lodger problem - landlord using deposit.

danshah316

towanda wrote: »

Hi, just wanted to log in and say that I sympathise with you, I'm trying to save to buy a flat/ house (hence lurking in this forum) and moved in as a lodger in two places this year in an attempt to save money, both were unbelievably awful and I ended up having to bite the bullet and rent my own flat after all and take longer to save up I'm sure there are many good lodging setups out there for every bad one, but it seems we have been unlucky! The first one I moved into had an OCD landlady who would follow me round the house and into my room because she didn't like my handbag or any of my belongings touching her carpet, as well as a billion other crazy rules, so I fully understand the nightmare of living with with these sorts of people! The second was the complete opposite, moved in with someone who lived like a pig, stayed up all night watching loud tv 'til 3am as they were out of work and all the drains smelled like bad eggs to the point where I couldn't stomach getting in the shower, even with flip flops on. Gave up after that, after losing about £500 in total...

An entire new hob for that tiny mark is incredibly unreasonable. I find it strange that the landlords would want to go through all the annoyance of having more people in and work done replacing the hob over something that trivial. I wouldn't be surprised if they just want to pocket the money and have no intention of replacing it. It seems like they just want to hang on to your deposit and have been waiting for a reason to do so IMO. I hope you manage to find a way to reduce the amount. Fair enough there has been damage and they are entitled to some small form of deduction if they want to be like that, but they should take into account that a) the hob is fully functional and you can hardly see the mark and b) you wouldn't have been so overzealous about cleaning it like that in the first place if they hadn't drilled into you that it had to be PERFECT. Seems like they have a lot in common with my ex-landlady, they rub their hands at the rental income but they don't like the reality of having people in/ using their house like the home they are paying for.

Thanks for your comments and feedback. It sounds like you have also been very unlucky. I wish you best of luck in buying flat/house and good luck in saving whilst renting the flat.

I was a lodger in my previous home just a few weeks ago but had to leave due to the landlord selling the home. He was an excellent and kind landlord and would definitely have been fair about this.

I would happily pay a fair figure to my current LL (say £100), as I believe in justice and paying for ones mistakes, but I don't agree that my current landlord should be able to just decide everything without discussion. I truely believe if they want their home to be spotless, that they shouldn't have lodgers.

I wouldn't have been so anal about cleaning it to make it spotless and shiny and new looking if it wasnt for the LL. She put up a note to spray the shower guard with a spray provided each time I come out of the shower. I have been doing this. She provided no note to say what I should be cleaning the hob with. What I used was a genuine and reasonable error that the LL should account for when allowing paid lodgers to stay in their home.

If I was to hire and pay a professional cleaner, I would expect them to do the job properly. I am not a professional cleaner nor was i paid to make her kitchen perfect.

Guest101

danshah316 wrote: »

You are absolutely spot on, they are being overly anal about things. When I moved in, they were aware that I was only there for a short period while waiting for a house purchase to complete. They were nice when showing us the property, and verbally told me its cool to use their spare room to keep a couple of suitcases in (as my bedroom is quite small).

On the day I moved in, the landlady then told me that I am paying for the room only, and if I wanted to store extra things in a spare room or in the loft, I will have to pay extra. I really look forward to moving out as they are not nice people at all.

Just wondering as they have my deposit, and assuming they dont just take the hob out and give it to me, maybe I could just take something of theirs (laptop for example), and tell them I will return it when I receive either a substantial part of my deposit back or till I get given the hob?

I can't think of any other way to force them to give me back part of my deposit or get given the hob.

I feel the landlord really should have put up a list of rules if they want every little thing their way.

Go for it, just expect a night in the cells and a theft charge on your name.

You take them to court, that's it

Ulfar

If you are on about the mark on the stainless steel, this should be removable. Try products others have tried or a magic sponge (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Eraser-Sponges-Accessories-TheChemicalHut/dp/B003QITQC6).

I have a stainless steel cooker, no matter what you do at some point it will stop looking like brand new, this is just wear and tear.

danshah316

EmmaBridgewater wrote: »

What DID you use?

I will respond to this question this evening once I get back and re-look. I believe it was a CIF product, will give the full details of the product i used soon.

danshah316

Guest101 wrote: »

Go for it, just expect a night in the cells and a theft charge on your name.

You take them to court, that's it

Thank you for the warning. I genuinely don't want to go down that route, but I also feel strongly that I should stand up for people like myself who are victims to nasty landlords.

I hate that they can just simply use my deposit how they want without any recourse, unlike if I was a tenant with an AST.

I would get a theft charge against my name for taking something of theirs but they won't get a theft charge on their name for taking MY money?

Guest101

danshah316 wrote: »

Thank you for the warning. I genuinely don't want to go down that route, but I also feel strongly that I should stand up for people like myself who are victims to nasty landlords.

I hate that they can just simply use my deposit how they want without any recourse, unlike if I was a tenant with an AST.

I would get a theft charge against my name for taking something of theirs but they won't get a theft charge on their name for taking MY money?

you do have protection in law, u go to court. its not theft, u gave them money for security.

if they took money from ur room, then it would be theft

dimbo61

They need to protect your deposit within 30 days and give you the info of where the deposit is protected!!!!
Wait and say nothing IF you cannot clean off this mark.
Good Luck

martinsurrey

danshah316 wrote: »

I would get a theft charge against my name for taking something of theirs but they won't get a theft charge on their name for taking MY money?

because you KNOW the laptop isnt yours,while you only BELIVE they have taken something of yours (it would be up to a court to decide).


And again, just because they are nasty, doesn’t make them wrong!

dimbo61 wrote: »

They need to protect your deposit within 30 days and give you the info of where the deposit is protected!!!!
Wait and say nothing IF you cannot clean off this mark.
Good Luck

*sigh*

no they dont, OP is a lodger.

Miss_Marple_2

If I were in the OP's shoes, I'd be looking online to see if just that part of the hob is replaceable ( looks like it should be) and also if there is any advice online about the damage, to see if I could correct it myself.

If I were in the landlord's shoes, I'd want the hob replaced. It is an obvious mark , made by using cleaning products that were not given to OP ( i.e. landlady gave OP something to clean it with & OP used something else).

I'm not sure it could be classed as wear & tear as that should happen over time - not all at once at the beginning of the appliance's life.

Also, the damage was not caused by normal use of the appliance - e.g. it was not caused by fat spitting out or over-boiling of water.

But I agree wth the OP - if he has to fork out full price for a new hob, he should be entitled to the old one, which I'm sure could be sold on e-bay for at least half the price of a new one.

katejo

Miss_Marple wrote: »

If I were in the OP's shoes, I'd be looking online to see if just that part of the hob is replaceable ( looks like it should be) and also if there is any advice online about the damage, to see if I could correct it myself.

If I were in the landlord's shoes, I'd want the hob replaced. It is an obvious mark , made by using cleaning products that were not given to OP ( i.e. landlady gave OP something to clean it with & OP used something else).

I'm not sure it could be classed as wear & tear as that should happen over time - not all at once at the beginning of the appliance's life.

Also, the damage was not caused by normal use of the appliance - e.g. it was not caused by fat spitting out or over-boiling of water.

But I agree wth the OP - if he has to fork out full price for a new hob, he should be entitled to the old one, which I'm sure could be sold on e-bay for at least half the price of a new one.

Sorry but I choose to disagree. I have just looked at the photo again and the mark looks pretty minor to me. It would be different if a hot liquid had been spilt around the rings. Anyone who chooses to have lodgers should know that there will be a risk of accidents. If you don't accept that then you should not have lodgers at all.