Tenant broken compartments in fridge - what to charge?

[investor68]

Hi,

Only a small point, but our tenants have broken one of the compartments in our fridge. It has been actually snapped in two pieces so some force must have been used. It is covered in the inventory as not being broken.

What should we do about this? It is quite an old fridge but working well. The compartment is not crucial to the use or operation of the fridge but it just annoys us that they've obviously used force and broken it.

Clearly we can't claim for a new fridge - but as the fridge is old we would never be likely to find a replacement part. What is fair to do/charge the tenants?

Many thx.

[Terry_Baker]

Absolutely!

If it is covered in the inventory and they broke it, and you are unable to find the replacement part than put the money towards a new fridge, as you can't re-let the property now with a fridge that has a broken compartment, so now you need to buy a new fridge. However charging them for a new fridge is a bit out of order.

[Mrs Mug]

The link below supplies spare parts for fridges. See if you can find your compartment, or at least get the price for something similar. Then you will know how much you can realistically charge your tenant.

http://shop.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/Refrigeration+Parts.htm

[westminster]

However charging them for a new fridge is a bit out of order.

Not just 'a bit', but wholly unjustifiable. LL is not entitled to betterment. Even if the T had destroyed the whole fridge, LL would not be entitled to the full replacement cost for a new fridge, only a portion, depending on the age and expected lifespan of the old fridge.

If LL cannot find a replacement compartment, I would say a maximum of £5-10 would be fair compensation for a broken plastic compartment in fridge so old that replacement parts are no longer available.

[islandgirl]

well said Westminster - we have all broken things like that by sheer accident - annoying but not the end of the world.

[Brb]

I've broken a part in a fridge before now and I'm not exceptionally strong or was being rough with it. Just one of those things that CAN happen!.

Said fridge was mine though

[mind the gap]

Even with high-spec fridges they seem deliberately to make the plastic compartments less strong than they could be, so they can charge you £25 for a replacement every so often. The most fragile bit in our larder fridge which has been otherwise brilliant, is the fringey-thing which holds the bottles in on the bottom shelf of the door interior. We are on our fourth one in six years. The seem to go brittle and snap very easily.

[jeffrey]

I guess that the parts could be more sturdily made; but then the manufacturers would not sell any spares.

[Brb]

Would it be naughty of me to suggest freecycle ?

In my area ppl are too lazy to sell their fridge/freezers when they buy those hulking massive american type ones (really don't like these things that are taking over kitchens).

All you have to do is pick it up, obviously check it over and PAT test it

[Sunbeam]

As others have already said, fridge compartments break - especially true for old fridges, where the parts are likely to become brittle.

Is the tenant responsible? The tenant could argue that, due to the above fact, the damage wasn't their fault therefore they shouldn't be liable for the replacement cost. The landlord could argue that, as it wasn't shown as broken on the inventory, unless the tenant can prove otherwise the tenant is liable or, even, that it falls under the tenants duty to act in a tenant-like manner.

I am both a tenant and a landlord. The tenant side of me suggests that, if you value your tenants, in the interest of good landlord-tenant relationships you should give your tenants the benefit of the doubt and just go ahead and replace it without charging them anything.