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Landlords and light fittings?
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PasturesNew wrote: »Er ..... I struggle to get up the ladder safely/without shaking to change the lightbulb. No WAY would I touch it. I'm petrified just putting the new bulb in and taking the old one out.
Blimey, how high up is this thing?
Isolate circuit before working on it, buy an electrical screwdriver that shows whether circuit still live (<£2 for a basic one, around a tenner if you want a no contact mains detector) and add a head torch and maybe some snips if wires need attention, and that's the job done really.
Some light fittings needed moving in daughter's house, and they were "loop in" ceiling roses so lots of wires/contacts. I did all three in a morning (plus a few other jobs) as I used Wago push-fit connectors to avoid fiddling around in the loft. An electrician quoted two hours to do each one, so it's very worthwhile being able to tackle these basic jobs.
Of course, I wouldn't do anything other than a more or less "like for like" swap of an existing fitting in a rented place for multiple reasons.I am not a financial adviser and neither do I play one on television. I might occasionally give bad advice but at least it's free.
Like all religions, the Faith of the Invisible Pink Unicorns is based upon both logic and faith. We have faith that they are pink; we logically know that they are invisible because we can't see them.0 -
nomoneytoday wrote: »What sort of fitting is it?
Maybe a specialist sells an adaptor, or bulbs?
T-12 fluorescent tubes, they were mostly manufactured in the US and the US banned production of them a few years ago for environmental reasons.0 -
James_edge wrote: »T-12 fluorescent tubes, they were mostly manufactured in the US and the US banned production of them a few years ago for environmental reasons.
Are you the landlord or tenant?Well life is harsh, hug me don't reject me.0 -
Don't T12 and T8 use the same G13 cap, so can't you just fit a T8?I am not a financial adviser and neither do I play one on television. I might occasionally give bad advice but at least it's free.
Like all religions, the Faith of the Invisible Pink Unicorns is based upon both logic and faith. We have faith that they are pink; we logically know that they are invisible because we can't see them.0 -
James_edge wrote: »T-12 fluorescent tubes, they were mostly manufactured in the US and the US banned production of them a few years ago for environmental reasons.
Then you do indeed have a sort of point about using obsolete fittings.
However:
You can still get T12 tubes from most online lighting shops (it's only the largest T12s which are no longer produced, smaller ones still are), though admittedly you aren't going to be finding them in Sainsburys or B&Q.
If you do need larger tubes, T12 bulbs use the same caps as T8's so are interchangeable, and you can buy these just about anywhere (including B&Q).
You can actually get drop-in LED replacements for T12 and T8 bulbs, eg:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Tube-Light-Retrofit-Fluorescent-energy-saving-T8-or-T12-replacement-SMD-/230853169084
Given all this, I think you're going to struggle arguing that your landlord has any kind of responsibility to replace the fittings for you.0 -
You can still get T12 tubes from most online lighting shops
Only cheap unreliable chinese copies, the major manufacturers have all ceased production hence T12 being considered obsolete post phase out.
You can still find the occasional new branded T12 tube on Ebay/etc but they usually have a premium attached.If you do need larger tubes, T12 bulbs use the same caps as T8's so are interchangeable
They physically fit but use different ballasts, putting a T8 tube in a T12 fitting will shorten the life of the tube.You can actually get drop-in LED replacements for T12 and T8 bulbs
However they cost a lot.
I'm sorry for being so negative towards all the suggestions, but I don't really understand the argument of "the landlord shouldn't have to change the obsolete fittings because you can still pay ridiculous premiums for original/LED replacements", if they were going to have to rent the property to anyone else they would have to replace the fittings (this is the last place with the original fittings as all the others were replaced before the current tenants moved in).0 -
James_edge wrote: »Only cheap unreliable chinese copies
A very brief search reveals Philips, Osram, and GE T12 bulbs are still readily available online.
Examples include:
https://www.any-lamp.co.uk/philips/philips-fluorescent-tubes/philips-t12-tubes
https://www.easy-lightbulbs.com/light-bulbs/fluorescent-tubes/t12-fluorescent-tubes-38mm/2-pins-at-either-end/James_edge wrote: »You can still find the occasional new branded T12 tube on Ebay/etc but they usually have a premium attached.
I don't understand this. You say you don't want cheap offbrand ones then complain that branded ones are more expensive? No kidding.James_edge wrote: »if they were going to have to rent the property to anyone else they would have to replace the fittings
Why? They could happily continue using their current fittings with cheap offbrand bulbs, use slightly more expensive branded bulbs, use T8 bulbs that don't last quite as long, or use LED bulbs.
Granted, the situation may not be absolutely ideal for you here but you rented a property with ancient fluorescent light fittings and you still have those same light fittings, for which, contrary to your original post (which explicitly stated that it was not possible to get the bulbs any more), bulbs are still readily available.0 -
A very brief search reveals Philips, Osram, and GE T12 bulbs are still readily available online.
Examples include: -snip-
The first link only has sizes up to 4ft, the second link wants £432 for a Sylvania tube.I don't understand this. You say you don't want cheap offbrand ones then complain that branded ones are more expensive? No kidding.
Not complaining that branded costs more than unbranded, complaining that as branded are no longer produced they carry a ridiculous price tag (as above).Why?
Because this is the only property left here that still has T12 bulbs, they had to replace them in the other properties before re-renting them after tenants moved out. This property only has them because we have been here since 1992.They could happily continue using their current fittings with cheap offbrand bulbs
The off brand Chinese ones don't conform to EU standards and have dubious reliability.use slightly more expensive branded bulbs
We have a very different definition of slightly.use T8 bulbs that don't last quite as long
Expensive.or use LED bulbs.
Again, expensive.you rented a property with ancient fluorescent light fittings
Nope, I rented a property with current fluorescent light fittings they just became obsolete over the past quarter century.0 -
As you're clearly a long term tenant, I'd hope the LL would change the fitting out of good will. Personally, I'd just fit an LED one as you'll save money in the long run as longevity is good.I am not a financial adviser and neither do I play one on television. I might occasionally give bad advice but at least it's free.
Like all religions, the Faith of the Invisible Pink Unicorns is based upon both logic and faith. We have faith that they are pink; we logically know that they are invisible because we can't see them.0 -
James_edge wrote: »The first link only has sizes up to 4ft, the second link wants £432 for a Sylvania tube.
No, it wants £432 for a box of 25 Sylvania tubes.
I appreciate that your mind's clearly already made up here so offering advice isn't going to get very far, but you could at least look at the suggestions being offered rather than just "sort by most expensive" to back up your point then not read the result properly.
The average cost of the well-known branded tubes on that page is around £15.0
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