to think this is not acceptable?

[lill72]

Hi, Ive just had the maintenance guy from the company that does the maintenance on our rental property hang up on me. For no reason other than I dare to try and tell him that there is a problem with something which I guess he reads as he has no done his job properly.

He installed a new toilet seat as the last was slipping and cracked. The day the new one was installed I noticed it was also slipping and emailed them.No reply. Emailed again as it is getting worse. I get an email back saying it was ok when he checked it and they will come and look at it, but if it is damaged they will charge us. WTF.?? how did we do any damage. Bit accusatory.

Then I wanted the hems on curtains fixed. He said the curtains were dirty and greasy so he could not put backing tape on? Again WTF? they are not either of these and there is no reason they cannot be fixed. why dont they sew them anyway and actually they are too long to begin with so easy to get dust on bottom as they do. So he passed onto the LL that they are dirty and greasy. Ah they are not.

When I called to dispute this he gets very defensive and then says someone will attend and hang up. I have let the lettings manage but how I handle this ongoing? They have accused us of any things but dot follow through on charging us when I kick up a fuss. why - because their accusations are utter BS.

I kick up a fuss. They dont like it as I call them out.

Oh to handle these people. They are so unprofessinal.

I read recently about a wall-hung toilet where you literally have to remove it from the wall before you can get at the fixings for the seat.

I’m a ll. Tbh if I had tenants demanding these things, I would have to fix them. As for the toilet seat, if it came undone after such a short time, it wasn’t correctly finished. However as a tenant, I would probably try and fix it first. Ditto the curtains.

Actually I’m confused about the curtains. Are the hems coming down or are they just too long? It would probably be cheaper for the ll to replace the curtains than pay some bloke with zero sewing skills to rehem them.

I’m no longer putting curtains in rentals. Easier all round for the tenants to choose their own and avoids this sort of scenario.

The loo seat could well be one of the more modern, top fitting ones - they don't have screws underneath but are still pretty easy to adjust (they must be, if I can do them!!)

Lift seat off securing posts (they sometimes have a push-catch on the back to release)
If twin "mechanisms" are covered by metal plates, prise them off
Underneath this there's usually a pair of spindles and screws - adjust as needed
Put covering plates back on and replace seat

You're welcome

Maybe he dropped the phone when he started banging his head against the wall and sobbing quietly to himself after your fifth call?

Can just imagine him then turning his back to the wall and sliding gently down it, head in hands muttering 'FML' & questioning the life choices that let him to this moment...poor guy!

Just on the loo seat thing.. Our brand new one has a type of fitting that isn't straight forward at all. It's already come loose once and you can't get to the screws easily at all. Spoke to the builder and he agreed they are really awkward.

OP sorry you are being a bit pathetic.

Hems and loo seats? Jeez

You phoned the contractor to hem the curtains? Are you on glue?! Jesus, if my tenants phoned about that, I’d die laughing!

would you really call a contractor and pay for the service if you were the owner of the property?

If the answer is no, then why do you expect the landlord to do it.

disclaimer: I do know people who do pay a plumber to replace a washer, a handy man to fix curtain rails or a to build an Ikea piece of furniture, so even if you would pay someone, it doesn't necessarilly mean the landlord is responsible obviously disability excluded!

Right I may believe you can't fix a toilet seat but you called them up to hem the curtains??? When I was renting I just bought new curtains when we moved and even if I hadn't I wouldn't expect someone to come and hem them for me. It's such a small thing that I wouldn't want to waste someone's time. How many times have you called this guy since you moved in? He's probably just trying not to lose his temper with you.

Oh wow Dh and I are useless at practical stuff but even we can sort our own loo seat. Watch YouTube and save yourself embarrassing phone calls to the maintenance people

Almost anybody should be able to tighten a toilet seat (depending on how tight the wing nuts are underneath)

But I cannot find a toilet seat that fits the screw holes as it is an unusual spacing for the holes.

OP, you probably know this by now but YABU. I'm a LL and frankly I would not be renewing the lease if I was being charged for such minor things. It's also worth checking your AST as you might find that you are actually responsible for basic maintenance which these would be covered by. You sound incredibly spoilt and immature if you're happy to waste someone's time doing this type of thing. Can you not hem the curtain yourself if it's so dreadful?

In the 5 years I’ve lived in my rented flat I’ve asked the landlord to fix a leak, a broken oven (after we’d had a look at it, he bought a new one), a pane of glass coming out of the balcony doors. When we moved in the curtains in front of the door were about a foot too short, we brought new ones.

We too have a look seat like you describe. Slow closing where the top fits right over the bottom. It is attached by pressure fixings, into a plate that is screwed to the pan in two places.
It moves about within 5 minutes of being tightened. They are a pain in the arse. However, they are not rocket science to fix yourself. No one showed me but I worked it out by having a good look.
Squeeze the two plastic bits together at the back and wiggle to remove the seat.
Tighten the two exposed screws making sure the plate is straight.
Click the seat back on.
Repeat weekly which gives you a chance to clean under it.

This is the toilet seat. Any ideas?

You cant win it seems.
If you dont report a problem and there is damage then you get blamed. If you do report a problem then you are telling me it's too minor.

What if I try to repair it and damage it in the process as I dont know what on earth Im doing.

The curtains I just told them about since they were coming out anyway.

If it isnt under their job description, then why dont they say so??? They have never said this. I honestly dont know what is and what itsnt

Dammed if you do and dammed if you dont.

I dont call them often just by the way.

I just know to cover my back as I don want to get blamed later down the track.

I have reported the flooring too as they wont oil this. even though the manufacturer states it needs oiling. Sorry but with two young children I cant be oiling the floor with them around????

I'd love a landlord who came out to do lightbulbs, my living room ones have gone 4 times in the last year. But I get someone to do it as I can't, not landlord. Years ago I was in a rental and loo seat broke, I was told to buy one and they'd pay me back- they never did! That's £8.99 I'll never see again.

Yup

It looks very easy, did you try to do it yourself?

Where the two silver round bits - put your hand underneath to the position and unscrew.

And what's the problem with them not oiling the floor? It's their floor, if they don't want to oil it then that's up to them.

And I've never oiled my wooden floors.

Fwiw, I'm very 'handy' around the house, changed the loo seat downstairs last week, fixed plumbing issues (with the help of youtube and a local B&Q) but our upstairs toilet is a total PITA to tighten or change the seat on. It's one of the top fitting ones, and I had to get a special hinge in the end to fit it so, yes, if it's that type of loo seat and rented I'd get the contractor in. If you check underneath and can feel the ends of the screws than you can tighten it up yourself.

YABU about the curtains though (although he shouldn't have misrepresented your issue to the LL)

Hiding thanks for your comments. Can you see my pic above - is this what you are talking about? top fitting one?

Re Oilin the floors. It protects them from getting scratched and lookin dry and maybe cracking. I just dont want to be blamed .

Ive mostly rented in Australia - works a bit differently. For a start carpets have to be steam cleaned when you leave. Canno believe the state ive been some properties here. Anyway after a few bad agents here, I am just doing everything to protect myself as they are pricks after every cent. Current agents tried recently to blame me for a boiler issue and charge. when in fact i heard from a contracter it was a fault with the boiler not us at all. They will try and fleece you for anything.

thanks for videos. Ill see what can be done.

Forget about the floors.

Honestly you were told all this in your last thread. Just act like a normal household and do the routine stuff yourself. No wonder they are losing the plot if you are on the phone to them for minor things just to "protect" yourself.