Damaged kitchen worktop - any landlords on here?

[Gson]

Hi!

We have recently taken over the lease of a property (around 3 weeks ago).

When the landlady ‘welcomed’ us, one of the first things she pointed was how to care for the kitchen work tops. They are polished stone and black so every scratch shows. She told us not to use anything abrasive on them. (Note here that the worktop was already quite scratched from the previous tenants and she made a dig about it..).

Fast forward three weeks later and we have HUGE long scratches on the worktop. At first I couldn’t work out why and then realised it was a tiny bit of dried food on the bottom of the wooden chopping board making scratches I was also filling the dishwasher the other day and dragged a plate across the worktop and it’s left a long scratch (lesson learnt - I won’t do that again!).

We told the landlady right away what happened and she said ‘don’t worry about it, you have to live’ but I know that she’s quite picky and I really don’t want her to end up deducting money from our deposit when we leave.

I asked her if there is anything we can do to fix the scratches, or buy any products to protect the worktop and she showed me a polish, which I have gone onto purchase and use (it was £20).

We spun the chopping board around tonight whilst cooking and it’s made a huge ‘U’ shaped mark from a flake of salt that got stuck under...at this point, I’m stressed out and frightened to use the kitchen. I know this is the landlady’s house but as a worktop in a rented property, I can’t see this being practical!

Any suggestions or landlords on here know what steps I could take next? we are here for 24 months and I am frightened to even use the kitchen. We aren’t heavy handed and are very careful (I don’t want to look at scratches either).

Thank!

I'm so perplexed at what this terrible work surface could be!!!

I hope someone comes along and explains soon, put me out of my misery.

Op I'm sorry you're stressing. I know what it's like in a rented property and worrying about every little thing.

That looks unfit for purpose to me.

What the hell is it!! A flake of salt shouldn't cause damage, she needs to replace with something hard wearing.

@SylviaPlath1984 I know! I have tried to Google ‘polished stone’ in hope I can find out the name for it so I can properly care for it, but nothing really comes up that looks the same!

She said it was an anti bacterial worktop that is the same that are used in labs, if that helps?

She also has the same worktops in her house - they probably look perfect and have no scratches at all 😳

[quote Gson]@SylviaPlath1984 I know! I have tried to Google ‘polished stone’ in hope I can find out the name for it so I can properly care for it, but nothing really comes up that looks the same!

She said it was an anti bacterial worktop that is the same that are used in labs, if that helps?

She also has the same worktops in her house - they probably look perfect and have no scratches at all 😳[/quote]
That worktop is the chocolate teapot of the kitchen world! How utterly useless 🤣

When I’ve googled antibacterial work tops lots of laminate ones come up. Is it definitely stone and cold to touch? Or polished stone effect laminate I wonder?
We have polished black granite from previous owners which is 15 plus yrs old and no scratches. (And I am the opposite of careful, as the oak topped island we put in is a testament to 😂)

Yes @RuggeryBuggery same! I see only laminate but they are definitely stone (cold to the touch).

Just been googling again and I really really think they need resealing? If I don’t polish them, they look grey and almost dusty rather than black.

Such a pain!

Looks like honed slate to me. We have it for our hearths and it marks really easily. Is it a matt finish or shiny?

I would guess it is some form of synthetic solid surface worktop, so about two thirds mineral and one third resin as opposed to quartz which is generally 90% plus minerals.

Synthetic solid surfaces (Corian is the best known name) are notorious for scratching and most kitchen companies advise against them for that reason.

I'm a landlord and if I'd handed something so easily damaged and hard to live with to tenants would accept it was my fault and suck it up.

op try this out on small patch not near cooker - gently rub a little cooking oil into scratch

How odd!

I'd just stick some DC fix on it. You can get it from wilko or amazon, 100s of colours. About £10 a roll. Peels off very easily. Maybe test it in a corner first, just in case the "polished stone" reacts unusually...

Is it marble? Marble is unsuitable for worktops as it's porous and soft and needs sealing.

Hmm sounds like Corian or similar. Very expensive, made of thermoplastic, and very prone to scratches. I think it’s material plus colour combination giving you the issue (are they grey?). In which case this is your landlord’s issue. Perhaps ask how best to deal with them.

Corian etc can be polished/buffed, but I have no experience with it personally.

There are lots of care videos online but this seems reasonable: www.wikihow.com/Polish-Corian-Countertops

With our quartz it is prone to marks rather than scratches and I use the pink stuff cream cleaner (in a tub) plus a soft nail brush to buff it out. It’s fairly gentle so worth a go but try somewhere non conspicuous first!

If it's the same stuff used in labs it will def. be an acrylic / resin mix. (Like Corian). . We have this in a speckled white in my own kitchen. it can easily be sanded with 2000 grit sand paper, which brings it back to brand new ... as our core is white. However, this will not work with your black worktops. I think your only option is to protect them. Sounds a nightmare!

The fact a grain of salt has scratched it makes me think the previous tenants damaged it and used T cut to buff it up.

You're probably uncovering it again through use. I wouldn't worry. Its not your fault if you're using it as it should be used and it's getting damaged

This is what I thought - perhaps the tenants cleaned with something or the professional cleaner used a really harsh chemical that’s stripped off the protective layer. We also have really hard water here in London, which leaves horrible marks...wondered if it could be something to do with that?

It’s awful - just noticed more scratches where the glass teabag container sits.

I have email evidence of asking the landlady twice if there is anything we can buy for the worktops, that there are new scratches, scratches so easily etc. I’ve also written in my diary the date she came over and had a look at the scratches and what she said (basically, ‘not to worry’). Is there anything else I can do to ensure we are protected?

Our letting agent doesn’t manage the property, landlady does so is it worth me contacting the letting agents (as a PP suggested?).

We are saving to buy a home and need every penny - but if she was to take money from our deposit, anyone know how much roughly she could deduct for scratches? Considering it was already damaged?

Sorry I have so many Q’s - I like to look after my home and I will be really upset if this comes back to bite me down the line!

The only thing i know that scratches like that (and is used in labs) is aluminium. That is meant to scratch and eventually a patina of scratches blends together and it looks fine (had it in sink area work surface). But presumably you know the difference between that and stone.
It doesn't sound fit for purpose and frankly as wear and tear is acceptable I would carry on, but take some precautions as mentioned above.

@Gson

This is what I thought - perhaps the tenants cleaned with something or the professional cleaner used a really harsh chemical that’s stripped off the protective layer. We also have really hard water here in London, which leaves horrible marks...wondered if it could be something to do with that?

It’s awful - just noticed more scratches where the glass teabag container sits.

I have email evidence of asking the landlady twice if there is anything we can buy for the worktops, that there are new scratches, scratches so easily etc. I’ve also written in my diary the date she came over and had a look at the scratches and what she said (basically, ‘not to worry’). Is there anything else I can do to ensure we are protected?

Our letting agent doesn’t manage the property, landlady does so is it worth me contacting the letting agents (as a PP suggested?).

We are saving to buy a home and need every penny - but if she was to take money from our deposit, anyone know how much roughly she could deduct for scratches? Considering it was already damaged?

Sorry I have so many Q’s - I like to look after my home and I will be really upset if this comes back to bite me down the line!

I'd keep taking photographs of the damage and keep note of conversations you've had with your landlord, as well as what you've done to mitigate the damage (eg purchasing a butchers block or worktop saver). Then, when you leave, if there are any issues with getting your deposit back (it should be in a deposit protection scheme) you can counter argue that it wasn't fit for purpose, the landlord was made aware of the issue repeatedly and steps you've taken to minimize the damage.

Could you contact her and explain you’ve looked into why it is scratching so easily and it’s needing resealed? Would she be able to arrange this? In the meantime you have ordered worktop protectors etc to protect it.

This happened in my old house, except it was the tiles on the bathroom floor. They were a very expensive and very rare stone that marked on when you put almost anything on them - so the deposits from the water built up on the tiles, a drop of mouthwash bleached them etc.

It went to the deposit tribunal when we moved out because the landlady wanted us to replace the cost of the entire floor, it was about £6k (!!!!). We had a lot of evidence to show that we had approached her about it multiple times - all the emails saying the floor was marking from normal use and could she recommend cleaning products etc. The tribunal sided squarely with us and said it wasn’t fit for purpose and we got our whole deposit back.

Why people put these fragile materials in worktops / floors etc I have no idea, it’s ludicrous

Landlord here. Deductions - original value of item,pro rated for age (and anything over 8 years or so is deemed zero worth), pro rated for area damaged. NOT new for old, in practice a few quid so don't worry.

More fool your landlady for believing a kitchen salesman. Do what you can but that is all you can do.

Maybe putting some cheap towels down as the new work surface and everything goes on that, new one each day? I used to keep old bath and beach towels for this purpose, not because if anything wrong with kitchen tops, just was easier for me to whip off each day and get new one rather than clean benches. DH trained me out of it as it used to make his brain explode but I’d do it again tomorrow if living by myself.

I would get some large cheap black bath sheets and put them down. Put everything on that. Before you leave the property I would look into finding something to treat it with so it looks ok when you leave and get your deposit back.

I’d just put down those thick plastic sheets over the top of it and deal with it when you move out. We once lived in a rental where the floor scratched if you looked at it. It was a nightmare and they tried to charge us full whack when we moved out but Ex went off at them about it.