Landlord responsibility?

rushcot

if you are renting and the property had electricalappliances in when you moved in who is responsible for maintaining them? the dishwasher where we live leaks and blows the electric the landlord does nt seem interested and when we offered to replace dishwasher they said we have to pay for an integrated one as that is what is in kitchen but they are so much more expensive!! any clever people out there got any ideas??

oki_2

Hi rushcot. How about getting the dishwasher fixed and reducing the rent by the amount it costs you for that month. Post receipt for repair to your landlord - just my thought............am sure others won't agree.

tbs624

Rushcot - its the LLs responsibility. Make your next request in writing (rec del or by hand and keep a copy), tell him politely but firmly that as he provided the dishwasher at the start of the tenancy he has to maintain it in a safe working condition, and to not do so places him in breach. Mention that you have already discussed this on X occasions (with dates if you have them).

Give him/her a date by which you'd like it fixed (say within 5/7 working days), and say that alternatively you'll get two or three quotes for the work yourself and suggest that he can decide whether to pay for it upfront or agree to you deducting it from the rent for that month, as Oki says. (Make sure that you have any agreement to that deduction in writing, & that you keep it somewhere safe until the end of your tenancy). If he won't act call the Tenancy Relations Officer at the private rentals section of the local council's housing dept. They are there to help with all manner of LL/tenant probs (will advise either party on rights/obligations). Good luck.

Bungarm2001

Unless it specifically states otherwise in the AST contract, the LL is responsible for maintaining the appliance, and all other fixed appliances provided. tbs624 has given you v good advice on how to get the LL to sort this out.

IveSeenTheLight

Out of interest, was an inventory list carried out and if so is the dishwasher on it?

ncooper1974

I have an integrated Dishwasher in one of my flats. Hasn't worked since I bought the place 6 years ago. Each time I get a new tenant, I point this out to them - and say that if they want to pay to get it repaired then they can, but at their own expense. A few of em have said they will, but never actually get round to it.
Its on the Inventory, but explicitly marked as not working. Therefor I am not responsible for fixing it.
However, if your Dishwasher is on the inventory, then I would say the landlord is responsible. If you've already asked the LL to replace/repair it and he hasn't then I would simply repair it, and then next time you pay rent subtract this amount. I certainly WOULD expect my tenants to do the same.

Incidentally, if its an integrated Dishwasher, are you saying you want to rip it out and simply put in a freestanding one?
In doing so, you might be liable to replace this with the existing one when you vacate, but i'm not sure about this....

clutton_2

if it is in the flat and is in the inventory it is the LLs responsibility

SquatNow

clutton wrote: »

if it is in the flat and is in the inventory it is the LLs responsibility

Unless it's marked as "doesn't work"!

Does the OP have any idea what is actually wrong with the diskwasher?

If it's just a water leak it would probably be cheap to fix... it only get expensive if it's the elctronics thats fried.

I'de be tempted to ring round and find a cheap local repair man who can pop by for £30 and have a look at a good time for me, simply to save the hassle of having to be there at a time thats good for the landlord.

But hey, what do I know, I've rewired my rented flat...