Demanding tenants and who pays when tenant has interferred

Copy of email sent by tenant reads

This one is my fault :person_facepalming: I went to put a cistern block in the upstairs toilet and opening up somehow affected the flapper valve, so water would keep on flowing endlessly into the basin.

Iā€™ve tried fiddling but no difference am reading that sometimes limescale etc can get dislodged and stop it from closing properly. Simple job but space is very restricted and need to take the cabinet off for access but thought Iā€™d let a professional do it.
For now what I have done is turned off the feeder valve so no more water and we just not using upstairs toilet.
End of email. History: This tenant has been renting for two months. I have already bought 2 new shower enclosures because he complained they were leaking. Oven hinges (oven 5 years old), hob 5 years old, says dryer needs replacing, he has to manually start it??? This is also 5 years old. And the latest is the above. The toilet is in a cabinet because its part of furniture which include the sink and toilet. So he had to dismantle it to be able to take off the top to put a block in. He could have simply put a hanging block on the inside of the toilet bowl. What I need to know is does he have to pay for the repair of the toilet water system not closing off, or do I?

He broke it he pays for it. I would however want to use my own plumber to fix it rather than him get someone round that might not know what they are doing.

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Thank you for replying. It was working fine before he got into the cabinet to put the block in. But whether he accepts responsibility is another thing. Anyone else like to comment who may have had a similar problem and what the outcome was? What if he doesnā€™t pay?

If a hanging block in a pan gets knocked into the pan and flushed down, result ,blockage is possible

Thank you for replying Colin. The tenant unscrewed a vanity unit which enclosed the toilet to put in a block and in so doing he says he touched the flapper and then the water wouldnā€™t shut off. I would have been happy if he had put the block on the toilet rim. But from what you say that too has its problems.

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He has already accepted responsibility. He pays now or you deduct it from his deposit when he leaves.

Hi David, Thank you for your reply. I hope youā€™re right, its just that he started to say it was probably limescale. However I feel more confident now about asking him to pay to fix the problem.

Yes he has accepted responsibility and now tells me that he is in the business and will get his guys to have a look.
Before he moved in he said he was in the delivery business. Now says its the repair business
Before he moved in I had an electrical check of all of the appliances, cost me over Ā£200.
Then this tenant moved in two weeks after and during his two months of tenacy I have changed 2 shower enclosures, an electric hob (one ring wasnā€™t working), oven hinges, A few days ago said that tumble drier doesnā€™t work properly. When my repair man looked at it today there was a hole, which the tenant didnā€™t mention, and it doesnā€™t start on its own without a push. Later after my repair man left. The tenant sent an email saying that now the dishwasher doesnt work properly. The fact that he now says he is in the repair business makes me very very scared. He obviously knows how to make a fault as well as repair one. What would you do? I recon the next fault will be the washing machine. Place your bets. Everything is five years old or less. I feel I am at his mercy of him wrecking everything. I have no proof nor will never be able to get any of how all of these faults are suddenly occurring. What would you do in my situation?

one of my tenants said loo blocked, took pan out and the air freshner was trapped in the bend. ( I always fit stuff that can be easily removed if there is a problem) . Told him free this time ,but next timeā€¦ tenant of 20 odd years, so made allowances.

Hi Colin Thanks for your good advice. I wouldnā€™t have thought that a block in the toilet bowl could block the toilet so I will tell my tenants not to use blocks only liquid cleaners. Many thanks

it was the plastic holder the block was in ,did not help

I wouldnā€™t trust ā€œhis guysā€ with the job. If theyā€™re anything like him, they may make it worse. I think you should source your own guy and charge the tenant. He may be reluctant, but you just have to stand your ground.

I think you have a ā€˜professional ā€˜tenant
I would write to him and tell him he is not to touch anything
Note if itā€™s in your contract you can deduct from deposit
Read deposit appendix as to what are allowable deductions
But if itā€™s not you have to wing it or make him pay upfront ( do you have a clause for that )
If this has happened in two months I would serve a s21 in another two and get him out before you lose the chance