Should I replace a mouldy beech worktop in a rented property?

chris_m

You need to host the image(s) somewhere else, then include the urls(s) in a post here.

PollyOnAMission

Wooden worktops will pretty much always go black and mouldy around a sink, unless utmost care is taken to keep it dry and regular maintenance is carried out. It's just the way of wood; looks lovely but is a pain to maintain for worktops.

I fitted wood in my last house and managed to keep it free of mould for 5 years, but I was forever running around after my lodgers and visitors in order to maintain it.

I just don't really think you can expect a tenant to maintain something like a wooden worktop (which is chosen for the aesthetics, but with the caveat that you know it will be a huge commitment to maintain it) to the same standards you might yourself. I know of plenty of people even who own their wooden worktops and just aren't well practised enough/aren't bothered enough to do it. Although it looks nice, wood is a very bad choice in a rental property!

If it can be sanded/re-oiled I would try that just to keep the peace. If there's no joy with this then, given you were never instructed in care of the worktop, it seems very unfair that you should have to replace it!

I love the look of wood but will not be having it in my new house. It's just so much stress having to tidy up after people who don't understand it; but why should they understand it, when it's not their choice to have it?!

Good luck...

Alias_Omega

I was a Landlord, and i shall tell you a story about an Ceramic Hob which was Touch Sensitive, the Hob was Cracked by the tenant.

The hob was £300 to be replaced, that was supplied and fitted. Unfortuantely the hob had a life expectancy of 5 years, therefore i could only claim for the loss of these years.

The hob had been fitted 3 years, therefore the tenant was required to pay £120. This was calculated as -

New Hob - £300, divided by live expecancy (5years), multiplied by loss of years (2years) = £120.

Therefore the tenant paid £120....not the £300...


However....the damaged bathroom door was not subject to wear and tear, the life expectancy was forever (minus maintenance) and therefore they were billed for the cost to replace/repair.


So...is the kitchen worktop incorrectly sealed, and the life expectancy shortened? What is the life expectancy...?

AO

leveller2911

Alias_Omega wrote: »

The hob was £300 to be replaced, that was supplied and fitted. Unfortuantely the hob had a life expectancy of 5 years, therefore i could only claim for the loss of these years.



So...is the kitchen worktop incorrectly sealed, and the life expectancy shortened? What is the life expectancy...?

AO

Never heard of a hob having a "life expectancy of 5 years"?.

Surely it depends on how its used/abused, is it used 30 times a day or 4 times a day, quality of components etc.

Can you post a link re "life expectancy" of a hob?.

Regarding a beech worktops life expectancy depends on at what level of rotting deems it as unusable. Logically all the time you can place items on it and they don't fall through it then its still usable.It may look awful and smell to high heaven of mushrooms but technically speaking its still usuable.

If the sink is an underslung/Butler sink the lifespan can be shortend considerably due to moisture getting in the end grain around a sink. If its an "inset" sink (sits in the top of the worktop) its lifespan will be longer but as I already mentioned Beech is the worse timber for kitchen worktops.

If a worktop has been sealed correctly water should bead up on the surface in the same way it beads up on a car bonnet/roof.

somethingcorporate

leveller2911 wrote: »

What did you coat it with SC ? how many coats?

Danish oil - 5-6 coats or so.