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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:
evenbetter · 10/11/2018 20:51

Why do you feel that the property owner should take the hit for your series of blunders? You know you fucked up, and forgot you have an immersion heater as well, but you feel your landlord should pay for the pointless ‘emergency’ fees to press a button? The mind boggles.

Stringofpearls · 10/11/2018 20:53

Are you sure they can't legally make you? I suspect, but don't know, that they may be able to as you called them and gave misinformation. As I say I'm not sure though.

MadeForThis · 10/11/2018 21:01

Depends on wether you want your tenancy renewed.

Wait for the LL response and if you refuse to pay I would look for new accommodation once your lease expires.

It was 100% your fault. Why should someone else pay for your mistake?

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Original poster
DonutCone · 10/11/2018 21:03

The charge is £80 as it was a call out on Sunday evening :(

I know it’s completetly my fault. But I don’t have £80 to spend on it right now.

I’m pretty sure they can’t make me pay. So surely £40 is better than nothing?! If I had the money I would offer to pay all of it. I do feel totally crap about it and a bit stupid tbh.

OP posts:
JacquesHammer · 10/11/2018 21:04

I know it’s completetly my fault. But I don’t have £80 to spend on it right now

So offer to pay half now and half next month

AlexanderHamilton · 10/11/2018 21:04

You insisted they came out on a Sunday evening?

Words fail.

Tapperrapper · 10/11/2018 21:07

You made a mistake and that happens, However, you are being unreasonable o expect the landlord to pay. Legally, they would be entitled to withhold it from your deposit at the end of your lease and if you disputed it then I don't think you would win that argument.

AlexanderHamilton · 10/11/2018 21:07

And £80 is really cheap. We’d have charged £140.

Original poster
DonutCone · 10/11/2018 21:07

Yes because I didn’t have heating or hot water. I didn’t do it for a laugh.

OP posts:
Janedoe5000 · 10/11/2018 21:08

It's a mistake YOU made, not your landlord. I really can't believe the cheek of it.

MsJaneAusten · 10/11/2018 21:09

If it was your own home - is, you knew you’d have to pay - would you have called an emergency plumber?

AlexanderHamilton · 10/11/2018 21:09

Duck - I had no heating or hot water on New Years Day. We put jumpers on, got an oil filled radiator in one room & boiled kettles.

AlexanderHamilton · 10/11/2018 21:10

I had a 2 year old and a 4 year old at the time.

Tiggles · 10/11/2018 21:12

Did you have a manual? Else I don't think it is necessarily your fault.

To make you feel better, when we rented it took 4 different workmen to be called out to 'fix' the grill. It was so old all the markings by the dials had rubbed off the front. The 4th Chap knew to turn one of them and then the one that actually turned the grill on... To be fair none of them were called out to fix it, I just asked them if they knew everytime they came to fix the main oven as it keep breaking down. But I felt a real numpty when he sorted it so easily.

worridmum · 10/11/2018 21:13

If you were my tenant i would ask for the money if you did not pay i know someone would not be getting a tenancy renewal and i am pretty sure if you cannot afford £80 can you afford all the expense of finding somewhere else to live because like hell would i want some piss taker like this in my property as it is massive red flag.

PippaRabbit · 10/11/2018 21:15

I’m pretty sure they can’t make me pay.

No they can't but they may not renew your tenancy agreement. If one of my tenants did this to me their tenancy agreement wouldn't be getting renewed.

Nearthebig40 · 10/11/2018 21:16

Offer to pay in instalments. I’m sure the LL would appreciate that

costacoffeecup · 10/11/2018 21:19

Can you say you can't afford to pay it but will pay a bit extra each month? Although £80 isn't too bad really, I thought it would be more than that.

The problem with telling your landlord you can't afford to pay £80 is that they might start to wonder if you're solvent enough to pay the rent reliably and would be cautious about renewing tenancy for that reason.

Dancingbea · 10/11/2018 21:20

Sorry I think this is part of the occupational hazard of being a landlord (I am one). You earn rent , often from people in challenging financial cirrcundtacrs. My tenants just accidentally cracked a job. I will pay for a replacement. You accidentally thought the heating didn’t work. You didn’t deliberately kick down a door.

Dancingbea · 10/11/2018 21:20

A hob

Waffles80 · 10/11/2018 21:20

If you hit someone else’s car and didn’t do that on purpose would you offer to pay half? Two eights? Tuppence h’appenny? So unreasonable.

Tell the LL you’re really sorry, can you pay half now and half the month after next. Explain finances are tight at the moment so if you could pay in instalments that would make things much easier for you. Add that you’re sorry, you won’t do it again.

HannahnotAgnes · 10/11/2018 21:22

Tenant should absolutely pay & if they didn't, then I'd expect the LL would be looking to get rid of them at the earliest opportunity.

Unicyclethief · 10/11/2018 21:24

Won’t they be able to take it from your deposit? It is clear from the plumber’s report that it is your error.

Oldraver · 10/11/2018 21:24

Ok if this were your own house and you were responsible for paying bills like this...can you honestly say you would of called out an emergency gas engineer ?

I bet you would of found another way but as you thought the landlord would pay, you had no qualms about the callout. Think about it

andweallsingalong · 10/11/2018 21:25

I'd have thought the occasional Tennant stupidity (sorry OP) was just one of those expected costs of being a landlord. Yes, it would be nice of OP to offer to pay, but wouldn't expect the LL to accept.

As for OP being expected to remember there was a back up emmersion surely that's at least equally the Landlord's error in not remembering his/her property had one and reminding OP after all it's their property and they didn't have the excuse of being panicked at the thought of no hot water.