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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Renting repairs what is fair...

65 replies

Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 13:06

Hi all.
We have lived in this house renting for 4 years and have just signed for another year but plan to be here for at least another 4.

The kitchen cupboards have some water damage on the doors from the sink . This obviously is our fault.
The landlord has said he wants them replaced as soon as possible at our cost

Ok fair enough. My problem is the kitchen is ancient so he wants me to pay for a new kitchen cupboards.. i have thought half the cost would be reasonable. Or we might as well wait until the end of tenancy and deal with it then. As the damage hasn't changed in the last 1.5 years and now he wants it done

İ know it's our fault. But i can't afford it right now. And don't see what the urgency is unless he is planning on us leaving at the end of this tenancy ..

Do you think i should pay for all of the cost or half. He hasn't told me how much yet by the way. İ just don't want to agree to anything until i know what i should do

Tia

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 13/08/2019 13:08

I would think it would count as wear and tear and I wouldn't be paying anything

sirfredfredgeorge · 13/08/2019 13:10

erm, water from a sink on kitchen cupboards sounds like normal wear and tear to me, so not your fault at all.

So zero, I can't see a reason for you to pay at all.

katmarie · 13/08/2019 13:11

Kitchen cupboards damaged by water are surely not fit for purpose? If they can be damaged by water they shouldn't be in a kitchen close enough to a sink?

Original poster
Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 13:11

The thing is he seems to have arranged it with the estate agents and said i need to contact them to arrange it and pay for it. They sent some one from magnet to check the kitchen and they said it was at least 10 years old and the damage is to 4 cupboard doors. İ knwo that it was our fault but it wasn't intentional and there are other issues that he hasn't sorted but we haven't caused a problem about. İt just seems silly as we will sort it at the end of tenancy. İt's not causing any problems if you see what i mean

OP posts:
Waveysnail · 13/08/2019 13:11

That's what building insurance is for. Plus if it's just the door the surely even if you dod pay it should be for a door

NoSquirrels · 13/08/2019 13:12

Not in any way reasonable and he cannot make you pay. If you were moving out then he could argue his case with the Deposit Scheme - who would award him very little.

So, to answer your question, paying nothing is reasonable.

(I’m an ex LL.)

Original poster
Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 13:12

Ok thanks all. İ was expecting to be aughtered for damaging his property. İ hate renting but we don't have a choice right now.

OP posts:
LIZS · 13/08/2019 13:13

He can't claim from you for betterment. So it would be fair to charge you for the equivalent damaged unit and him pay rest.

Original poster
Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 13:13

Ok i am going to speak to the agency not him. He also said you didn't report it. But i didn't because he visits 2 times a year and agents every 3 months. They have all seen it so didn't think i needed to 'report' it.
And after he sent magnet round i offered that if he ordered the doors we could fit them ourselves but he ignored me

OP posts:
Original poster
Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 13:14

He wants to come round in September for another 'inspectiom' but think i don't want him to now. But worried that ifbi cancel and go out he will just turn up. Maybe let himself in anyway...?

OP posts:
IAskTooManyQuestions · 13/08/2019 13:15

What sort of water damage? Splashes wont hurt a kitchen unit, but a deluge from an over running sink or forgotten tap will.

NoSquirrels · 13/08/2019 13:15

The thing is he seems to have arranged it with the estate agents and said i need to contact them to arrange it and pay for it.

Contact the estate agent and the LL at the same time, say you are not in agreement that the water damage needs to be fixed at this point in time.

They can’t force you to pay right now.

What did you do to the cupboards? How have they got so damaged, and do you have photos and an inventory from when you first moved in?

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 13/08/2019 13:16

Absolutely don't pay.
Water on kitchen cabinet doors is a usual part of use.

He's trying to pull a fast one.

He can try to claim it via your deposit and argue it as w & t. They should find in your favour.

There are plenty of lanlords that believe that there should never be any signs of wear..... (one landlord tried to get us to pay for 15 year old carpet.... As we shampooed it, it fell apart... [shock... We did not pay..

Especially as we'd bent over backwards not to cause him any money by doing many repairs ourselves....

NoSquirrels · 13/08/2019 13:16

God, that sounds really OTT for inspections - every 3 months?

lyralalala · 13/08/2019 13:17

He can’t charge you for new cupboards when they weren’t new, that’s betterment. And depending on the damage it may be wear and tear (and if it’s flood damage that’s an insurance job)

However if he’s decided to pick up on it and has plans for a magnet new kitchen then be prepared he may be planning to sell.

9/10 of a disinterested LL suddenly gets interested it’s either because they are selling or because they want higher rent (with new tenants sometimes)

Piffle11 · 13/08/2019 13:20

Is the damage just general wear and tear from over the years, or have you done something to damage them far more than would normally happen day to day? You keep saying it's your fault: why? What did you do to cause the damage? I think the LL is chancing it: I presume he's asking you to replace ALL the cupboards? You say that 4 are damaged, but what about the others? If the kitchen is over 10 years old the old against the new will be very noticeable. I would be putting a stop to this now: I think he's planning on getting a new kitchen on you.

MissDew · 13/08/2019 13:21

The kitchen cupboards were not brand-new when you moved in. Come to an agreement regarding how much percentage you should pay with regard to getting replacements. As a PP has said, 0% should be what you pay.

As a PP has said, if you pay for brand new cupboards this would be betterment. That's an insurance company word but the LL is not allowed to expect tenants to pay for brand new replacements when the item/s in question were not brand new in the first place, i.e. when you moved in.

MissDew · 13/08/2019 13:22

God, that sounds really OTT for inspections - every 3 months?

Yep. We moved into our rented house at Easter. First inspection was mid July.

Piffle11 · 13/08/2019 13:23

Also - did you have an inventory done when you moved in? Did it mention the state of the kitchen? If the EA is involved I presume they are managing the let: the agency I used to work for did this for many properties, and only the EA did inspections, never the LL as well. Might be worth speaking to them about the situation, although obviously they work for the LL, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will say it's your responsibility to pay for the cupboards. Your LL might have told them you and he have agreed you will pay.

Almostalive · 13/08/2019 13:24

No chance. He's taking the proverbial imo.

BlueSkiesLies · 13/08/2019 13:29

Tell him to jog on.

There is no concept of betterment in the deposit protection scheme. He’ll be able to charge you a small proportion of the full cost (as the kitchen is old anyway) of only 2 doors. And in fact probably not even that after such a long tenancy and war and tear.

BurningTheToast · 13/08/2019 13:39

I'm a LL and I would consider that to be normal wear and tear.

ThisIsMyBuick · 13/08/2019 13:42

How old is this kitchen?

Can you post some photos of the damage?

dementedpixie · 13/08/2019 13:44

OP says is 10 years old

Original poster
Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 13:45

The damage isn't massive only noticeable when you open the doors. My mothe in law stayed with us for a while and when she washes up water does go every wearm it was mopped up every time but it obviously sunk into the wood and over time it has expanded.

Anyway i called the estate agents and they said we do need to pay for it and they are pushing. So we have had to agree to paying and fitting the doors ourselbes.

Our rent went up a little bit already. İt does a bit every year. Apparently agency is doing an inspection at the same time as him. I'm starting to get quite anxious about this now. İ hate renting. Every landlord has found an issue for just wear and tear it's like walking on eggshells in your home. And with kids too.... Sad

OP posts:
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