Small fridge and back injuries

Shinsen

Hi all,

I haven't moved into my new apartment yet, I already have an item I'd like to discuss with the landlord. I haven't met the landlord yet as I've dealt with an agency so far.
There is a small fridge in the kitchen (with separate freezer) which is not ideal for my back. I have problems in bending, I have been medically certified and on long sick leave for it for more than 2 years.
However, being so difficult to find a place nowadays, I decided to take it and leave this matter for later with the landlord directly. I'd ask kindly to the landlord if he might consider buying a tall fridge with freezer drawers underneath. After all the fridge and the freezer in the apartment are not new.
Besides the compassion the landlord might (or might not have) is there any regulation regarding furniture for people with disabilities?
Thank you for advising.

Dav010

Shinsen wrote: »

Hi all,

I haven't moved into my new apartment yet, I already have an item I'd like to discuss with the landlord. I haven't met the landlord yet as I've dealt with an agency so far.
There is a small fridge in the kitchen (with separate freezer) which is not ideal for my back. I have problems in bending, I have been medically certified and on long sick leave for it for more than 2 years.
However, being so difficult to find a place nowadays, I decided to take it and leave this matter for later with the landlord directly. I'd ask kindly to the landlord if he might consider buying a tall fridge with freezer drawers underneath. After all the fridge and the freezer in the apartment are not new.
Besides the compassion the landlord might (or might not have) is there any regulation regarding furniture for people with disabilities?
Thank you for advising.

Depends firstly on how receptive the LL is to replace functioning appliances with a new one that may cost hundreds of Euro, and secondly if the tall appliance will fit in the enclosure. There is no requirement that I am aware of to have one that accommodates your particular needs, and even if he did, you would still have to bend down to use the lower half of a tall fridge freezer. You may be able to buy your own as long as you store the other appliances and take the one you buy with you when you leave.

Shinsen

Dav010 wrote: »

Depends firstly on how receptive the LL is to replace functioning appliances with a new one that may cost hundreds of Euro, and secondly if the tall appliance will fit in the enclosure. There is no requirement that I am aware of to have one that accommodates your particular needs, and even if he did, you would still have to bend down to use the lower half of a tall fridge freezer. You may be able to buy your own as long as you store the other appliances and take the one you buy with you when you leave.

Thank you for your message.
The tall fridge would fit in the kitchen.
I would use the fridge more often than the freezer. I'd use the freezer very rarely actually.

Grolschevik

I don't believe. your landlord would or could be obliged to replace the unit.

However, rather than buying your own and putting the others into storage, with the consent of the landlord (unless the fridge you buy will fit in the kitchen without removing the others), would a small folding camp stool solve your problem of bending to use either the fridge or the freezer section of any tall unit?

John_Rambo

It's comparable to a special bed you'd need for a back injury. I'd be buying my own.

Hope the back gets better soon.

bertsmom

I would just buy my own. I see no need to be involving the landlord or telling them about your back issues.

listermint

If you want the landlord to strongly reconsider their choice to let out the apartment to you. Tell them their working fridge needs replacing because you have to bend down to use it.

28064212

Shinsen wrote: »

I decided to take it and leave this matter for later with the landlord directly

Was that not jumping the gun quite a bit? If the landlord says no and is under no legal compulsion to do so, what are you going to do?

Victor

If you are living alone, you could get a mini-fridge and have it put on the counter-top.

Sleeper12

You can buy a suitable fridge yourself and store LL fridge for the duration of your stay. When leaving take your fridge with you & return the LL one.

Another option might be to put existing fridge on a table, press or create to make it a suitable height.

You rented the property as is. The time to discuss this was before you signed the lease. Having said all of that you might have a LL soft enough to do as you ask

Oral Surgeon

If a tall fridge would fit then just buy a cheap 60x60 table in ikea (probably a kids table) and sit the current fridge on it.....

Mic 1972

The LL should not be obliged to buy a new fridge, you knew what fridge was in the house before you took the lease

Curious1002

My older friend had a similar problem. When i visited her i saw her either squatting beside the fridge while keeping her spine straight and opening the fridge then or she used a little stool she kept beside the fridge where she sat first and then opened the fridge door.
She never asked the landlord for the new equipment cos the kitchen cabinets would not fit anything bigger.

The other thing i would suggest is to maybe organise some kind of block or small but stable square coffee table that you could put underneath the fridge which would elevate the equipment by 0.5 meter up. Just an idea.

Try the stool and see how it goes.