Landlord charging me £126 from deposit for changing 6 bulbs?

Soot2006

Arbitration: Dear T, LL wishes to deduct £126 from deposit for new lightbulbs. Do you agree.

T: I do not agree. I merely put back in place the same lightbulbs that were in the prop when I moved in. I have been using my own energy saving lightbulbs during my occupancy ..

//or// I do not agree. I agree to a deduction of £2 x 6 as it is possible that a builb or two might have needed replacing.

Arbitration: Dear LL, T denies does not agree to deduction. Can you prove lightbulbs were functional when T took over the prop?

LL: I hate it when a plan doesn't come together ....

GDB2222

I once viewed a flat in a small block. One of the leaseholders had put up a notice entitled "The £76 light bulb". The bulb on the stirs had blown and the managing agents had sent someone out to replace it. Cost £1 for the bulb + £75 call-out charge, shared amongst all the service charges for the block. The note ended by saying that the author had bought some bulbs and put them in the cupboard - please could other flat owners replace the bulb if it blew.

That all seems sensible to me. It costs money to send someone out to change some light bulbs. It costs nothing for a tenant to do the work themselves.

In this case, if it actually cost £126 and the LL has bills, the tenant is going to find it difficult to resist the charge.

Apart from that, leaving one or two blown bulbs is one thing, but six!?? You reap what you sow.

Soot2006

(I have to admit that my joking aside, I think it would be a bit too dark in my house if 6 bulbs were blown! ... )

girl_withno_name

Soot2006 wrote: »

(I have to admit that my joking aside, I think it would be a bit too dark in my house if 6 bulbs were blown! ... )

Too true!! I think six lightbulbs in our house would take out all the bedrooms, the landing and the dining room / living room... I'd have bumped into something and hurt myself by now

Zorz_2

How many landlords it takes to change a lightbulb?

*Robin*

My partner's central London flat used to be managed by an agent. The tenant complained his hall light had blown, so the agent walked 200mts from his office and replaced it [an ordinary bulb] then sent us his bill for £80.

That tenancy agreement was not renewed and the agent's contract was terminated.
The new tenant was delighted to receive £200 a month discount in exchange for agreeing to change the light bulbs himself! (I should point out the new tenant was recommended by a personal friend - so we were confident that he would be sensible and reliable, as he has proven to be).

jjlandlord

*Robin* wrote: »

The new tenant was delighted to receive £200 a month discount in exchange for agreeing to change the light bulbs himself

Considering that it is the tenant's responsibility to change bulbs in any case, I'm sure this new tenant was delighted to get a discount for no reason!

DannyboyMidlands

_gnasher_ wrote: »

Left my flat last week and the landlord said that they weren't sure whose responsibility the lightbulb replacement was, but that they'd let me know.

I now just got an email with an electrician's receipt for:

Bulb supply: £60 (???)
Labour: £50
Parking: £16

Now, I never knew that they would even get an electrician and would have definitely changed them if I had known a) it was my responsibility and b) it would cost this much!

What can I do in this situation? Do I need to just accept them taking £126 out of my deposit? Or can I say it is ridiculous and pay only £50 or something?

If you wanted control over the cost then you should have just changed them yourself. You didn't so the landlord has paid someone to do it. Where's the problem?

You had your chance to deal with it and didn't bother. Too late to be whinging about it now.

vax2002

Rather than issue passive begging letters, I would be more inclined to issue a written warning.
That any claim to monies from the deposit that are not justified under the contract term,s will result in immediate county court action with the both Landlord and DPS named as defendants.
Let them know you may walk quietly, but you carry a big stick.

J_i_m

DannyboyMidlands wrote: »

If you wanted control over the cost then you should have just changed them yourself. You didn't so the landlord has paid someone to do it. Where's the problem?

You had your chance to deal with it and didn't bother. Too late to be whinging about it now.

I think the issue was that the tennent asked the agent whose responsibility it was before they moved out and was told that they'd get back to them. The next thing they knew was a bill for £126. Which was slightly inconsiderate when the tennent had already indicated that they would replace them if required.