Did i get cheated?

[ashh123]

hi, recently I moved out my rented apartment and the landlord deducted 100£ for the damage on the door handle and the kitchen extractor fan that i caused by slamming the door too hard which then slammed against the extractor fan. are those damage something i could have fixed easily?

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• ashh123
• 4 Dec 2013
• 1

the extractor fan thats dislodged from the ceiling.

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• ashh123
• 5 Dec 2013
• 1

the door handle is protruding out.

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• ashh123
• 4 Dec 2013
• 1

the back of the door and the nut and screw of the door handle

any ideas or comments are very much appreciated. thanks.

 

[mattylad]

Yes you have been done!

Look atthe fan - it has no fixing screws visible - so nothing to keep it up there - some screws would fix it - quick fix will likely be just push it back or use adhesive.

The door - its old, the knocker has come away from its nuts - its not hard or expensive to replace that - about a fiver for the knocker i'd say plus 5 mins fitting.

So in essence - IMO the £100 is way over the top.

 

[SittingBull]

I would think that the charge was fair - especially with the extractor fan and damaged plasterwork underneath. The door thing I would think would be a simple fix.

 

[b21playa]

£100 is excessive.

Look at the state of the ceiling and the extractor has skim over it. Looks like it was just pushed into place with no fixings

 

[Growler247]

Why didn't you fix it before you moved out?

Bit of no more nails in each corner would have put the fan back and tighten up the bolts would have fixed the door

I think a £100 is fair as it's not just the parts to fix but also time and effort
It wasn't like that when you have to place so why leave it like that when you leave

I don't know you but may be a bit more respect for others property is in order

 

[zanzibar]

Have to agree with howler on this, not at all excessive, just try getting estimates for that work and you will see. Perhaps closng and not slamming doors could help in the next propert that you rent.

 

[TheVictorian]

£100 is fair, no matter how simple the repairs you would struggle to get a man out to rectify it for less than £100. You said that you caused it so you pay the price..

 

[ibruceuk]

I would say it's unfair.

For starters the fan doesn't appear to have fitted correctly in that it has no fixings obvious. Secondly the fan should not be positioned in such a way that an opening door can interfere with it (from the picture it appears as though the door can touch it quite naturally).

Object to the charge - it all depends on when you took out the tenancy but if it's not a really old one then the landlord has to lodge your deposit with a guarantee scheme by law and they will arbitrate between you (usually quite fairly).

Incidentally if they haven't lodged the deposit then the landlord is automatically liable for 3 times the deposit paid regardless!

 

[cajar]

The fan was not fitted properly in the first place. The ceiling around it is cracked which is probably why it was just pushed up there as a bodge job with no fixings. It should not come down no matter how hard you slam the door. Imagine holding a chair together with chewing gum and billing the first person to break it by sitting in it!

The door knocker just had to have its screws tightened - 2 minute job and part of the land lord's maintenance for wear and tear - people pull door hardware to close the door, that's what they're there for.

 

[cajar]

£100 is fair, no matter how simple the repairs you would struggle to get a man out to rectify it for less than £100. You said that you caused it so you pay the price..

But what are you rectifiying? the landlord's bodged job in the first place.

 

[b21playa]

Should really have rectified before moving out, especially if you knew about it

 

[zanzibar]

Cannot see the argument here, whether it was a bodged job or not is totally irrelevant, presumably it was up and worked when you moved in, if not you should have complained, further you damaged it and had the choice to either mend it or pay and £100 for both jobs is cheap.

 

[ibruceuk]

Ah but zanzibar you fail to take into account fair wear and tear which is not deductable against a deposit. Now if it is a bodged up mess and not fit for purpose (i.e. fouls the normal opening of a door) then fair wear and tear would arguably include damage caused by said door.

 

[cajar]

if you called a guy out to fix those things for £100 you would expect him to put fixings in the extractor fan - fixings that weren't there before, so the landlord is effectively charging to do a job he neglected before the rennet moved in.

 

[phatboy]

i don't see any damage here at all... I see a fan that was never fixed properly to the ceiling, and a door knocker that has worked loose, as these things do - this is a maintenance issue so the landlords responsibility.

Fight them hard on this, and let them know the reasons why.

Did the landlord say you have been slamming the door, or are you admitting it? How can he prove it? A unfixed fan and a loose door knocker is certainly not proof!