Hi,
One of my friends’ tenant is vacating the property soon.
My friend who is the landlord had been to the property and noticed the kitchen worktop is full of stains from cooking and others. It was a cream colour worktop. It is has yellow and black stains everywhere.
Is my friend as a landlord allowed to claim the cost to replace the kitchen worktop?
Thanks,
If the worktop is fit for purpose the stains should be able to be removed.
Any person would expect any food related stuff to just wipe off. If they don’t it’s not tenants fault.
Get him to try bleach.
Definitely not burns? That’s a different matter!
Thanks @Mark10
It is rust.
s far as I understand tenant left oven trays near the sink and it was left there without removing. Trays got rusted and the rust from the trays are now on the worktop.
It looks like he tried some cleaning products but did not remove it completely especially the worktop is cream colour and the stain is like mud on the surface.
If the rust is not completely cleared by the tenants, can the landlord ask the tenants to replace it?
Thanks
Your friend should keep trying with different cleaning products. I’ve used limescale remover and oven cleaner successfully on worktops, although you have to wash it off quickly after removing the stain to stop permanent discolouration.
If it still doesn’t come off, you friend should make a claim against the deposit, taking account of the age and condition of the worktop at the start of the tenancy, (which will require evidence such as photos and invoices). He shouldn’t expect to get much money as the deposit schemes don’t tend to consider cosmetic damage as significant.
Thanks @David122
This property is an old property he bought from an old couple.
Kitchen was already there. It was in good condition. So, he did not change it before renting the property out.
But, he has the inventory showing worktop in good condition except a small burn which was already there before.
I assume the kitchen is more than 10 years old.
Agency will charge £120 for the check out and after that if he is not able to claim much money (to replace the worktop), then I think it is not worth doing a check out and claim for the worktop.
Thanks,
He can do the checkout inspection himself. Take the pics that show the difference. Write a short report. It sounds like hes likely to get only a few quid if anything for the worktop though.
Thanks @David122, I will suggest him to do so.
There is a great product called Fila rust remover, google it, it is amazing