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Original poster

Ask tenant to replace cooker she's ruined?

249 replies

MacarenaMacarena · 30/06/2023 09:16

4 years ago tenant moved into my flat. I provided a new cooker for her. It's now not working. On closer inspection, she has used it a lot (fair!) but never cleaned it (disappointing), damage from her treatment of it is what has damaged it.
She needs another one.
But I don't really think this is reasonable wear and tear - more neglect and abuse.
Reasonable inspections and checks have been carried out regularly, compulsive gas safety checks have been done.
If she moved out tomorrow I could deduct at least part of the replacement cost from her deposit, but as she's staying, what would be a fair way forward?

OP posts:
Suprima · 30/06/2023 09:19

It’s a cooker….used daily. Maybe twice daily for four years.

do you have anything in your contract about maintenance to white goods?

a basic oven is like £140 on Screwfix. Basically the cost of a professional oven clean.

let it go

(I’m a landlord too)

MatildaTheCat · 30/06/2023 09:19

Has the property not been inspected during that time? That’s really the point of inspections, to keep an eye on how your property is being treated.

If not unfortunately I think you’ll have to suck it up and provide a new (cheap) one and start keeping a closer eye on it. Of course you can go down the conversation route but I suspect it won’t get you far. Getting a new tenant is going to cost far more.

Comedycook · 30/06/2023 09:19

How does not cleaning an oven make it stop working? Do you actually have proof that it's broken because it hasn't been cleaned?

good96 · 30/06/2023 09:20

In the tenancy agreement does it state that you’ll replace white goods? If it does, then you’ll have to replace… if not, she will have to - but bear in mind she’ll probably take it with her if she did buy one when she moves out.

WellWellWellWhatHaveWeHeree · 30/06/2023 09:21

Replace it but let it be a lesson to you to get that sort of thing checked with inspection. Up her rent a bit to cover monthly oven cleaning for the new one. Or offer to keep her rent to same but she thoroughly cleans it herself from now on.

CindersAgain · 30/06/2023 09:21

Comedycook · 30/06/2023 09:19

How does not cleaning an oven make it stop working? Do you actually have proof that it's broken because it hasn't been cleaned?

I was wondering that too. I’m not a great cleaner of our oven and it’s fine.

3dogsandarabbit · 30/06/2023 09:22

Unless it says in the tenancy agreement that the oven has to be regularly cleaned, I think you will have to replace it. Annoying as it is.

Deathbyfluffy · 30/06/2023 09:23

3dogsandarabbit · 30/06/2023 09:22

Unless it says in the tenancy agreement that the oven has to be regularly cleaned, I think you will have to replace it. Annoying as it is.

Surely taking care of white goods is an implied term?
OP if you do replace it, grab a 2nd hand one off Gumtree for £20.

JanesBlond · 30/06/2023 09:24

Hmm on the one hand I doubt it not being cleaned has resulted in it breaking, loads of people rarely clean their ovens. On the other hand an oven should definitely last more than 4 years. Have you had a repairman out and that was what they said?

AuntieJune · 30/06/2023 09:24

How do you neglect and abuse an oven? Being filthy doesn't stop it working, does it? What's wrong with it?

If it broke after 6 months or a year then you might have a point, four years and I'd replace it.

Frabbits · 30/06/2023 09:24

I don't think you can reasonably claim that not cleaning a cooker has caused it to break. 4 years isn't a bad shift for an appliance that is used daily. Just suck it up and replace it, that's what you charge rent for.

Moonlightsonatas · 30/06/2023 09:26

All you could claim from her if she left would be the cost of a 4 year old used oven, which would not be a huge amount £40 tops and that’s if you could prove she broke it deliberately. This is the cost of being a landlord unfortunately.

Remotecontrolatmyside · 30/06/2023 09:27

Could you replace it with a cheap one but explain that if she doesn't clean the new one you will not be replacing it again?

Kaibashira · 30/06/2023 09:29

Things break. Most of the the cleanliness of the item is immaterial. Saying she's used it "a lot" suggests you think she's somehow using a standard household item, in her own home, too much (taking perhaps yourself as the standard).
It's broken. Replace it. Its a negligible cost in the grand scheme of landlordism. Mention the cleaning in the next inspection, e.g. grease build up as smoke risk, if you must.

Iwouldlikesomecake · 30/06/2023 09:29

Not gonna lie, the (old) oven in my flat was there when I moved in and I don’t think I’ve ever cleaned it and it still works so I would be surprised if lack of cleaning is what’s damaged it! What’s actually wrong with it?

Bluebells1970 · 30/06/2023 09:32

How on earth has she damaged it this badly and it's never been raised in an inspection?

AhNowTed · 30/06/2023 09:36

Stuff breaks shocker.

Just replaced my dishwasher. Probably about 4 years old.

In 4 years that's 1,460 washes.

They're not built to last 20 years.

milveycrohn · 30/06/2023 09:37

All white goods should definitely last more than 4 years.
I understand that 10 years is a sort of standard; ie if it was 8 years, then that would not be too bad, but 15 years is good (such as mine).
Not sure why the absence of cleaning stops it working, and I would probably give it a clean myself.

W1h · 30/06/2023 09:42

Comedycook · 30/06/2023 09:19

How does not cleaning an oven make it stop working? Do you actually have proof that it's broken because it hasn't been cleaned?

This

hedgehoglurker · 30/06/2023 09:44

It depends on why it is broken and the quality of it. If you bought the cheapest electric cooker possible and after 4 years use the glass top is damaged through wear, that isn't a cleaning issue.

If you invested in a high quality induction and she's negligently scratched the glass with a heavy duty scourer,, that would be different.

CheshireCat1 · 30/06/2023 09:46

Just replace of have have it fixed.

DataNotLore · 30/06/2023 09:46

How has she broken it?

CheshireCat1 · 30/06/2023 09:47

or

CockyTeeHunz4Eva · 30/06/2023 09:47

Suprima · 30/06/2023 09:19

It’s a cooker….used daily. Maybe twice daily for four years.

do you have anything in your contract about maintenance to white goods?

a basic oven is like £140 on Screwfix. Basically the cost of a professional oven clean.

let it go

(I’m a landlord too)

Agree. I’m also an LL.

whirlyhead · 30/06/2023 09:49

I've lost count of the number of times tenants have destroyed white goods by not using them properly, but I just replace them and don't buy expensive ones. Tenants often don't look after items as they don't have to replace them. It's just something you have to accept.

I don't think expecting her to buy to replace it just because it's dirty is reasonable (I'm crap at cleaning my oven too but it still keeps going - cookers don't usually fail due to dirt)

You can put it through your accounts anyway.