Landlord's addendum - should we sign?

Obukit

Hi,

Sorry to ask as this is probably a really stupid question but we're meant to be moving into our new privately rented property this weekend. Renting through Chancellors, so quite a big name, but the Short-Term Tenancy Agreement they sent us was a mess with loads of contradictions so rewrote large parts of it and returned it signed, which they were happy with, and paid deposits and first month's rent, all by first class post to show willing. They've just asked us to sign this addendum as well: -

Dear Mr X and Miss X,
The Landlord has brought to our attention that he has had a few issues in the past where tenants have not cleaned the shower head, and due to a build up of lime scale the shower may break.

The shower head needs to be cleaned regularly with an appropriate product to prevent this from happening. Should the shower break due to this not being done, the Landlord will take no responsibility.

Please sign below to show that you have read and understood this.

I'm not sure whether to sign it as it seems very "woolly" to me, in that there's no mention of what "regularly" and "appropriate products" are, and who would decide if the shower broke due to us not cleaning it or due to FW&T - the flat is in an area of VERY hard water. My worry is that any issue with the plumbing (shower is fed straight from immersion tank) will be blamed on us if they can find so much as a hint of limescale (and unless the showerhead is scrubbed every day, which will wear the rubber nozzles, there will always be a little!).

Do you think we should sign it or send it back because we're not happy with it? Obviously we are good tenants and don't want to rock the boat but equally don't want to foot the landlord's repair bills! Thanks for your help and advice .

Premier_2

If it was your property, what would you do?

Just use the showerhead until it became clogged by limescale so that either the water doesn't come out or it explodes under the pressure of water, or clean it.

If you really don't know how to clean limescale from a showerhead, ask the LA for details. (Usually vinegar is a very good & safe limescale remover.) Do you really need to be told how often it needs to be cleaned? Can't you tell when it's becoming clogged?

Obukit

Premier wrote: »

If it was your property, what would you do?

Just use the showerhead until it became clogged by limescale so that either the water doesn't come out or it explodes under the pressure of water, or clean it.

If you really don't know how to clean limescale from a showerhead, ask the LA for details. (Usually vinegar is a very good & safe limescale remover.) Do you really need to be told how often it needs to be cleaned? Can't you tell when it's becoming clogged?

Of course we know how to clean it - everything in our house is always kept spotless. It was just a worry as I've never seen anything like it before and just wanted to make sure it wasn't a landlord trying to wriggle out of paying for repairs if he already knew the shower was dodgy.

However, thanks for your advice - if you think it's normal I'll get it signed and returned straight away :A.

PasturesNew

I don't know the first thing about showerheads, or cleaning them. I've not had much experience of living in places with a shower, so it's never been an issue. I do know they're cheap to replace. But I'd not know how to do it.

So, if you know what your'e doing, just sign it.

pinkshoes

I would ask them to re-write it and define "regularly".

Otherwise if it gets clogged and they ask you how often you cleaned it, and you tell them weekly, they might turn round and say it should be a daily job if you shower daily...

Perhaps also ask them if they'll provide you with this "appropriate" product, just so they can't say you didn't use something appropriate!

It's always best to cover your back!

lynzpower

Also bear in mind that you could replace the shower head. I would recommend that you ask that this be wrote into the contract, ie that you will provide your own one, then remove this at the end of the tenancy.

they are frequently a piece of cake to change, I just changed our one to one I bought for £8 from asda. its a basic screw fitting.

Bungarm2001

Perhaps the LL should have put 'weekly' and 'use a lime scale remover' in the letter. I don't think you can define 'regularly' in any other way than actually put a time scale on it.

Ask if they are happy with the state of the shower now (it should be in the inventory anyway assuming you have a comprehensive one) then go out and replace it with one of your own. They are very easy to replace, then at the end of the tenancy, put the old one back. Job done.

Premier_2

Obviously 'regularly' needs to be defined based on others responses.

I personally would have thought that "needs to be cleaned regularly with an appropriate product to prevent this from happening." where 'this' is " a build up of lime scale " was self explanatory.

Yes, perhaps a tenant does need it defined specifically. Perhaps the tenant should be also told which product to use and exactly what quantity of product should be used.
But then how would it be policed? Perhaps the tenant should be required to keep a detailed log, so that it can be inspected during routine inspections and at check-out to ensure the cleaning has been carried out as specified.

...and perhaps the tenant should be given careful instructions on how to blow their nose too :rolleyes:

Where does one start
Does an ASTA detail how & when, and with what carpets should be cleaned?
Does an ASTA detail how & when, and with what the toilet should be cleaned?
Does an ASTA detail, how, when and with what taps should be cleaned?
Does an ASTA detail, how, when and with what a bath should be cleaned?
Does an ASTA detail, how, when and with what a cooker should be cleaned?
etc?

...or does tenant come with an expectation that they have at least some common sense?

Obukit

Premier wrote: »

Where does one start
Does an ASTA detail how & when, and with what carpets should be cleaned?
Does an ASTA detail how & when, and with what the toilet should be cleaned?
Does an ASTA detail, how, when and with what taps should be cleaned?
Does an ASTA detail, how, when and with what a bath should be cleaned?
Does an ASTA detail, how, when and with what a cooker should be cleaned?
etc?

...or does tenant come with an expectation that they have at least some common sense?

To be fair though that's not really the same. Obviously with any TD there is an expectation for the tenant to act reasonably, however, if a LL uses an addendum addressing a specific issue of cleaning I'd have thought it would be reasonable to provide specific requirements too, not just for us but for the LL's protection as well.

After all, surely the point of contracts is that they will be used as a last resort in court, where having everything black and white is invaluable. It shouldn't matter for day-to-day matters where, as you say, common sense prevails and being told to to x y often would be patronising.

Thanks to everyone for your advice though.

Bungarm2001

I think the assumption that someone has common sense started to go right out the window years ago after we went the way of the USA and started turning into a nanny state after the litigation boys took over.

Don't mean to offend anyone, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a tenant throwing their virtual hands up in horror if ever they were asked to use certain cleaners and it then turned out they were allergic....I can see the subject line now...something along the lines of "LL causes rash from unfair demands on using strong cleaning fluid...can I sue?"

Just sign the thing...it is a very very reasonable request and reasonably put. Don't make mountains out of molehills.

franklee

I agree with Bungarm2001 and Lynz.

It's a hard water area where I live and shower hoses and heads don't last that long. I just replace the landlord's one with my own at the start, they are cheap at the supermarkets these days. I store the landlord's one away after through cleaning that's usually needed. Then at the end I restore the landlord's one.

As for cleaning a bathroom cleaner that lists limescale on the packet of things it cleans is fine. Or white vinegar works a treat. Even so the rubber nozzles perish after about a year or two so I prefer to wear out my own, no wear and tear, no arguments.