Water damage to Kitchen work surface in rental property.

tlc678910

I agree with the OP. If it is true that this is the only issue that the landlord had then I think it is petty to let one issue sour the relationship. I think some people would thank their lucky stars to have the property back clean and tidy after a rental where the rent was always paid on time, with only one small issue to put right, but yes some people are petty.

Politely Dispute the deduction as fair wear and tear with the arbitration service (without getting overly worked up about it as it is a matter of opinion if it is fair wear and tear) and let the arbitration service do it's job and decide.

Tlc

POPPYOSCAR

I am with you OP.


Wooden worktops need oiling on a regular basis and I had no idea about this until I bought one!


Many people like the look but not the work.


You can also not put certain things on them as they react with the wood.


All of this should have been explained to you and the landlord should have maintained them or at least told you he expected you to do it before you took the tenancy on.

DaftyDuck

A wooden worktop requires re-oiling on a regular basis, say once a month to once every four months, and should not have any water left standing on it (so wipe around sink after every use or splash). They look good, but do take some care.

Although I would hope a LL would point this out in a home pack (and even supply the oil), there's no obligation to do so. No more than informing a tenant that hot pans should not be put on a melamine worktop, or not dropped on a tile/marble one.

The "small fortune" you paid them, you paid for the accommodation, and that's what you got. Paying the rent alone does not make you a good tenant.

If the worktop was damaged by water being left/not being oiled, then maybe the LL is due recompense for the damage you caused. If it was due to wear and tear, then you should get all your deposit back.

That's the beauty of the deposit system (when it works, which it normally does). It's not up to the no-doubt biased tenant or LL, but down to an independent judgement of the evidence....

Marvel1

First I heard about the care needed for wooden worktop.

I would appeal for the full amount of the deposit through the DPS right now.

Nobbie1967

In the absence of any specific care instructions, I'd probably regard the damage as fair wear and tear. The vast majority of worktops don't need special treatment and maintenance so I'm not surprised the OP didn't realise this. Maybe there were at fault in not pointing out the developing damage. I don't think there's a clearcut answer here, so let the DPS decide.

dirty_magic

I don't think the tenant should be responsible for paying for oil and maintaining wood worktops. Some marks are inevitable if the worktops aren't maintained properly.

They look lovely if they're cared for but they're so high maintenance!

glasgowdan

This sounds like fair wear and tear to me. Landlord is being an ar*e.

neilvicks

Thanks for all the replies guys, I was starting to doubt my integrity as a tenant!

I realize I have to keep it clean, which I did but it is literally next to and around the sink so keeping it dry was difficult.

I am yet to receive a statement of deductions but I am told this is what will be claimed for when it does arrive.

If it is reasonable (<£50) I will probably say fair enough and pay it. I just want to know where I stand in case they start billing me ridiculous amounts for things which were fairly questionable to begin with.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Neil.

leveller2911

I am an expert on timber worktops as I make Joinery including kitchens and have done for over 30yrs.

All timber worktops need regular maintenance and should never be used in a rental property. The simple answer is the LL is responsible for maintaining the property and as he/she chose to fit worktop that need maintaining its his responsibility. Some timbers are better than others so for example Beech is very poor as its not a durable timber and suffers badly from mold when it gets wet as does Maple.More durable timbers include Sapele and Iroko .Even Oak has issues because it contains tanic acid which turns the worktop black when it come in contact with any water.

Laminate worktops just require a wiping down with a damp cloth whereas timber worktops need regular oiling and re-sanding after a few years.

The Landlord should not have fitted timber worktops in a rental property unless he was happy to come round every couple of months and maintain them.....

Unless the LL made the OP sign a maintenance lease for the property then the LL is at fault.

OP ,feel free to PM if you need any further advice.

leveller2911

neilvicks wrote: »

I realize I have to keep it clean, which I did but it is literally next to and around the sink so keeping it dry was difficult.

Neil, is the sink a butler/Belfast/under-slung type sink where the worktop sits over the top of the sink as opposed to a sink that sits on top of the worktop?.

There is not and never has been any timber worktop that is maintenance free.

If it is reasonable (<£50) I will probably say fair enough and pay it. I just want to know where I stand in case they start billing me ridiculous amounts for things which were fairly questionable to begin with.

If you don't want the hassle of taking things further then paying up is up to you but It really isn't up to you to maintain the worktops unless you have a "maintenance" lease. Don't pay anything more than £75-00 tops because to re-sand the worktop and re-oil it is not a big job ... Not your problem Neil but your choice whether or not to pay something as a good will gesture.

Regards Leveller.