Electrical Safety When Replacing Oven Element

[MillyB]

Afternoon all!

In his wisdom my landlord has decided that the necessary repair to the built in fan oven is my responsibility. As the fan is working and the grill is heating but the oven is not I'm pretty sure that the problem is a broken element, particularly as the main fuses blew while my daughter was cooking and the oven hasn't worked since (but please correct me if I'm wrong here).

Assuming that the element IS the problem I've decided to do the job myself. My question is this... if I turn all the electrics off from the mains will this be sufficient to maintain safety or will there be the chance of residual energy putting me at risk of harm?

Thank you very much from a clueless dumb blonde!

 

[HERTS P&D]

Go back to your letting agent, YOU SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS.

Andy

 

[MillyB]

I know Andy, I know. There is no letting agent - it's a private rental. I'm very much aware that it's the landlord's responsibility but to be honest I'm in ill health and can do without the fight and the resultant risk of eviction. If it's going to be a risk to me I'll call in an electrician but would rather do the job myself if I can (which looks easy enough) as funds are very tight at present.

 

[Risteard]

Who supplied the oven? Landlord or tenant?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Employ an electrician and deduct it from the rent.

Why should you pay or do it for nothing?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

if I turn all the electrics off from the mains will this be sufficient to maintain safety

Yes. But it will leave you with no lighting etc.

How is the oven connected? If it can be unplugged that will be fine.

or will there be the chance of residual energy putting me at risk of harm?

No such thing.

I'm very much aware that it's the landlord's responsibility but to be honest I'm in ill health and can do without the fight and the resultant risk of eviction.

Keep the receipt for the new element, and keep the old one.

The new one is yours and the broken one is the landlord's. When you move out, replace his and take yours with you.

 

[MillyB]

if I turn all the electrics off from the mains will this be sufficient to maintain safety

Yes. But it will leave you with no lighting etc.

How is the oven connected? If it can be unplugged that will be fine.

The oven's wired in - i.e. it's a built in one.

or will there be the chance of residual energy putting me at risk of harm?

No such thing.

Superb, phew, thank you!

I'm very much aware that it's the landlord's responsibility but to be honest I'm in ill health and can do without the fight and the resultant risk of eviction.

Keep the receipt for the new element, and keep the old one.

The new one is yours and the broken one is the landlord's. When you move out, replace his and take yours with you.

Genius idea! I'm chuckling now... and yes, I ruddy well WILL do!

 

[MillyB]

Who supplied the oven? Landlord or tenant?

It's a built in oven, part of the fixtures. I'm very much aware of the fact that it's the landlord's job to sort it out but as I said upthread I really don't need the stress of arguing that point at the moment.

I will, however, either replace the part myself and take the ruddy thing with me when I give up the tenancy or, if I call out an electrician I'll keep the invoice and deduct the cost from my final month's rent when I eventually leave.

 

[Risteard]

When I worked in social housing for a while the Housing Executive never supplied cookers; washing machines; tumble dryers etc. so that it wasn't their problem if it broke down.

 

[endecotp]

My last tennancy agreement said it was my responsibility to replace any failed "bulbs, fuses etc.". Question is whether "etc" might include cooker elements. What does yours say?

 

[MillyB]

My last tennancy agreement said it was my responsibility to replace any failed "bulbs, fuses etc.". Question is whether "etc" might include cooker elements. What does yours say?

I can't recall off the top of my head although I don't think that's the landlord's reasoning. His view is that the oven is "new", having been replaced 17 months ago when the previous, 20 year old one broke beyond economical repair, and that as such I should bear the responsibility of replacing the element.

TBH I'm as surprised as he is that the oven element has blown within 17 months of installation but it has, so there you go. <shrugs>

As I said, that's not my worry right now. I just want to get this damn thing working again and from what I can see on YouTube and other tutorials it should be pretty easy as long as I don't electrocute myself! So, I take it that if I turn ALL the electric off from the mains even if I can't locate the individual plug/wiring to isolate the cooker itself, I should be ok?

 

[endecotp]

I take it that if I turn ALL the electric off from the mains even if I can't locate the individual plug/wiring to isolate the cooker itself, I should be ok?

Yes, you should be OK, though it is good practice to "check for dead" every time. If you were paranoid you might worry that the switch was mounted upside down and off was actually on, or that the power to the cooker was coming through the wall from the neighbours! (Reading this forum is a good way to discover just how borked some places' electrics can be.). But if it was installed quite recently, you can be fairly confident that the installer would have discovered any such issues.

 

[MillyB]

I take it that if I turn ALL the electric off from the mains even if I can't locate the individual plug/wiring to isolate the cooker itself, I should be ok?

Yes, you should be OK, though it is good practice to "check for dead" every time. If you were paranoid you might worry that the switch was mounted upside down and off was actually on, or that the power to the cooker was coming through the wall from the neighbours! (Reading this forum is a good way to discover just how borked some places' electrics can be.). But if it was installed quite recently, you can be fairly confident that the installer would have discovered any such issues.

Phew, that's a relief. Thank you.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I will, however, either replace the part myself and take the ruddy thing with me when I give up the tenancy or, if I call out an electrician I'll keep the invoice and deduct the cost from my final month's rent when I eventually leave.

Or if you DIY the repair, leave the element and deduct the cost in the same way.

Have you paid a deposit from which the landlord would simply recover any deduction you make?

 

[Risteard]

Also be aware that if you do replace the element the landlord could accuse you of damaging the oven.

The only sensible thing is to make him sort it out as he is legally obliged so to do.