Landlord problems - should I pay?

Clarita

Hi,

Not entirely sure if this applies to daage during a tenancy, but..
When making a claim at the end of a tenancy, a landlord cannot claim "new for old". In other words, if the item (eg. oven) is 3 years old and it has a lifespan/warrantee of 5 years if it is damaged and needs replacing, the landlord can only claim 2/5 of the cost. I don't see any reason for it to work any differently in your case. Get proof of when the items were bought and how long the warrantee lasts to see what portion of the replacement cost you will be liable for if they do need replacing.

Take a look at the rules on this from the Assocition of Independent Inventory Clerks website: http://www.theaiic.co.uk/fair-wear-tear.php

Good luck

redcar_2

Clarita wrote: »

Hi,

Not entirely sure if this applies to daage during a tenancy, but..
When making a claim at the end of a tenancy, a landlord cannot claim "new for old". In other words, if the item (eg. oven) is 3 years old and it has a lifespan/warrantee of 5 years if it is damaged and needs replacing, the landlord can only claim 2/5 of the cost. I don't see any reason for it to work any differently in your case. Get proof of when the items were bought and how long the warrantee lasts to see what portion of the replacement cost you will be liable for if they do need replacing.

Take a look at the rules on this from the Assocition of Independent Inventory Clerks website: http://www.theaiic.co.uk/fair-wear-tear.php

Good luck

I was just thinking that too about the new for old bit - def worth checking this.

PasturesNew

MoneyJess wrote: »

OK, and here's the bad bit, I haven't got contents insurance. I (naively)assumed that, as the flat is fully furnished, the contents that belong to the landlord are covered by his insurance. I decided that I was willing to take the risk with my own belongings. As it looks like I will have to pay if the claim is seen to be legitimate, I'm now more concerned about said legitimacy...

For future reference, check out the Endsleigh Tenant Insurance.

I am a tenant in furnished accommodation. I've got the Endsleigh Tenant Insurance. This covers me if I damage anything belonging to the landlord - and - if something bad should happen, like a broken window/break in, then my insurance gets that fixed immediately as a landlord is likely to not be available or able to sort it out, especially if it were at, say 2am.

It's not expensive ... for next time. Just in case.

Good luck with your current situation, but as the others are saying, you left the tap on, you caused the damage, therefore it is for you to pay to rectify this not only in the flat you are renting, but in the one you damaged.

Lavendyr

Have you ever had to claim on the Endsleigh insurance, out of interest, PasturesNew? I ask because I had their insurance for a year, moved house twice in that time, and both times got fobbed off so many times and put on hold for so long that each time I had to threaten to make a formal written complaint before they would put me through to someone who could take the details about my change of address...! Cheap they may be, but my experience was that they were pretty rubbish at customer service.

MoneyJess

Dear allThank you so much for your help and advice at the time - it certainly gave me the proverbial kick up the **** to get more clued up about these kind of things. In the end, the landlord didn't charge me anything - I think that he realised that I wasn't just going to hand over the money without going through the proper channels, and he thought that it wasn't worth his time. However....now my flatmate and I are moving out (I'm moving in with my boyfriend), and the issue of deposits will arise. Having checked my contract, the deposit is held against my breaking the contract, and as far as I am aware, I haven't done so, as my contract states that I agree not to 'knowingly or willingly' cause damage. What is your advice should the landlord withhold my deposit?Thanks again!

nimbo

threaten to take him to the small claims court... (as a last resort)...