How much is standard to debit deposit for white goods?

sh13292

We are in the process of getting our deposits back. We were 5 students in a private rental, no estate agents etc.

Basically, when we moved in, the drawer in the door of the fridge where the milk goes was already snapped, and I noted this in the check in. It eventually broke off, so we removed the bottom vegetable drawer to make space for the milk to stand. Also, the top drawer in the freezer had a crack in it, which I forgot to mention at check in and the itinerary. Eventually this also snapped off a part of the plastic, but the drawer still functions fine, and nothing falls out. I knew the previous tenants, so because I didn't mention the freezer in the itinerary, I checked with them that it was cracked when they lived there. The third item was the dishwasher, but I am happy to pay for this as the handle snapped but it was because of someone trying to force it open when it was on.

The landlord is trying to make us pay for 50% of the initial cost price of the three white goods, which comes to £526.96. So he wants us to pay £263 between the 5 of us.

Is this normal to be charged 50% of the cost? Both the fridge and freezer both still function as they are supposed to, so I don't understand how they can justify making us pay so much? The dishwasher also still works, the handle is just a bit shorter.

Hope someone can help and explain to me, I am quite sure that they are trying to f*** us over here!

Thanks.

Guest101

sh13292 wrote: »

We are in the process of getting our deposits back. We were 5 students in a private rental, no estate agents etc.

Basically, when we moved in, the drawer in the door of the fridge where the milk goes was already snapped, and I noted this in the check in. It eventually broke off, so we removed the bottom vegetable drawer to make space for the milk to stand. Also, the top drawer in the freezer had a crack in it, which I forgot to mention at check in and the itinerary. Eventually this also snapped off a part of the plastic, but the drawer still functions fine, and nothing falls out. I knew the previous tenants, so because I didn't mention the freezer in the itinerary, I checked with them that it was cracked when they lived there. The third item was the dishwasher, but I am happy to pay for this as the handle snapped but it was because of someone trying to force it open when it was on.

The landlord is trying to make us pay for 50% of the initial cost price of the three white goods, which comes to £526.96. So he wants us to pay £263 between the 5 of us.

Is this normal to be charged 50% of the cost? Both the fridge and freezer both still function as they are supposed to, so I don't understand how they can justify making us pay so much? The dishwasher also still works, the handle is just a bit shorter.

Hope someone can help and explain to me, I am quite sure that they are trying to f*** us over here!

Thanks.

Age of the white goods?

Modgepodge

You can buy a replacement plastic draw front for the freezer for most freezers, for around £10. I know cos we bought one to replace ours so this didn't happen to us! 50% of the cost of a new freezer therefore seems excessive. I'd imagine fridge drawers/shelves likewise. Tbh it would have been easier for you to just replace these yourself but it's too late for that now. Can't comment in the dishwasher, but if it still works then again 50% seems a lot. It does depend on the age of the products though.

I assume your deposit is proceed, it is legally required to be. If it's not you can (I believe) sue your LL for up to 3 times the deposit amount, I don't think they can make deductions then. If it is, dispute it though the deposit scheme and hopefully you won't have to pay as much.

Guest101

Modgepodge wrote: »

You can buy a replacement plastic draw front for the freezer for most freezers, for around £10. I know cos we bought one to replace ours so this didn't happen to us! 50% of the cost of a new freezer therefore seems excessive. I'd imagine fridge drawers/shelves likewise. Tbh it would have been easier for you to just replace these yourself but it's too late for that now. Can't comment in the dishwasher, but if it still works then again 50% seems a lot. It does depend on the age of the products though.

I assume your deposit is proceed, it is legally required to be. If it's not you can (I believe) sue your LL for up to 3 times the deposit amount, I don't think they can make deductions then. If it is, dispute it though the deposit scheme and hopefully you won't have to pay as much.

Whilst you're right. If there is damage the LL can still pursue via the courts (if its not protected)

sh13292

The deposits are protected, but they have threatened to charge us for some things which they are not currently thinking of charging, so I don't want to aggravate them and make them add to it! I am not sure of the age of the white goods, do you mean they can charge more (such as 50%) if they did need to be replaced but were quite new?

Guest101

sh13292 wrote: »

The deposits are protected, but they have threatened to charge us for some things which they are not currently thinking of charging, so I don't want to aggravate them and make them add to it! I am not sure of the age of the white goods, do you mean they can charge more (such as 50%) if they did need to be replaced but were quite new?

Ok step one.

What else do you THINK they can charge you for. Because i guarantee you if they could charge for it, they would.

Step two:
What i mean is if the good are 10 years old, they could not charge you anything for them, if they were new when you moved in they could charge you a good whack.

ah to be young and naive again...

bouicca21

But if the goods are reasonably new it should be easy (and far cheaper than £263) to get replacement drawers.

OP, next time you are confronted with a cracked plastic drawer in a rental, buy some superglue and fix it so that it doesn't break ...

Guest101

bouicca21 wrote: »

But if the goods are reasonably new it should be easy (and far cheaper than £263) to get replacement drawers.

OP, next time you are confronted with a cracked plastic drawer in a rental, buy some superglue and fix it so that it doesn't break ...

Also true.

This is going to go to DPS i think.

dimbo61

We recently bought a replacement freezer drawer and it cost £50.
My son and his fellow tenants were charged £400 for cleaning and repaint after they used a dartboard in the hallway and left 1 bag of rubbish and dirty dishes in the sink.
Now you can buy a new fridge freezer for £200/250 and a new dishwasher for about £250/300.
This is always a difficult one as the Landlord is sitting with your deposit in his account. If you agree to the deductions now you get the rest of your deposit back ASAP.
Me I would fight him all the way with the DPS and ask him to produce the receipts for the fridge/freezer and dishwasher to prove when he bought them.
If he put brand new white goods in and you broke them then he has a good case.
He is allowed 10% wear and tear so state that the fridge was already broken/cracked and he can find a new door handle and drawers for much less than £263
Go to DPS and see what they say.

FlyingCat

I think the distinction here is that although the items are still technically usable, they have been damaged (not normal wear and tear).

If you were the new tenant, you wouldn't want to take a flat with broken/unsightly and damaged white goods would you?

I think the landlord is right to ask for some money to either fix or replace them, hard to tell what's appropriate without seeing the damage, or looking into the costs of fixing the items. But on the face of it, I wouldn't say 50% of the initial costs of the items is ridiculous (maybe a tad high but would 10-20% less make much difference when split between 5 of you?)

I'd say ~£250 off a deposit for 3 damaged white goods is not bad on the face of it. I have had £100 taken off from previous rental deposits for "cleaning"...despite the place being gutted and cleaned before leaving it.

Guest101

dimbo61 wrote: »

We recently bought a replacement freezer drawer and it cost £50.
My son and his fellow tenants were charged £400 for cleaning and repaint after they used a dartboard in the hallway and left 1 bag of rubbish and dirty dishes in the sink.
Now you can buy a new fridge freezer for £200/250 and a new dishwasher for about £250/300.
This is always a difficult one as the Landlord is sitting with your deposit in his account. If you agree to the deductions now you get the rest of your deposit back ASAP.
Me I would fight him all the way with the DPS and ask him to produce the receipts for the fridge/freezer and dishwasher to prove when he bought them.
If he put brand new white goods in and you broke them then he has a good case.
He is allowed 10% wear and tear so state that the fridge was already broken/cracked and he can find a new door handle and drawers for much less than £263
Go to DPS and see what they say.

1: LL does not have to produce receipts, he does not have to replace the goods, he can still charge for it. Example. he buys a table, you break the table. He doesnt have to replace the table, just charges you the cost less wear and tear.

2: 10% is about right, 10 years for white goods. But this could easily be different for carpets/ paint etc