lodger problem - landlord using deposit.

Davesnave

I'm in the betterment camp too, but I'd probably have a damn good go at removing the stain first, bearing in mind it's a brushed ss surface finish with a 'grain.'

Here's advice from the ones who should know. Option 4 looks the most appropriate:

http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=77

SternMusik

Davesnave wrote: »

Here's advice from the ones who should know. Option 4 looks the most appropriate:

http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=77

Good find!

dgtazzman

The price for the new hob seems pretty steep, found some nice ones via google for under £150 and surely fitting it won't cost in excess of 200 quid.

Anyway, that mark is pathetic, I hardly think it warrants replacing the entire hob...

Manchee

silvercar wrote: »

But the LL has also been cooking, so couldn't expect the hob to be "as new".

Given that we are using the car anology, once a car has been driven off the forecourt it has depreciated - same with the hob, it is now not a new item and the LL can't expect a new item as that would be betterment.

You have to judge what price a hob would cost with a small mark on it. Plenty high street retailers sell off showroom models at nearly full price to allow for slight marks. So you are talking of a discount of 10-20% on full price. Anything else would be betterment.

I accept the LL may say they would only by factory perfect models but they have to take into account that they chose to take lodgers.

But thats not how its looked at normally. If you take for instance a deposit from a tenancy agreement, if the damage couldn't be fixed, then the general 'rule' for the amount to be deducted would be the cost to replace to the standard it was originally at minus the time already spent on its 'life expectancy'. So if the cooker cost 380 quid, with a life expectancy of say 20 years for example (or 1040 weeks) and with the kitchen being very new - lets say 3 weeks - then the total due would be 379 quid (3 weeks = £1). And thats with a tenancy deposit thats protected. If the OP can't return the cooker to how it was, I don't think hes got much of a leg to stand on.

Yes they chose to take lodgers, but they expect those lodgers to take due care with their possessions.

gayleanne

SternMusik wrote: »

I had a similar problem with stains on my new stainless steel hob (caused by danish oil in my case). Have tried all sorts of (non abrasive) cleaners with no luck. Finally paid out for this http://www.bosch-home.co.uk/store/product/Cleaningproduct/00311140 which is totally overpriced but has actually worked a treat on my hob. No stains/marks left. The wipes work wonders after cleaning with the powder, leaving the surface to look like new. Maybe worth a go for the OP, certainly much cheaper than £380.

Regarding the deposit, I don't think this would stand up in court. The hob continues to function well, and they didn't make it clear that they want it to remain absolutely pristine (which cannot be expected in a kitchen that is actually used for cooking).

I second this, the Bosch is brilliant, I honestly thought that I would have to get a new hob, until this was suggested to me, my hob now looks brand new. well worth the money.

DRP

1. Use the products advised above to clean the hob.
2. Source a replacement part yourself.
3. Buy the hob off them and replace it with a new one.
4. Tell them you will 'see them in court'.

Either way do lots of research, get quotes etc etc

Homeagain

danshah316 wrote: »

I really appreciate all the responses, and I am leaning towards just chalking it up to experience.

I feel more annoyed I suppose as the home owners shouldn't really expect the place to be kept in absolute mint condition, and if they do, they shouldn't rent rooms out.

As they want £380 to replace the hob which is now 'damaged', does that mean I am entitled to take the damaged hob with me and at least try to get some money back by flogging on ebay?

Yes you are. Good idea.

katejo

You have my sympathy. I am a landlady to 1 lodger and also have a newish kitchen . I would not charge for this myself . Mistakes happen and she should have told which cleaning material to use . If my lodger put a hot dish on a work surface and damaged it (I have heatproof places ) then I might ask for about £50 but not more . In fact he has just had an accident and slightly damaged an old table but I am not going to charge him. It is one of those things .

katejo

danshah316 wrote: »

Two weeks ago, I moved into a house (with a recently refurbished kitchen) as a lodger renting a room living with the home owners. I am only there for a short time, awaiting a house purchase to complete (money is very tight at the mo) . I have paid for 3 weeks in advance and have one week of that remaining, and can pay one week at a time should I need to extend that.

I paid the 3 weeks rent by cheque and I also paid my deposit by cheque. The deposit was £400, which has come out of my bank account a week ago.

Two days ago, I was making sausages for dinner in the kitchen. I used the hob, and some sprinkles of oil splattered around.

The landlady noticed the sprinkles of oil and said the landlord had been cleaning the kitchen surface for approx 2 hours and she expected everything to be put back as it was before I made the sausages. She gave me some wipes and I started to use them to wipe the mess. It wasn’t coming off in such a way to make the hob area really shiny, like it was before I cooked my dinner.

I used some oven cleaner on an area where there was some oil splashes. It left a mark as shown in the picture below (small mark on the bottom left). The landlord has now told me that I will be charged £380 for this. I am really disappointed as its such a small mark and I don’t know if there is anything I can do about it.

I know they haven’t used a deposit protection scheme, but from doing a bit of research on google, it seems as though as I am a lodger living with the landlord, they don’t have to. Is there anything I can do to stop them using by deposit money to buy a whole new hob for £380?

Thanks, appreciate any advice given.

I have now seen the photo . It seems really unreasonable to expect you to pay .

dimbo61

http://www.4caple.co.uk/hob-top/product.pl?pid=1742116&query=caple+C769G

This is the website and spare part that has been damaged so if you cannot clean it with ALDI kitchen cleaner or the Bosch product at £30 then you can buy the

Caple C769G Hob Top
Caple C769G for £236.99 plus £6.50 delivery which is still cheaper than £380

Not sure how easy it is to fit