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Original poster

Who should keep the washing machine?

38 replies

ProbablyLate · 27/07/2021 14:54

Some tenants move into a rented house in which there is a washing machine that has been left by previous tenants. The landlord says they're happy to get rid of it for them ahead of their tenancy or it can be left in but they are warned it has no warranty and it might not work. The tenants request to keep it and use it for the duration of their tenancy. When the tenants move out should they be allowed to take the washing machine?

OP posts:
RyanAirVeteran · 27/07/2021 14:55

No

CherieBabySpliffUp · 27/07/2021 14:57

Another vote for no.
If the tenants had purchased a machine as that one had been thrown then yes but that wasn't the case here.

justthecat · 27/07/2021 14:58

No it doesn’t belong to them

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MrsTerryPratchett · 27/07/2021 14:59

No.

Sirzy · 27/07/2021 14:59

No it doesn’t belong to them it comes with the flat.

Original poster
ProbablyLate · 27/07/2021 15:00

What about if the tenants had paid for repairs that would usually be covered by the tenancy agreement had the washing machine come as part of the property?

OP posts:
Clymene · 27/07/2021 15:01

@ProbablyLate

What about if the tenants had paid for repairs that would usually be covered by the tenancy agreement had the washing machine come as part of the property?
It's still not theirs
Sirzy · 27/07/2021 15:02

Their choice to do so. They could have asked for it to be removed and paid for their own machine

Beamur · 27/07/2021 15:03

If the landlord hasn't tested it annually or been responsible for repairs, it's a bit cheeky for them to now say it's theirs.

OldChinaJug · 27/07/2021 15:04

What does the tenancy agreement say about white goods?

Although I'm in the no, it's not theirs camp. It's not the LL's either but it's certainly not the current tenants.

Beamur · 27/07/2021 15:05

No one in this scenario actually 'owns' it in as much as they were the purchaser. But the landlord has possession I guess.
But whether the tenants are entitled to take it is another matter. I think they've had use of it but it's not theirs.

BlueSurfer · 27/07/2021 15:06

Agree it’s not theirs and the landlord will be stuck with charges for removing it as presumably the tenant who left it behind wasn’t charged.

Whinginadeville · 27/07/2021 15:06

Who really cares, its a third hand washing machine I'd rather they took it the ll will prob have to pay to get rid and its likely to break down soon

TokyoSushi · 27/07/2021 15:07

No, it kind of belongs to the property now...

SD1978 · 27/07/2021 15:07

No, they chose to repair it, it was already there. It stays there

Mumdiva99 · 27/07/2021 15:07

If you are the tenant just ask the LL if you can take it with you. They might be grateful for you to get rid of it for them.

mrsm43s · 27/07/2021 15:08

As a landlord, I'd let them take it, as the Landlord will be responsible for repairs/replacement if it stays put. Then I'd rent the property out without a washing machine.

I think since the LL has not been responsible for the maintenance/replacement/repair of the machine during the tenancy, they cannot claim ownership now. Ownership transferred to the new tenant at the point that the responsibility for maintaining it did. (Unless, that is, it was kept in the property on the basis that the LL would repair/replace it if it went wrong etc)

Dacquoise · 27/07/2021 15:10

I would say yes because the landlord would still have to remove it for new tenants as he may become liable if it breaks down and the warranty is long gone. We always try to remove any appliances that don't belong to us for that reason.

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/07/2021 15:14

If I was the LL and the tenants had repaired it, I'd let them keep it. But still no.

Hallyup6 · 27/07/2021 15:21

Maybe the tenants should ask the landlord instead of Mumsnet.

Rainbowshit · 27/07/2021 15:25

No

Ilikechips · 27/07/2021 15:31

Similar situation moved into a property with a washing machine all good, years later it broke landlord replaced it no problem. 10 months later landlord wanted to sell the properly, absolutely fine. When we were about to move out I asked if I could buy the washer off the LL and he said we could keep it as a gift for always looking after the property. I would never of expected to just take it or that it was automatically ours. That’s like taking a cupboard door off and saying because you’d used it for however long it belonged to you, that’s not how a tenancy works.

Hope you get sorted! Is this a reverse?

Original poster
ProbablyLate · 27/07/2021 16:52

Thanks for the thoughts everyone! We haven't got as far as this being a discussion with our landlord, DH and I are just disagreeing on whether it would be reasonable to ask the LL about it! DH thinks its obviously not ours and that's what the LL would say. I feel that at the beginning of the tenancy the LL basically said he'd have nothing to do with it and we were keeping it at our own risk we might as well ask. DF (wading in on the issue!) thinks we should just take it because if we ask the LL might say no and then it would be harder than if we just took it and if it was queried we could justify it that its not on the inventory and that we had to pay for repairs and had we wanted to get rid of it it would have become our responsibility.

OP posts:
Rainbowshit · 27/07/2021 17:19

I wouldn't do what your DF says. He might take a replacement cost out of your deposit.

Rainbowshit · 27/07/2021 17:21

I can't see that it would hurt to ask the LL though.