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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

ThisIsMyBuick · 13/08/2019 13:47

Sorry I missed that. That’s old for a kitchen. We’ve just moved from a new build estate that was twelve years old and nearly everyone had replaced their kitchen.

dementedpixie · 13/08/2019 13:48

It's not your issue and I wouldn't have agreed to pay for them

Original poster

Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 13:55

The thing is we are desperate to stay here for at least 4 years of we can. There's no where else to rent in the village and there have been so many new builds that the school is now over subscribed. So if we move i will have 2 kids in oneschool and 2 in another and I'm trying to avoid that as much as possible. Don't want to piss him off and then have to move. 10 children didn't get into our school this year and they were in the catchment area.

OP posts:

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 13/08/2019 13:57

The key word here is "Betterment". Even if you have truly damaged the cupboards (although it sounds like wear and tear to me)., if the units were already 10 years old, they CANNOT expect you to pay for brand new units. Simple as. Speak to Citizens Advice.

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 13/08/2019 13:58

This is a good article outlining betterment:
www.propertymark.co.uk/advice-and-guides/landlords/fair-wear-and-tear.aspx

Original poster

Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 13:58

Dh has already agreed to it. İt is only a couple of doors I'm just filled with anxiety over his next visit now. İ think he might want to sell.

OP posts:

NoSquirrels · 13/08/2019 13:59

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.

Well - they’re wrong. But if you are desperate to stay and want to keep on your LL’s good side I understand why you agreed. But you should ONLY PAY FOR THE DAMAGED DOORS.

Do not pay for the whole kitchen to have doors replaced.

MissDew · 13/08/2019 13:59

The LL or letting agent cannot ask you to leave because of this. 'Revenge Evictions' are illegal.

I understand your comment about feeling like you are walking on eggshells because it's a rented house. I feel that way too as I'm still renting with my husband.

Original poster

Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 14:00

Maybe i wasn't clear might have rushed the post. He was originally going to do the whole doors. Well that's what it sounded like when magnet turned up. Bit we are just replacing the damaged doors. Which is fair i suppose

OP posts:

Daebh · 13/08/2019 14:01

As a landlord AND a tenant this doesn't sound reasonable to me, if he wants an old kitchen replaced that is on him. No one wants to risk being turfed out and I think you need to deal directly with the EA as he is chancing it.

thisisthetime · 13/08/2019 14:02

Your landlord sounds like an arse tbh. You’ve been there for 4 years and planning to be there another 4? He should be counting his lucky stars. Dh is a professional landlord and would not expect this from any tenant let alone a long standing one. Don’t pay anything. It’s landlords like him that give landlords a bad name.

Teddybear45 · 13/08/2019 14:04

Yes it’s perfectly reasonable for you to pay for the cost of the two doors you ruined. The cupboards would have been undamaged when you moved in. Water damage from wear and tear is really minor usually and the Estate Agent would know when to apply this and when not to - if they’re willing to risk legal action then this suggests it’s more than that.

MissDew · 13/08/2019 14:05

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.

So....no agreement has been reached about new or second hand doors ? Good. No agreement has been reached about when they need to be fitted. Good. No rush...…

Don't be bullied or strong armed by these people. The EA just wants to keep the LL sweet. The LL is their customer, not the tenant.

Could you repair the doors ?

We accidentally scorched two kitchen tiles with a cast iron pan that was hot on the stove. Scorch mark wasn't that bad but it was noticeable. We didn't say anything and purchased some tile paint and painted over the scorch mark ourselves. Just enough to get it off the eye, so to speak.

LA didn't notice (or care because he's a bone idle bastard) and we got our full deposit back.

Original poster

Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 14:07

Teddy bear we are going to pay for that. İt's really not that bad actually. You wouldn't know unless you opened the doors. İ don't know what legal action he would take but fair enough. We are going to pay for them. The estate agents said it wasn't too bad and they would have waited til the end of the tenancy but the landlord isn't having it and wants it done asap. So we will

OP posts:

Original poster

Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 14:08

No can't be repaired. They have expanded a bit.

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 13/08/2019 14:08

The cupboards would have been undamaged when you moved in

How do you know this Teddybear, when the doors were 6 years old when OP moved in?

NoSquirrels · 13/08/2019 14:08

Next time your agreement is up for renewal, try to negotiate a longer contract.

dementedpixie · 13/08/2019 14:09

And doors can get water damaged and expand when they get small amounts of water on them over the period of 10 years.

Original poster

Toothproblems · 13/08/2019 14:09

They only offer 6 months or one year. Well that's what we have been offered every time

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 13/08/2019 14:10

You can get replacement doors very easily. If you have standard kitchen hinges they are very easy to fit yourself.

Post a photo of the doors please.

Madfrogs · 13/08/2019 14:10

What is the life expectancy on a rental kitchen I wonder. Not normally the best quality to start with and it doesn’t actually need to be fixed until you leave anyway even if you where deemed to of damaged the property accidentally or on purpose.

MissDew · 13/08/2019 14:11

Really ? Is that you best you can do ?

The OP is already anxious enough without you putting the boot in.

NoSquirrels · 13/08/2019 14:11

They only “offer” that because the estate agents probably charge the LL to re-issue the contract each time. So the estate agents make money on it. Have a chat with the LL and say you’d love to have a longer contract - he might be happy to agree!

ShirleyPhallus · 13/08/2019 14:14

I’m a landlord and I think your landlord sounds like an utter arse

He cannot make you do this. Agree with the posters re comments on betterment

Cherryade8 · 13/08/2019 14:15

I think replacing the cupboard doors your dm damaged is fair enough - surely this wont cost much? If hes not replacing them all then hes not trying to pull a fast one. Maybe post a photo - slight damage to some people is major damage to others.

I dont think ten years is old for a kitchen- mine is 15 and still in good condition.

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