Should I buy a new cooker?

kwmlondon

Okay. This is the situation. I live in a flat that I'm going to put on the market within the next 6 months. The kitchen is okay, but could do with replacing, but advice from an estate agent is that it would not add any more to the selling price of the place than it would cost.

My cooker is just falling apart. It's a 60cm Beko and only two of the halogen hobs work. The grill is broken and bits are actually hanging off the front. It was in the flat when I moved in so I've done okay to eke it out this far.

I've seen an electric cooker on Argos for £249 (can't get a 60cm one any cheaper anywhere else) removal of the old one is £7.50 (I don't have a car and the council would charge £10 to take it away, plus I'd have to get it down two storeys) and delivery is £8.99.

I think that although the kitchen is okay the cooker is actually off-putting, and I'm sick of not being able to grill things. However, there's a very good chance that whatever place I trade up to after this apartment won't need a cooker so I may not get back the £267 I pay for it.

I will be buying it on my Argos card 0% for 6 months and paying it off bit-by-bit.

I also intend to install the cooker myself (it's just a case of wiring it in...)

What are your thoughts?

santer_2

I would ask the agent how confident he is that you would break even on the kitchen, if you would, then you may as well have advantage of a useable kitchen for six months or so.

A place with a reasonably new kitchen should be easier to sell, even if you don't get any extra money over cost for it.

If you don't replace the kitchen, have you considered a halogen oven, which you can then take with you.

kwmlondon

The kitchen is perfectly serviceable, but it is set up to house a 60cm cooker rather than separate oven/hob. I'd have to buy and install a unit to take them. I really, really don't want the hassle of fitting a new kitchen, I'm just not sure if it's worth buying a new cooker at this stage.

cattie

If you are intending to sell in the very near future, I wouldn't bother buying a new cooker. It isn't going to bring you any kind of return when you sell the flat, so if you can cope with the present one for a few more months, then do so and keep the £250 towards your next home.

Owain_Moneysaver

I bet you can get a second-hand cooker from a second-hand shop, charity shop, freecycle/freegle, ebay, etc. that will do you for 6 months and not have bits falling off.

Although replacing the kitchen may not add value, it may help your flat sell more quickly in a sluggish market. Especially if you can DIY much of it (flat pack units just need assembling, get a handyperson in to cut the worktop and plumb the sink if you can't do it yourself) it needn't cost a lot.

GlynD

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

I bet you can get a second-hand cooker from a second-hand shop, charity shop, freecycle/freegle, ebay, etc. that will do you for 6 months and not have bits falling off.

Although replacing the kitchen may not add value, it may help your flat sell more quickly in a sluggish market. Especially if you can DIY much of it (flat pack units just need assembling, get a handyperson in to cut the worktop and plumb the sink if you can't do it yourself) it needn't cost a lot.

I like this suggestion about the cooker. I wouldn't bother about replacing the kitchen though as the person who buys your flat will probably prefer to do the kitchen out to their own taste.

kwmlondon

I appreciate the feedback, and I've decided to get the new cooker. I've not been able to find any cookers for sale at a decent price second hand, besides, by the time I've hired a van it's not much of a saving and having someone deliver the damn thing to the second floor and remove the old one and get shot of it will make life so much easier.

The kitchen is okay, but the cooker looks so shabby, I mean, the handles are falling off and there's a big strip of metal poking out from under the grill. A new one in white will make the room a huge amount better and I'll offer to sell it to whoever buys the flat.

GlynD

kwmlondon wrote: »

I appreciate the feedback, and I've decided to get the new cooker. I've not been able to find any cookers for sale at a decent price second hand, besides, by the time I've hired a van it's not much of a saving and having someone deliver the damn thing to the second floor and remove the old one and get shot of it will make life so much easier.

The kitchen is okay, but the cooker looks so shabby, I mean, the handles are falling off and there's a big strip of metal poking out from under the grill. A new one in white will make the room a huge amount better and I'll offer to sell it to whoever buys the flat.

Pity you don't live in Northern Ireland as I'm throwing one out next week. It's only two years old and was a cheapo £150 job from Currys - but it works perfectly. I never ever thought of selling it because people don't seem to want second hand stuff now.

kwmlondon

GlynD wrote: »

Pity you don't live in Northern Ireland as I'm throwing one out next week. It's only two years old and was a cheapo £150 job from Currys - but it works perfectly. I never ever thought of selling it because people don't seem to want second hand stuff now.

To be fair though a shiny white cooker will brighten up the kitchen and make it look a heck of a lot better. Much the same way the next step would be replacing the vinyl and the doors to get a pretty good "new kitchen" effect!

I know £266 is a fair old whack, but I've had an eye out for a few months and this is the cheapest I've seen a 60cm electric cooker.

GlynD

kwmlondon wrote: »

To be fair though a shiny white cooker will brighten up the kitchen and make it look a heck of a lot better. Much the same way the next step would be replacing the vinyl and the doors to get a pretty good "new kitchen" effect!

I know £266 is a fair old whack, but I've had an eye out for a few months and this is the cheapest I've seen a 60cm electric cooker.

If you're happy with the look of it why not buy the Currys own brand one as we did? I think they've gone up to £169 or something now but it's still £100 cheaper than the one you've seen?

GlynD

Cheaper than I thought at £159.99 - here you go http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/essentials-cfsewh12-electric-cooker-white-12309644-pdt.html?intcmpid=display~RR~Household+Appliances~12309644