Electrical Safety When Replacing Oven Element

[SimonH2]

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

If the landlord attempts to deduct the deduction from the deposit, then the tneant can dispute it - and given the circumstances, the chance of the adjudicator siding with the landlord are probably nil.

EDIT: Don't know how up to date with lettings law you are, but for some years it's been a legal requirement for all deposits to be protected in an approved scheme. Either the money is handed over to the scheme for safe keeping (customdial schemes), or the landlord keeps it and effectively pays insurance (non-custodial schemes). For non-custodial schemes (working from memory, some details may be a bit hazy ...) unless the landlord intends to return the deposit in full (in which case he simply gives it back to the tenant), he is required to hand it over to the deposit scheme at the end of the tenancy - and when the scheme has adjudicated any disputes, the scheme will then hand the money over to the tenant or landlord according to how it determines the dispute.
If the landlord fails to properly protect the deposit, then a S21 notice can't be used to evict the tenant, and the tenant can sue the landlord for compensation to the tune of 3x the value of the unprotected deposit.

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

And get no-where doing so. The tenant has asked the landlord to fix a problem for which the landlord is liable, the landlord has told the tenant to fix it. As long as the tenant is making a genuine attempt to fix the problem then the landlords actions have given the tenant implicit permission and can't complain if something goes wrong.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The tenant has asked the landlord to fix a problem for which the landlord is liable, the landlord has told the tenant to fix it. As long as the tenant is making a genuine attempt to fix the problem then the landlords actions have given the tenant implicit permission and can't complain if something goes wrong.

Are you sure about that if the tenant attempts a DIY repair rather than engage the services of an appropriately skilled technician?

 

[SimonH2]

OK, yes he could complain, but he's not going to get anywhere is he ? "Your honour, I refused to perform a repair I'm responsible for and instead instructed the tenant to do it at his own expense. In the course of doing this repair that was actually my responsibility, he damaged the oven and I'm peed off about it".
How much sympathy is he likely to get ?

 

[Risteard]

It's more likely that he will state that the tenant messed about with his property without permission and ruined it. He is hardly likely to tell anyone that he refused the repair.

A bit of cop on would tell you that.

 

[SimonH2]

And how long will that bit of deceit last when the tenant says otherwise ?
As i say, it can't stop him complaining - but it won't get him far.

 

[stillp]

Milly, you need to record the times/dates when you asked the landlord to fix the oven.

 

[SimonH2]

Indeed. And before actually doing the repair, finish off by sending a letter by recorded delivery* setting out the exchange** and stating that you will be repairing the oven yourself after (say) another 14 days.

* And get proof of delivery - that way the landlord cannot claim not to have received it. If you deal direct with the landlord then send it to him, or if you deal with an agent acting for the landlord then send it to the agent.
Recorded delivery is probably the simplest, but in law it is sufficient to either deliver by hand, or to post in a Royal Mail postbox - but in either case you need an independent witness who can stand up in court (if it ever got that far) and swear under oath that they witnessed you posting it.

** I assume some of the exchange isn't in writing, so this is an opportunity to set it all out "for the record". If the landlord disputes any of it, then it's up to him to respond - if he doesn't respond then that would be taken as tacit acceptance of your version of events and intentions.

But after all this, you would be expected to exercise due care to avoid causing damage - it's not carte-blanche ! Eg, if there's a really fiddly clip to get off and it breaks while removing it then that would be OK, but (at the other extreme) just ripping covers off because you can't be bothered to remove the screws (or don't have the right driver) would leave you liable for costs of putting it right.

Keep a record of the cost and deduct it from your final rent.

But going back to the original problem ...
Have you actually done any checks yet ? From the description it does sound like it is the element gone short-circuit - but it may be something else, or the failed element may have taken something else out with it (eg damaged the switch/thermostat). A friend has an oven where, as he found out after it happened, the controller board doesn't cope with the lamp failing - luckily this time it was still under warranty and the manufacturer replaced the board.