Landlord charging for shower silicone replacement

DTBlaster

Hi,
Sorry if this is in the wrong place (first time poster!), but I'm a little unsure as to whether or not my landlord is unfairly overstepping the mark with some of their claims for repairs.

In particular, we (my housemates and I) are being charged with having to replace the shower's silicone sealant due to mould.

We've always been careful to not spend too long in the shower, and always use the extractor fan when we do so.
I was of the impression that in the long-run, some degree of mould build-up on sealant is pretty common, and that it would constitute general wear and tear that we wouldn't have to pay for, particularly given the measures we have taken to prevent the bathroom from steaming up too much.

I think it's worth noting that in 3 other rooms in the house (including my bedroom) there has been a build-up of mould stemming from what can only be considered flaws in the house (my room is very poorly ventilated, for which they accepted blame, as it already had mould growing prior to me moving in; another bedroom had mould from where the adjacent bathroom had began to leak and seep through into other rooms; and another room had mould before we moved in).

On the basis that we have been using the extractor fan properly, as well as the build-up of mould in other areas of the house (implying that there's a reasonable probability that the bathroom would also suffer from some inherent flaws), would we have a case to claim that the mould on the sealant isn't something we should be found culpable for?

If we're forced to pay, it will cost use over £80, which is pretty damaging considering we're on student budgets!

I appreciate I'm probably asking a lot since it's such a broad area, but if anyone has any advice on whether or not we'd be able to stake a claim that we shouldn't be held liable, I would very much appreciate it!

Thankyou

[Deleted User]

Are you during a tenancy and in an inspection this issue has come up and you are being billed for repairs, or have you left the premises and are having deductions from your deposit?

G_M

Sounds to me like wear & tear, unless you have either damaged the silicone or continually flooded...

paddedjohn

Even if you did have to pay, and i believe you shouldnt, £80 is outrageous. Materials about £5 and labour 20 mins. DIY springs to mind.

monty-doggy

I agree,I'd do it myself.

DTBlaster

Hey guys,
Thankyou for the responses!

citric, I'm during a tenancy, but will be moving out within the next week as term is ending. They compiled a pre-move out check and listed that as a charge.
The company we are with don't take deposits, so we would be charged for this.

In theory, as monty and paddedjohn suggests, we could rectify the damage ourselves, but to be honest, I have very little experience in DIY in general, and would fear that if I did it incorrectly (they tend to be very anal), I would be charged either way.

If it is something that could be considered wear and tear, then I would much rather avoid having to do it.

GM, there's no physical damage to it other than the build up of mould, and nobody's flooded the bathroom to my knowledge.

So do people think I would have a leg to stand on in this issue?

Thanks again for the responses!

monty-doggy

Replacing silicone is easy. I'm a girl, if I can do it so can you.

Scrape old stuff out with a blade or a removal tool (dead cheap in DIY shop)

Fill bath with water

Neatly put a strip of new silicone all along. You don't even need a gun dispenser, it can be bought in toothpaste like tubes.

Use a finger or edge tool to make it neat and even. Corner of a bank card will also work.

Let dry for 24-48 hours.

Simples.

[Deleted User]

No deposit means they're going to have to invest time and money into chasing you up, so refusing to pay will most likely have no real consequences for you. If you explain that this is fair wear and tear (which it sounds like it is, could you post a photograph?) and that you are not willing to pay for it their only option is chase you through legal channels which is going to cost more in time and money than pulling out some mould.

Out of interest what type of tenancy do you have and was an inventory done at check in? If there's no deposit then an inventory doesn't matter too much but it may allow you to demonstrate that this isn't your fault if the need arises.

Regarding the DIY replacement, if they're going to charge you for the problem and you don't want to refuse to pay then you may as well try fixing the problem yourself, if you mess up then they'll just have to spend the same amount of money to deal with the problem, you can't really come out behind even if you mess up on the DIY.

Although if they're a company that specialise in student lets (how large of a company are they?) they may possibly be experienced in unpaid bills and may have chasing you down to a fine art, will just be a case of picking your battles.

DTBlaster

Thankyou both for the responses!

monty, thanks for the tips! Will definitely look at following that procedure if all else fails!

citric, I don't have a camera myself (and my phone is ancient) so I don't really have a way of showing it to you, I'm afraid
As a rough description, there's no physical damage that affects the shape of it (no cuts or tears) but there is some discolouration in parts, with brownish spots of mould in some areas.

They're a fairly big student letting company and operate a number of houses in a few cities, so they probably have some experience.

My tenancy is a group assured shorthold tenancy. There was an inventory done when we moved in which doesn't seem to note any mould build-up, but this was done over 10 months ago before we moved in.

I'm a little wary about the DIY option for now partly because of my lack of DIY skills, but also for fear of exacerbating the situation beyond fair wear and tear. But I guess if it does ultimately come down to me getting charged, as you say, I have nothing to lose.

Zazen999

DTBlaster wrote: »

Hey guys,
Thankyou for the responses!

citric, I'm during a tenancy, but will be moving out within the next week as term is ending. They compiled a pre-move out check and listed that as a charge.
The company we are with don't take deposits, so we would be charged for this.

In theory, as monty and paddedjohn suggests, we could rectify the damage ourselves, but to be honest, I have very little experience in DIY in general, and would fear that if I did it incorrectly (they tend to be very anal), I would be charged either way.

If it is something that could be considered wear and tear, then I would much rather avoid having to do it.

GM, there's no physical damage to it other than the build up of mould, and nobody's flooded the bathroom to my knowledge.

So do people think I would have a leg to stand on in this issue?

Thanks again for the responses!

Tell them you want to see 3 quotes and won't be paying until you see the invoice and photos of the completed work. Anyone who pays £80 for that is a fool.

monty-doggy

Doesn't one of you have a dad or grandad or uncle local who can do it? Or a mum or sister if they are DIY daredevils like me?!