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Tenant compensation for boiler failure


TonyW

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.... you should take the first move and remind them never to destroy any of your appliances in the future.

Ahh, that's where we have been going wrong, and using the same rule if I make sure to tell them when they move in they must pay their rent then I will never have a missed payment again...:rolleyes:

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you should take the first move and remind them never to destroy any of your appliances in the future.

Up until 7 years ago I used to provide a washing machine in my properties until I realised I was going through NEW washing machines around every 3 years or less but the cruncher came when the last tenant, as they were leaving the property on hand-over day, said to me "Oh! and by the way the washing machine is making funny noises"!

Their diagnosis was spot on as the rear drum bearings had disintergrated and the water discharge pump was chewed up! 20 months old that machine was and a virtual write-off and God knows what they had been doing with it.

I decided then that I would not offer any washing machines etc. and if a tenant wants one they can go and buy one for £200 or more.

Funny how all my tenant's are still on their own purchased washing machines after 7 plus years. :rolleyes:

Mel.

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....and then there's the annual PAT's testing of appliances.

I agree Mel, keep it as simple as possible. After all it's far to complicated for most T's to understand already, that is live nicely and pay rent.

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I've been really lucky with tenants/ washing machines over the years.....

1. One installed in late 1999 replaced last year ( Indesit = almost 12 years old and at least 12 different tenants).....was still working but noisy.

2. One installed in 2000 replaced in 2008.......even 8 years is good with rentals.

3. One installed 2000......still working fine.

4. One already in place in 2002 when I purchased the property was replaced last year......almost 9 years +

I've sold my washing machines in all my other properties as they have become vacant and now let without.

If the tenant wants one I agree to install for an extra £15 pcm. That way after 12 months the £180 + what I can sell it for......usually £50+ covers all my costs.

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boiler problems and a first time fix, i would suggest speaking to the boiler manufacturer for a cost to repair ---- sometimes a charge of £185-00 with any three major parts included no labour time limit is the best option not every engineer can fix combis first time------------- i agree sometimes its only a top up required or gas run out ---------but once the heavey quotes come in ie new pump £130 ect boiler knackered ect

give the manufacturer a ring could save you money.

Keith Landlord (also gas engineer)

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You might also try that Mel. At least it would be less burden to you if are going to make something wrong in their own appliances.

I know if its your own appliances, you won't do something weird with it and might handle it with care always since it would be a great expenses again if you won't.

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The washing machine was a part of a full kitchen install (including removing all plasterwork back to bare brick and replaster) in the property including new fridge, freezer, oven and hob. Originally it was my intention not to install a washing machine but just to provide the plumbing facility. Unfortunately SWMBO and the letting agent talked me into the idea of supplying everything :rolleyes:

Mistake number 2 was to by an unbranded make machine as part of a 'package' from a local electrical distributor. Machine not installed very long when the first problem arose and of course by that time warranty expired and distributor not interested. So far there have been 3 other call outs over the past 12-18 months the total cost of repairs to me equate very closely to a new machine cost. :o

If the T stays and the machine goes again I will be replacing with a refurbished one from the repair guy. If the T leaves I like the idea of removing the machine and either letting the T buy their own or installing one and charging extra per month

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That's another thing TonyW. Charging them of any appliances that you might have in your apartment is also a nice suggestion. Though it is an additional charge for the T, I think they will understand your purpose. But you can actually leave them the choice. Whether you, to provide the machine for them or not or to buy their own appliances.

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  • 6 months later...

I know that this is an old post but FWIW I decided to resurrect it as I have finally had a small but positive outcome from my 'arguments' with the Emergency Home Care insurance provider

Quote from earlier in this thread: So I am now still chasing the Home Emergency insurers for a response to my claim that they clearly failed to provide the minimum level of cover for a total failure of the heating system i.e.ge the boiler working. First telephone complaint fobbed off. Followed this up with a formal letter of complaint, no reply. Another letter to the MD this time with a note that I intended to escalate. This time got a reply stating that they would conduct a full investigation. Must be really full as I have just had an email apologising for the fact that 4 weeks have passed since MD's reply but they are still invesigating :rolleyes:

Anyway although I am not hopeful of a satisfactory conclusion to this I fully intend to escalate this 'breach of contract' as far as possible - the policy wording should have stated thank your for purchasing a chocolate teapot :angry:

After months and months of emails passing between me and the insurance company they finall agreed to reimburse me with the £189 that I had to pay for BG to come in and fix the fault that they failed to identify.

Luckily I had kept a proper record of times and dates etc and what had actually been said between me and the parties involved.

I suppose it is true to say you get what you pay for and this year I have cancelled this cover and taken out a homecare plan with BG to cover the whole central heating system which also includes an annual boiler service

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Guest tenants_from_hell

I get similar companies asking me to take their covers I have thought about it but it aint worth it. But in your situation since you dont live close by to the property it might be worth it.

I, personally, have a link with a gas engineer and have an extra 5-7 gasmen in my phone in case I ever need them.

With such policies they range from about £12-£35 a month that's between £144-£425 per year!

Slightly off topic, I bought a plasma tv in 2008 and paid £8 a month for 4 years the extra insurance cover, the TV packed up after 4 years but they some how fixed it. £8 x 48 = £384, which you can pick up another 42" plasma these days anyways, and the whole repair took about 3 weeks! That's why am not a fan of such policies lol.

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I was not too keen on paying out for this cover but it seemed to me to offer reasonable value at £12.50 a month as it also covered areas that the Home Emergency cover did not. After taking off the cost of an annual service from BG (£70 estimated) the monthly cost comes to £6.67. The home emergency cover is still about half the cost of this, however my bad experience put me off renewing.

I agree about the extended warranty situation which seems to be a big money maker for the retailer and at least on the face of it in many cases not actually offering anything above your statuatory rights under the Sale of Goods Act. Which in my limited understanding can still offer you some protection even after your warranty has run out as you will/should be protected by these rights which can run for several years.

An extended warranty could be useful IMO if it covers additional damage e.g. misuse or theft, although it is possible that you already have it covered with contents insurance for these eventualities

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I agree about the extended warranty situation which seems to be a big money maker for the retailer and at least on the face of it in many cases not actually offering anything above your statuatory rights under the Sale of Goods Act. Which in my limited understanding can still offer you some protection even after your warranty has run out as you will/should be protected by these rights which can run for several years.

Back in the mid 1990's we received a phone call from one of our very previous customers that their boiler had broken down and we had installed it over 6 years ago and they were facing a bill of over £200 to repair it!

There was a tirade of strong language and threats of legal action over the phone and quoting the 7 year rule under the sale of goods act blah! blah! blah! if we didn't turn up in the next 24hrs. in fact as I remember the conversation was sooo bad I was laughing because I thought it was a "wind-up"......it wasn't!

Now not having seen this boiler for nearly 7 years the 1st question was:

When did we last service it? ... We Hadn't!

Who serviced it last?.... They didn't know!

When was it last serviced then? .... Couldn't remember!

Would you like the name of our company solicitor? ... Why?

Because you will have to take us to Court and sue us.....Good luck on that! Remember we don't manufacture the boilers we only install them and it's the installation work that is guaranteed by us plus your manufacture's guarantee for 12 months plus any extended guarantee you purchase to extend your boiler guarantee to 5 years or whatever.

Never heard another thing!

If the phone call had started off in a normal pleasant fashion we would have gone and had a look at the problem but the moral of the story is don't lose your rag down the phone when you want somebody to do something for you.

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If the phone call had started off in a normal pleasant fashion we would have gone and had a look at the problem but the moral of the story is don't lose your rag down the phone when you want somebody to do something for you.
Excellent points and in the case you stated where an article such as a boiler needs a proper maintenance your customer probably did not have a leg to stand on as 'the rules' had not been adhered to? I think that it could be seen that the customer effectively misused it and caused the fault by lack of service and therefore accidentally damaged the article.

I had always understood the seller of the equipment was actually responsible for the equipment not the manufacturer or the supplier and that as the seller you are legally obliged to investigate up to a period of 6 years from the date of sale.

You are spot on about treating people with respect and we recently had this with a fridge I purchased for my son. About 2 days before the 12 month warranty expired the fridge stopped working. I phoned for help from the supplier who directed me to Philips for repair. Within a week they sent out two men who diagnosed a faulty compressor which they had to put on order.

Some 6 weeks later after a few phone calls no sign of compressor so I phoned customer service to voice my complaiint. I patiently and in detail explained the situation to a very helpful lady who was horrified at the time scale to fix the problem and she immediately ordered a new replacement to be delivered and the old unit taken away. I suspect if I had gone in guns blazing and rude the outcome likely to be very different.

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I had always understood the seller of the equipment was actually responsible for the equipment not the manufacturer or the supplier and that as the seller you are legally obliged to investigate up to a period of 6 years from the date of sale.

Seller, Installer or Manufacturer?

The "seller" has liability to organise a replacement item or repair and in most cases I believe they do this.

In our case it was not our liability and you will find today that boiler manufacture's have water-tight boiler guarantees which is passed onto the customer.

If we do have a problem or should I say if my Son has a problem (I'm retired from all of that!) on a customers boiler that he cannot resolve and boiler component money is the usual deciding factor and he is after all running a business and not a repair charity, he will call in the boiler Company's own back-up repair facility which, I have to say, is very good especially with Vaillant. Once again though you have to have the extended guarantee in place to make a claim or you pay for the service repair.

Incidently I had a Ford escort once, a red one and the bonnet "bloomed" from red to white within 2 years of being new. Did Ford take any interest in my complaint? Nope! They would not budge on the 12 month guarantee not covering faults such as this after the guarantee had run out.

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Melboy, I hope you didn't take my comments as a statement about your business methods this was not the intention and I believe that you would have acted in a reasonable way but for the abusive and threatening nature of a numpty. If this did come across the wrong way then please accept my apologies

I appreciate that you were not the seller and therefore not your liability. I also suspect that if a company 'digs it feet in' that in many cases it may be very difficult to actually enforce 'the law' without a great deal of time and effort and cost to you and without any guarantees of a good outcome as apparent with your Ford Escort.

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Guest tenants_from_hell

The only one I currently see very valuable as a landlord, is the Curry's whatever happens instant replacement.

You usually pay a tenner for 3 years and you can get a new item on the spot unlimited times.

Previously, I had the biggest problem with vaccum cleaners, the plastic pipes broke, no one wanted to put new bags in despite providing tenants with them. Now I just get the bagless ones, and any issues, straight back to the shop, no questions asked and I get a new one.

Before a vaccum lasted 3-6 months!

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Melboy, I hope you didn't take my comments as a statement about your business methods this was not the intention and I believe that you would have acted in a reasonable way but for the abusive and threatening nature of a numpty. If this did come across the wrong way then please accept my apologies

Not at all Tony W. I never get involved in discussions that get heated or out of hand.

I was just stating the facts as happened to me at a particular time in history.

I would think everyone has a tale of woe when it comes to faulty goods especially when dealing with the major retailers out there but the one thing I can never understand is why people go off on a major rant about something they bought years ago and it has broken down and it's someone else's responsibility to pay for the repairs.

The modern day cheaper washing machine has a service life of 5 years on average depending on usage and it will fail on a component for an almost certain.

How can any organisation be expected to repair or replace an item such as this say between the 6 and 7 years under the Sale of Goods Act. Crazy!

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Stop Press!

I think this article sums up guarantee's nicely.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2202221/Police-squirt-pava-spray-father-hit-baton-peaceful-protest-Tesco-faulty-TV.html

Perhaps he went about it the wrong way?? I know for a faulty on/off switch the repair will be carried out under guarantee because my Toshiba set had the same fault and was repaired FOC. These ON/OFF TV switches are notorius for going wrong all the time.

Very poor manufacturing quality .... whose says so? .... the largest TV repair depot in the South West which incidently is based in.....Swindon!

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