Water damage to Kitchen work surface in rental property.

neilvicks

Thank for the in-depth replies, it was very informative. It's hard to find information on the internet about wooden worktops in rental properties.

If this is the case I won't be offering anything. I'm already annoyed they have taken this long as I've never been a bad tenant with repairs and demands so I can't understand why they would try and take this stance in the first place.

I believe the sink sits over the top of the worktop.

leveller2911

neilvicks wrote: »

I believe the sink sits over the top of the worktop.

This is the worse type of sink for a timber worktop because the end grain of the timber around the sink soaks up moisture/water more than any other part of the worktop. The tree sucks up moisture from the ground in the same way...

To be honest the LL has not done himself/herself any favours by fitting it.

Good luck and post back on the progress.

Kynthia

It may not be sensible to put it in a rental but there's nothing to say a landlord can't. Plus while a landlord is supposed to maintain the structure of the property there's nothing to say they have to maintain the wooden worktop. It could be argued that maintaining it is acting in a 'tenant like manner' which is supposed to include cleaning gutters, changing light bulbs, defrosting the freezer, gardening, etc.

However at the moment the landlord hasn't even made a claim against the deposit and may not even do so. So why don't we wait and see.

POPPYOSCAR

Kynthia wrote: »

It may not be sensible to put it in a rental but there's nothing to say a landlord can't. Plus while a landlord is supposed to maintain the structure of the property there's nothing to say they have to maintain the wooden worktop. It could be argued that maintaining it is acting in a 'tenant like manner' which is supposed to include cleaning gutters, changing light bulbs, defrosting the freezer, gardening, etc.

However at the moment the landlord hasn't even made a claim against the deposit and may not even do so. So why don't we wait and see.

Yes but how many people realise the maintenance regime that wooden worktops require?


IMO it is unacceptable for the LL not to have at the very least advised his tenant.


No way would I put something like this in a rental property and the LL might not have even realised the maintenance required themselves.


Someone I know is currently replacing her wooden worktops because she is so fed up with maintaining them.

arbrighton

We don't rent but while I would have loved the look of wooden work tops, I knew full well I'm too clumsy/ prone to spilling things and cannot be faffed with the care. So I bought laminate wood effect. But I still wipe around my sink.

Did they perhaps install the worktop while they lived there and had no idea they'd be renting?

It's not difficult to find out about wooden worktops generally and then think hmmmm, I'd best look after this or *shock horror* ask landlord if there is any care required?

If this had been a home you owned and you had damaged your own wooden worktop, what would you do?

POPPYOSCAR

arbrighton wrote: »

We don't rent but while I would have loved the look of wooden work tops, I knew full well I'm too clumsy/ prone to spilling things and cannot be faffed with the care. So I bought laminate wood effect. But I still wipe around my sink.

Did they perhaps install the worktop while they lived there and had no idea they'd be renting?

It's not difficult to find out about wooden worktops generally and then think hmmmm, I'd best look after this or *shock horror* ask landlord if there is any care required?

If this had been a home you owned and you had damaged your own wooden worktop, what would you do?

I would not have thought to look it up myself.


I bought wooden worktops with no thought for their upkeep. I was surprised to see the regime which came with them.

Rain_Shadow

neilvicks wrote: »

We have recently moved out of a rental property of 2 and a half years. .

neilvicks wrote: »

.

I believe the sink sits over the top of the worktop.

I'm guessing you didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen.:cool:

e13

We have a wooden work-top in our house, and even with wiping up round the sink on a regular basis, it still gets black marks on it. I would definitely view some black marks as being part of "fair wear and tear" - because part of the maintenance of a wooden worktop is that it needs semi-regular sanding and re-oiling.

marksoton

neilvicks wrote: »

Hello,
We were very good tenants (IMO) and always paid the rent on time.

neilvicks wrote: »

Terrible tenant.....always paid the rent on time in full. Cheers for the words of wisdom. :money:

I don't see how this makes you virtiuous?

You were contractually obliged to do so.

Marvel1

Since you moved out 2 weeks ago, I would not wait any longer for a statement of deductions, again as I said I would start to claim the full deposit back.