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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask landlord to pay for freezer food after he failed to repair freezer?

65 replies

cestlavielife · 15/05/2014 12:40

I advised LL 10 days ago that frost free fridge freezer was icing up constantly and I had thrown away one lot of food; I asked for new FF he said no - will repair.... I had tried to blow dry/defrost thoroughly, still icing up...advised LL, he sent freezer man who blow dried the ice away as I had done and said it was fixed...within hours it was icing up, I called them back, they came and freezer man said no "it fixed it fine". [went out bought expensive haagen daz ice cream and meat!]

continued to ice up but ignored as freezer man had said it was normal and fine...four days later opened door to check and ice cream etc all melted.. meat ruined.

LL sending freezer man back today... my insurance cover does cover food in freezer but has excess of £100 - it's probably £40 or £50 worth...

who pays?? as LL failed to repair or replace it's their liability?

(new rental but full of old appliances and multiple problems ...)

OP posts:

Sicaq · 15/05/2014 20:34

Amazed at the number of posters shrugging their shoulders and saying "Weeeeell, he tried to fix it." He didn't - he sent his mate around to blow dry it (very dangerous, by the way - many have been electrocuted holding hair dryers in dripping freezers).

No idea what the law is as regards the legality of it, but he certainly ain;t done his best here.

WooWooOwl · 15/05/2014 20:38

How do you know it's a mate and not someone who regularly deals with fixing white goods?

We have someone like that round here, he's fab at fixing all appliances except microwaves.

Sicaq · 15/05/2014 20:41

Someone who regularly fixes white goods would have known better than to blow hot air into a freezer, that's how I know. Major cause of domestic electrocution injuries.

ribbityribbit · 15/05/2014 20:42

I think it depends a lot on who he sent round - if it was an actual freezer repair man who knew what he was doing then it sounds like your landlord made a reasonable attempt to solve the problem. If the LL didn't know it was continuing to ice up after that then there wasn't much he could be expected to do about it.

But, if he just sent around some buddy of his with a hairdryer and you didn't let him know you were continuing to have trouble with the freezer, that is a different story.

Presumably when you were looking for a property you looked for one that came with a freezer (or space for one) because you need one. It is not unreasonable at all to expect the appliances supplied as part of your rental contract to work properly.

Honestly though, if he is the kind of landlord who doesn't want to spend the money to keep his property in decent condition, I doubt you'll get any money for your food. There are good landlords out there and the good ones value good tenants enough to solve problems quickly.

ribbityribbit · 15/05/2014 20:42

Sorry that should say "and you did let him know you were continuing to have trouble..."

Fannydabbydozey · 15/05/2014 20:44

Jesus... A freezer isn't a bloody luxury in London these days. God my grandparents were poor but they still had a little freezer at the top of their fridge. That was forty years ago. Yes working parents all over the world cope without a freezer but that is not exactly comparing like with like.

I was a landlord for a while and when the freezer went wrong we fixed it. We would have offered money for the food if any had been spoiled. Do people really think that the landlord's mate coming round and blow drying ice was a serious attempt to fix the freezer?

Your landlord is cheap and doesn't give a damn. I'd make sure that the inventory was changed to now include a shite non working fridge freezer. I'd be as mad as you. - year ago I rented from a cheap useless landlord. Our year in his hideously maintained property was dreadful. The warning sign right at the start was his inability to fix or replace a broken fridge and I had a newborn. Twat.

Original poster

cestlavielife · 15/05/2014 20:45

He did know I called him the Sunday and he came round saw the ice startung to buld up over the vents and believed the freezer guy who said it was fine... I said it will build up again til it fails again and they said no it won't. So I thought hey maybe that is how a frost free freezer is...

And yes first thing guy said was where is your hair dryer .... Sat there blow drying...

OP posts:

MrsJaffaCakes · 15/05/2014 20:46

Unfortunately there are loads of landlords that are just in it to make a fast buck. It's sickening, it really is.

No doubt he's charging premium rent for providing white goods, yet can't be arsed to sort them out

Original poster

cestlavielife · 15/05/2014 20:47

But it is useful to have the views on here as I can imagine landlord saying them.. And can think how to respond..,

OP posts:

BrianTheMole · 15/05/2014 20:50

I think he should pay for the food and a new freezer. I say that as an ex landlord. I certainly would have done that.

londonrach · 15/05/2014 20:54

I never owned a flat or house as prices in London too much but thats another post. As I said before I gave rented somewhere where there was no fridge. It depends on the contract which only the op knows. Our present let the fridge broke 2 days after we move in. Luckily we had a good landlord who replaced it but not for one moment did I expect her to give me money for the food i had to throw away and this was a time when we were living on£20 of food a week. I know about law and believe me you need yo check the contact but the landlord us not responsible girl the tenants goods full stop!

Shewhowines · 15/05/2014 21:56

Probably not responsible but morally he should. You gave him ample opportunities to put it right. He should pay you then get it back from the repair man.
Now back to the real world...

Darkesteyes · 15/05/2014 22:52

Wibbly I GURANTEE you if this was a healthy eating thread and the OP was posting saying she could only afford frozen veg rather than fresh some of the same posters would be on here saying that a freezer was an essential in this day and age and she should get it sorted.

topbanana1 · 15/05/2014 22:59

Landlord should pay. His appliances should work and not ruin your stuff.

AmenGirl · 16/05/2014 14:52

Wibbly you sound like a perfect landlord. Hope you get the outcome you deserve OP, I'm sorry you're having to have dealings with your LL in the first place.

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