Landlord claims money from deposit due to broken washing machine

woodtomd

2 weeks before the end of our tenancy the washing machine broke. We informed the landlord who sent round an engineer, but unfortunately the engineer made the situation worse and the washing machine started leaking, so we had to turn off the water supply. The landlord informed us that we would be without a washing machine for the rest of our contract.

Upon checkout from the flat, the landlord then became annoyed that we had not cleaned the mattress toppers, floor matts/towels, and a couple of other items. I reminded him that this was unfortunately not possible as the washing machine was out of action, but his reply was that we should have taken these items to a dry cleaner.

He has now taken the items to a dry cleaner himself and informed us he will deduct the amount from our deposit. Personally I think that this is extremely unfair, but would be interested to get other people's views and opinions on what to do next?

Comms69

Seems reasonable to me assuming they were clean when u moved in

scaredofdebt

What does your tenancy agreement say?

It does sound like he's being unfair but without seeing the agreement cannot say for sure.

Is the deposit held by your landlord or is it in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme?

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/renting-privately/during-your-tenancy/check-your-landlord-has-protected-your-deposit/

System

If the items were supplied to you clean they need to be cleaned upon return, you had two weeks to get them cleaned so yes dry cleaners or Laundromat. how did you wash your clothes over that period.


providing he doesn't inflate the dry cleaning costs I do think it fair and should it go to dispute there is every chance the adjudicator will find in the landlords favour..

G_M

1) should the LL have fixed the washing machine?
What does the tenancy agreement say? Statute law does not require him to (in the way it makes him fix the roof), though contract law might.

If the w/machine was leaking, why did the engineer, or LL, or you, disconnect it so the water did not have to be turned off? Wete you totally without water for the last two weeks? That WOULD be against statute law.


2) the cleaning
If the items were left less clean when you left than they'd been at the start, the LL can claim the cost of cleaning. The washing machine is not the only way to clean them - indeed, a topper, I suspect, would need dry cleaning.......

scaredofdebt

I'm assuming the LL should have fixed the washing machine as he arranged for the engineer to visit in the first instance.

G_M

scaredofdebt wrote: »

I'm assuming the LL should have fixed the washing machine as he arranged for the engineer to visit in the first instance.

Why? It might have been a goodwill gesture, but when the fix became more problematic/expensive the LL decided he's expended enough goodwill......


We don't know.