Refrigerator Light not working reponsible of tenant or LL?

greatcrested

A_Lert said:

In my view it's maintenance of the white goods. If they are part of the rental then that maintenance is the landlord's responsibility. Although it's in no way an essential or urgent repair and if I was the landlord I would put it firmly bottom of my priority list.

Yes, it is literally speaking a light bulb, but terms in a tenancy agreement making tenants responsible for changing light bulbs will normally be interpreted as referring to the domestic lighting, not to bulbs and LEDs in appliances.

For another example, there's a light in the back of most TVs, but if a TV was including in the furnishings and the backlight broke would any reasonable landlord expect the tenant to pay to repair it?

It's not a 'view'. It's a fact. Yes, 'it's maintenance of the white goods.'

But just because the white goods in question are 'part of the rental' does not necessarily make them legally the landlord's responsibility.

As has already been explained, it depends on the contract as to whether " appliances for making use of the supply of water, gas or electricity" are the LL's responsibility (Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 ).

And I have yet to ever see a tenancy agreement that makes " tenants responsible for changing light bulbs." It is Common Law (developed in the courts over a period of time roughly equivellant to period understanding and use of electricity) that places that responsibiliy on tenants.

Likewise the TV. What does the contract say about maintenance/replacement of the TV, if anything?

Having said that, many LLs go much further than the law requires, and would indeed repair or replace a faulty fridge or TV they had supplied. But not the lightbulb!

Salemicus

alex132 said:

I do understand that light bulb issue will be tenant responsible to change it. 
How about the refrigerator light bulb? Is it categories as white good?

Don't bring this racist language to a forum of mutual peace and support. White and good are not linked concepts.

greatcrested

Salemicus said:

alex132 said:

I do understand that light bulb issue will be tenant responsible to change it. 
How about the refrigerator light bulb? Is it categories as white good?

 White and good are not automatically linked concepts.

Though in some cases they can be.

Let's not stereotype.

Salemicus

Don't defend OP's hate speech. White goods is a fascist dogwhistle. Next you'll be calling the kettle black.

Beeboo23

Slithery said:

It's your insurers problem to sort out.

You do have fridge light insurance, don't you? If not, now would be the time to start thinking about it.

This is actually bad advice. You can’t get fridge light insurance retrospectively. That would be fridge light insurance fraud. Maximum sentence 3-5 years. 

dimbo61

Check out the fridge ?
See if it's just an old fashioned small screw in bulb which costs about £1 from Wilko, B and M, Poundland and many other cheap DIY stores.
Take old bulb out and carry carefully in pocket.
Check it looks the same size and is same wattage 5/10W and buy a new one.
Return home and screw new bulb into fitting inside fridge, reattach cover and check light bulb works.
Pour a cold drink from fridge and take a photo for Facebook, TicTok, Zoom, etc

You could be running the country soon

stokegal

Personally I would just replace it and have done several times (being an independent woman an all that 💁‍♀️)

However playing devils advocate - the light bulb in my built in oven went. As an independent woman I removed said lightbulb purchased a new one and replaced it... didn’t realise that there was actually a problem with the socket in the oven and when I put new light bulb in the oven it then then shorted the oven. Only discovered this problem after LL came to fix oven, he tested it and it worked, I then asked him to put the new bulb in. He did and it blew the fuse on the oven... he then had to pull out oven and fix it again and left me bulbless and unable to see my Yorkshire puddings rising! 

If the tenant does fix the lightbulb and it’s something more than just the bulb had gone - who’s responsibility is it then?

Slithery

stokegal said:

If the tenant does fix the lightbulb and it’s something more than just the bulb had gone - who’s responsibility is it then?

Please read the thread properly. Several of us have already said that it depends on the tenancy agreement.

NameUnavailable

So the correct answer to the question is that the OP should employ a solicitor to check the contract and advise if it is OK or not for the OP to change the bulb. If it's not they can send a letter requesting the urgent repair. Hopefully the landlord is responsible and will attend to it in good time.

OTOH if it is OK for the OP to carry out the repair they must call a suitably qualified electrician to carry out the work.

badger09

I'm surprised that none of the property experts have suggested that it might not be the bulb which is at fault.

I think the little man/woman who turns the fridge light on when the door is opened has simply finished early for the Christmas holiday;)