Updating post from Reddit.
Contest the deductions.
If the light bulb and smoke alarm battery were missing, then that would be indicated as such on an inventory. No inventory or proof, the landlord has no basis for the deduction.
So the issue is the lightbulb was never missing it was just a different one to the others. I didn't mention this as I didn't think it mattered? Mentioned a bunch of other issues though, the previous tenants took half the plumbing for the utility room sink and I had to replace this at my own expense. I didn't even notice the smoke alarm was missing the battery until months into the tenancy when it fell and hit me on the head. The previous tenants had wedged it so it did not receive mains power, presumably to stop the beeping noise.
This is all fluff. The landlord needs to prove the necessity of deductions. Your only responsibility is to put the property back into the same condition as the check-in report. Any differences can then be used as the basis for deductions.
A mains powered smoke alarm doesn't require a 9v battery. Why you didn't want a working smoke alarm is beyond me though.
Yes it absolutely does need a battery. Backup in case of mains failure (what happens if there’s a fire in the consumer unit? Or elsewhere, and the smoke alarm cable gets burned through?)
So better units have a rechargeable backup. Ex-tenant bypassing the safety of the (in this case then, alkaline) battery backup, the LL not checking the installation on handover and the current (now ex-)tenant not replacing the £1 battery have all been highly negligent.
Why they didn't want a working smoke alarm remains beyond my comprehension.
Agree strongly with all that. Isn’t it part of the agent/landlord’s duties to demonstrate working smoke alarms on check in? Or have I personally been doing that for so long I just assume that everyone does? For sure though, letting a property without a working alarm is illegal, though probably a bit late for the OP to be kicking off about that now, after they’ve left.
I wouldn't even contest it through the letting agent/landlord, just go through the tenancy deposit scheme. It is what it is there for.
Since when is a tenant responsible for the outside of the windows of a property? Did your lease require you to clean them?
Carpet cleaning would only apply if you'd spilled something or walked around in muddy boots perhaps, normal wear and tear dirt is not a deduction
Smoke alarm is something a landlord must supply so a lack of a battery is their problem
Send him a bulb and dispute everything else
The craziest thing is the bulb wasn’t even missing. Some previous tenant had must swapped it to a different shaped bulb and I left it as it was. I’m not sure if the lease mentioned window cleaning but their checklist thing did at the end of tenancy.
Tenant is responsible to change the smoke alarm battery. However, if a tenant struggles with that (a lot of times its close to impossible to change it), than he/she must inform the landlord/agent in writing and have them sort it for them. Light bulb, if in inventory, must be left as received, and changed if needed, by the tenant.
Did you take pictures or does the inventory on check-in have pictures showing both were missing? If so then you can fight it if not then its their word vs yours. It wont just be for the item itself but a charge for replacing as well. But if you feel this is unfair and they're trying to take it from the deposit then you can disagree and let the 3rd party solve it wherever they safely held the deposit.
(I am assuming these are charges after you left?)
The lightbulb was never missing is the thing. I noticed when we moved in that someone had replaced one of the bulbs with some weirdly shaped Wilko bulb, so I didn't think to mention it as it wasn't missing? Regarding the smoke alarm battery I did not see that it was missing as I did not inspect the smoke alarm. When I was a few months into our tenancy it fell off the ceiling and hit me on the head. I noticed it then and the EAs mentioned it was missing during our mid tenancy check. We contested this and stated it was missing when we moved in but they were not having it. It doesn't cost £80 to screw in a lightbulb (which isn't missing anyway) or to plug in a £10 9V battery. So I really don't get where these figures are coming from.
Call out charges. The landlord and EA aren’t doing the work themselves.
Sounds awful but 80 quid is probably what the electrician quoted. You’ll find similar things like toilet seats costing £60.
As others said this will be part of a contractors charge. Again did you not receive any check in inventory? And didn't take any pictures yourselves? Smoke alarms should be tested monthly in general anyway, was this stated within your tenancy agreement as from my knowledge its general practice to test each month as if theyre not working that is a major hazard. As I stated if theyre requesting this to be taken from your deposit you can contest this with the 3rd part who held your deposit, you should have received the prescribed information shortly after starting the tenancy.
IT does, cost £80 to screw a light bulb in. Its about 30 minutes labour, get keys, fuel, parking, plus battery and what not, return keys.
It always amazes me how many tenants say it only takes 2 minutes to change a light bulb... well why did you leave it for someone else to do?
I should probably also specify that I misspoke in saying that the single lightbulb was missing. It wasn’t missing there was a lightbulb in every fitting when I moved in. I used my own smart lightbulbs during the tenancy and then swapped all bulbs back to the original ones before I left. There was one weird looking lightbulb which was already there when I moved in. I’m not going to buy a different lightbulb so they all match when that wasn’t how it was when I moved in?
It is not my responsibility as a tenant to replace a lightbulb that is perfectly functional.
I would want to see the quote from the contractor. The landlord out letting agent cannot charge for labour themselves and getting an electrician to change a lightbulb would seem excessive
If you disagree with the charges you can disagree with them on via the deposit protection scheme that holds your deposit.
A bulb and battery for £80 seems expencive.
You can't get anywhere near to attend to do a job for less than £80 these days.
Minimum carpet fitting charge in our area is only £45 but replacing a lightbulb and putting a battery in isn’t a “job.”
Try and get a sparky to turn up and change a bulb/battery.
This is pretty cheap, but replace them yourselves if you can.
Missing lightbulb why didn't you say anything? It will also show in the check in that it is missing.
Smoke alarm battery is wear and tear it is his duty to replace that and should just hardwire them.
External window cleaning is a bargain just the outside is £15 a Window pane cheapest where I live.
£80 is probably cheapest quote he got, I live 150 miles from my place that I am renting out whilst saving up for a house, and hate it when I have to pay like £120 to change a light bulb, often I send the tenants things like a light bulb self adhesive smoke alarm with battery to do themselves
Missing lightbulb I should point out was not missing someone had previously replaced one of the bulbs with a differently shaped one. Hence “why I didn’t say anything” because there was nothing to say. Missing smoke alarm battery is not “wear and tear” it’s against the law to rent a property without functioning smoke alarms. They didn’t properly check them before they gave me the keys.
There will be a photo of the lightbulb in the check in you can compare with the checkout so you are sorted there.
It is wear and tear, wear and tear is reasonable damage or wear that a Landlord should expect and not charge the tenant, the battery has run out and the Landlord should pay for a replacement. The Landlord should expect batteries to wear/run out
Aren't smoke alarms in rental properties meant to be non removable and '10 year' ones?
I hope there's some correspondence when you first arrived about the smoke alarm etc. if not, it all seems a reasonable charge.