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Quick Question: Standard Procedure?

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  • 06-06-2008 1:11am
    #1
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi All,

    Just need to quickly check this is the standard procedure.

    Myself and the girlfriend rent a house, and had a housemate move in shortly afterwards, paying rent to us.

    We (myself and the OH) headed off on holidays last Friday, came back yesterday and today I went to cook some dinner, fired the oven on and left it to heat up.

    Came back to find that the housemate, however he had managed it, had left something in the cooker from the day before or whenever he used it last (definitely whilst we were away so it was without question his doing) and it had now melted to the sides/bottom of the oven, along with completely covering the racks.

    I managed to get most of the stuff off the bottom/sides, but the racks are destroyed.

    As it turned out, he'd left the girlfriends plastic chopping board in there (for what reason, I could never guess), which is now destroyed.

    He has attempted to distance himself from the incident since, but obviously something needs to be sorted out as he's due to move out tomorrow.

    What I'm proposing to do is:

    We haven't given back his deposit yet, he asked that we take half the current months rent from it which he owed, any bills owed and the forecasted bills for the period extra he was here.

    I'm proposing to ring the oven manufacturer tomorrow to see if I can order replacement rack. I'll then get the total cost of replacing the parts (+p&p) and the chopping board, and deduct this from what he is owed back from the deposit along with the other deductions.

    I haven't pitched it to him yet, so wanted to check that this would be standard enough and the best solution, as it's my first time renting and haven't had to deal with such a thing before.

    For what it's worth, it's not as though he's a good friend or anything, I could care less if he throws a fit over it and never talks to us again, I just want to make sure I'm within my rights to make such deductions.


    Cheers,

    Rb.


Comments

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    #2
    ojewriej
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭ojewriej


    To be honest, I think you should go halves.

    He shouldn't have left the board in the oven, but when you are switching it on, it's common sense to check if there is anything inside.


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    #3
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    I'd be inclined to agree with ojewriej
    While he shouldn't have left the plastic chopping board in the oven, its also a reasonable expectation that the oven would be checked prior to switching it on.

    Go halves and check the oven in future?


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    #4
    Ste.phen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,808 ✭✭✭Ste.phen


    Yeah, check the oven before turning it on, tbh.
    I'd say 50/50 might even be being a bit hard on the other guy, but that's just cos i always check the oven myself, 50/50's probably grand.


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    #5
    hunnymonster
    Registered Users Posts: 5,365 ✭✭✭hunnymonster


    My mum always kept chopping boards and frying pans in the oven when it wasn't in use. I would be inclined to say, you cover the cost for not checking before turning the oven on? Would you put something plastic on the hob without checking if it was hot first?


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    #6
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    Really? Anywhere I've lived, everyones just cleared the oven after themselves, be it the family home or rentals. Surprised to see people saying they check the oven every time.


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    #7
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    Rb wrote: »
    Really? Anywhere I've lived, everyones just cleared the oven after themselves, be it the family home or rentals. Surprised to see people saying they check the oven every time.

    I almost burnt down the kitchen when I was sharing student accommodation years ago- when a guy (who never cooked anything ever in his life) saw fit to store last nights battered smoked cod in newspapers in the oven. About 10 minutes at 220 degrees had thick black smoke out the door......

    I definitely check the oven everytime (now). If you are living on your own and are sure that there is no chance whatsoever that anything may be left in the oven- then do whatever you please. If you're living with someone else- its a case of its safer, and more prudent, to check.......


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    #8
    Zzippy
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Rb wrote: »
    Really? Anywhere I've lived, everyones just cleared the oven after themselves, be it the family home or rentals. Surprised to see people saying they check the oven every time.

    You know what they say about ASSUME...

    Don't assume there's nothing in the oven. Check first. If I was the other guy I'd be pissed off if you tried to charge me for the damage. Your problem, not his.


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    #9
    ojewriej
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭ojewriej


    Living with your family, you usually have the same habits, so you know what to expect.

    But when you are leaving with strangers, you can't assume these things I'm afraid. I suppose it's somethin you learn the hard way - like you did.
    I had a similar experience with the deep fat fryer - flatmate emptied it, went to the shop to get fresh oil, in the meantime I switched it on. Ended up having to buy a new one. Now I always check if ther's oil inside, and never empty it unless i can refill it straight away.


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    #10
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    smccarrick wrote: »
    I almost burnt down the kitchen when I was sharing student accommodation years ago- when a guy (who never cooked anything ever in his life) saw fit to store last nights battered smoked cod in newspapers in the oven. About 10 minutes at 220 degrees had thick black smoke out the door......

    I definitely check the oven everytime (now). If you are living on your own and are sure that there is no chance whatsoever that anything may be left in the oven- then do whatever you please. If you're living with someone else- its a case of its safer, and more prudent, to check.......
    Lol, good story :)

    Zzippy: He hadn't left anything in it previously, ever. It's for cooking, not storage afterall. I checked for the first while that he was living here, but he never left anything in it so never had to after.

    He denied he'd left anything in it throughout last night, despite the fact that it could have only been him. The girlfriend asked him to try and clean the racks, I woke up this morning to find he'd left and taken all his stuff with him.

    Due to his attitude towards it, we've decided to hire an oven cleaner, it'll cost €95 to get it done and we're going to take it out of his deposit. If he were more helpful regarding cleaning it, admitting that he'd left the thing in it etc we could have came to an arrangement.


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    #11
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    ojewriej wrote: »
    Living with your family, you usually have the same habits, so you know what to expect.

    But when you are leaving with strangers, you can't assume these things I'm afraid. I suppose it's somethin you learn the hard way - like you did.
    I had a similar experience with the deep fat fryer - flatmate emptied it, went to the shop to get fresh oil, in the meantime I switched it on. Ended up having to buy a new one. Now I always check if ther's oil inside, and never empty it unless i can refill it straight away.
    Well as I said, he'd been living here 7 months or so and had removed everything after use previously, it was the first time he actually left something in it.

    It *could* have been a friend as I suspect he had a party here while we were away, but that could be stretching it a bit.


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    #12
    ojewriej
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭ojewriej


    Rb wrote: »
    It *could* have been a friend as I suspect he had a party here while we were away, but that could be stretching it a bit.

    Even if it was a his friend, it's still his responsibility.

    Anyway, since he didn't want to cooperate, than you are right to charge him for it.


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    #13
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    ojewriej wrote: »
    Even if it was a his friend, it's still his responsibility.

    Anyway, since he didn't want to cooperate, than you are right to charge him for it.
    Cheers for the help all!


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    #14
    jetski
    Registered Users Posts: 820 ✭✭✭jetski


    Cant believe your trying to make your flatmate pay for your mistake :eek:


    you turned it on.... it doesnt matter what he left in it..... some people.


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    #15
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    jetski wrote: »
    Cant believe your trying to make your flatmate pay for your mistake :eek:


    you turned it on.... it doesnt matter what he left in it..... some people.
    The ovens for cooking in, not storage! There's like a dozen presses surrounding it for that purpose!


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    #16
    snellers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 465 ✭✭snellers


    so you were sub-letting to this guy? (was this allowed in the contract you signed?)

    anyway back to the point I always check the oven too - I don;t think it;s strange to do so at all......and I would say that your mistake is your mistake - if you get half from him you are very lucky....if I was in his situation I wouldn;t pay a penny (well definately not based on your pass the buck attitude you are showing)

    as for the metal racks (I assume these are just standard metal grill things that slide in?) - if they are you can buy adjustable ones that fit most standard ovens for a few quid - we bought one recently as our oven only had one tray and we wanted another - the sides just slid out and locked in place to the size we wanted.....cost was about €14


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    #17
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    snellers- its my belief that Rb is the owner of the property and was a using the rent-a-room scheme to let a room out. As such she is not subletting.

    I'm closing this thread as it has run its logical course.


This discussion has been closed.
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