11/2018 20:43

You're a CF tbh. You didn't read the manual correctly, asked the LL to call out an emergency plumber and expect the LL to pay the bill for your stupidity? People like you give some tenants a bad name.

HauntedPencil · 10/11/2018 20:46

I had to pay when I got a locksmith out but it was just the mat wedged under the door.

Tbh i wouldn't offer to pay but if they send the bill to you I think you'll have to.

Original poster
DonutCone · 10/11/2018 20:46

I’m going to offer half because it was a mistake, not something I did on purpose. And legally the LL can’t actually make me pay all of it so I do still think it’s fair to offer half.

OP posts:
Stringofpearls · 10/11/2018 20:48

Sorry I do think you should pay, or at least offer to, you made a mistake so you should really be the one to try to make things better.

JacquesHammer · 10/11/2018 20:50

I’m going to offer half because it was a mistake, not something I did on purpose. And legally the LL can’t actually make me pay all of it so I do still think it’s fair to offer half

No, it’s not fair. It was wholly your error.

If you value doing the right thing together with a good relationship with your LL then you absolutely should pay.

DuchessStabby · 10/11/2018 20:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

costacoffeecup · 10/11/2018 20:50

So you can't afford to pay for your own mistake - an emergency plumber! - but you are expecting the landlord to? What makes you think they can afford it?

I doubt they'll be so keen to bend over backwards to get someone out next time something goes 'wrong.'

This has made me cross. I'm a landlord and I've paid for a lot of stuff I don't have to 'technically' pay for - I paid for a new door after tenant's abusive partner put a hole in it and also for a water bill that should have been the tenant's responsibility really - and I would probably pay for this too but I'd be very wary about wanting you to stay in the property. I agree that if you had been footing the bill you would have tried harder (or at all?) to make it work first.

HellenaHandbasket · 10/11/2018 20:50

Don't you feel like a bit of an arse though?

Nearthebig40 · 10/11/2018 20:51

Oh gosh you know you should offer to pay. It’s not fair that the LL is out of pocket for your error.

GeorgeTheHippo · 10/11/2018 20:51

Was it an out of hours call?

Because anyone who was paying would have waited until the following day, it hasn't been that cold yet.

So if you messed up the boiler, forgot about the immersion and then compounded it all by doing that - you should really pay.

ILoveAutum · 10/11/2018 20:51

Yes I feel bad making them pay. I do have the manual and it has been explained before. But it was the first time trying to put the heating on this year and I’d forgotten how to do it and mis read something in the manual

I think you’re being really shitty.

You had it explained, you had the manual, you have the internet. You could have asked on here. You didn’t. You told the LL it was broken and an emergency. They called a plumber out on emergency rates.

You should pay, without a flicker of a doubt. Your stupidity is not the landlords responsibility.