Leaving a rented flat, oven cleaning question

Eskimo12345

I've cleaned the hell out of the oven at the rented place I'm moving out of, it looks almost new - apart from the two oven doors. They're double glazed with a 0.4cm x 25cm gap at the top, and over the last couple of years oven gunk has gone down the gap and accumulated on the insides of the glass.

It looks like it's possible to open them up - four allen bolts and two screws on each. Do you think it's reasonable for the agent to expect me to disassemble an electrical appliance in order to clean it? I can see both sides of the argument, I'd just like to know what the general consensus is on here

tyllwyd

Do you have the instruction booklet? For our oven, it gives instructions on how to disassemble the door for cleaning, so it is something that's part of the routine maintenance of the oven and I'd say it wasn't unreasonable. But without the instruction booklet I'd be more cautious about taking it apart in case it didn't go back together again!

krlyr

I would say it would be fair enough for them to charge you for cleaning it, afterall if it's been happening for a couple of years you could have mentioned it in the past to ask about how to clean it or just raise it as an issue. They're going to have to do something, clean it or replace it, to rent it out again so fair enough if they pass the cost of that onto you.

BitterAndTwisted

Yep, in all likelihood they will seek to make a deduction from your deposit if you don't leave those doors in exactly the same state of cleanliness.

Lovelyjoolz

Its not disassembling, it's just how you clean it.

Would you remove the glass to clean it if you owned it? Yes, well then you should do so now.

Eskimo12345

Lovelyjoolz wrote: »

Its not disassembling, it's just how you clean it.
Would you remove the glass to clean it if you owned it? Yes, well then you should do so now.

To be honest, that is the devil's advocate argument in my head. I don't think I have time to clean it now, and if (when) they try to deduct it from the deposit I will use the following arguments:

- I am not a qualified electrician and as such, should not be expected to dissasemble electrical equipment
- If I was expected to take apart the oven, no instructions or tools were provided, therefore I cannot be certain that I wouldn't damage it
- Using the agent's argument, if the double glazing in the property used the same design, would I be expected to disasemble the double glazing to clean it?
...and a bunch of other arguments pointing out the unfairness of the deduction due to the general poor state of the property, microwave not working, washer dryer not drying, paintwork a mess, balcony railing dangerously insecure etc.

I'm sure they will try to make a deduction - after all, with a £25 charge for everything that needs cleaning/replacing, it's in the agent's interest to find as many possible things 'wrong' with the property!

We'll see how it goes. With all the hassle they've given me over the last couple of years, I'm happy for them to waste time arguing the point.

Alisha2008

If you found the oven clean when you arrived in the property, it's fair that you leave it clean... if you can't clean it yourself there are lots of companies that will do it for you. When I left my last rented property I hired a cleaning company and the oven cleaning was included. (can't remember if it was double glazing..)

krlyr

And I imagine they will argue back
- you knew it was dirty so if you weren't prepared to clean it yourself, why not ask us to send a professional to clean it?
- as above
- is the doubleglazing caked with food/dirt between the glass?
- unrelated issues that could/should have been raised during the period of your tenancy.

End of the day, you could have cleaned it, you could have asked them for advice weeks ago, you just didn't bother and you'll have to suck it up and pay up.

sooz

Eskimo12345 wrote: »

- Using the agent's argument, if the double glazing in the property used the same design, would I be expected to disasemble the double glazing to clean it?
...and a bunch of other arguments pointing out the unfairness of the deduction due to the general poor state of the property, microwave not working, washer dryer not drying, paintwork a mess, balcony railing dangerously insecure etc.

'I failed to clean my mess off the oven as the microwave didn't work'.


Good luck with those arguments.

Eskimo12345

krlyr wrote: »

And I imagine they will argue back
- you knew it was dirty so if you weren't prepared to clean it yourself, why not ask us to send a professional to clean it?

I have requested things are fixed in the property many times and it doesn't happen. I gave up trying due to the lack of response.

krlyr wrote: »

is the doubleglazing caked with food/dirt between the glass?

Nope, but the paint is flaking and peeling all over the place. And you're missing the point entirely there.

krlyr wrote: »

unrelated issues that could/should have been raised during the period of your tenancy.

My point is, I've raised these and nothing was done about them - How is it that I get charged if something is sub-standard, but if I'm provided with sub-standard appliances and a dilapidated property the agent/landlord doesn't get charged by me? Just a question of fairness really.

tbs624

OP - you'll probably already know that you have to leave the property in the same condition as when let to you , save for fair wear and tear, if you want to safeguard that deposit money. FW&T does not include dirt/damage. The fact that you can see a pretty straightforward way to clean this by opening up the screws/allen bolts suggests that you could just get on and do that. It is *not* the same as double glazed window units since they are generally sealed as one unit.

That said, your LL has to be able to adequately demonstrate the condition of the property and its contents to be able to justify any deductions. Was there a jointly signed inventory provided at the start of the tenancy?