UK Landlord Forum / Life

We let out our flat through agents. I have a tenant for which a washing machine was mistakenly added to the inventory last summer after previous tenants moved it in to the house from the garage (without consent). The tenancy agreement is up for renewal and the washing machine is faulty. I want it taken off the inventory but the agents are saying that due to new laws it needs to stay on the agreement. And therefore I now have to constantly provide a washing machine?? Can anyone help with advice please?
Thanks

Well, you could just evict your current tenants and get rid of the washing machine before you show any new tenants round, but that might be a bit extreme.

Is it really going to break the bank to spend a couple of hundred quid on a washing machine? You can always get rid of it when the current tenants leave. Just don't leave it in the garage with your other junk next time.

You don't have to constantly provide a washing machine due to "new laws". It's perfectly OK to let properties without a washing machine.

However, you cannot morally have it taken off your list of responsibilities if it has broken and the current Tenant has been using it, and thought it was part of the property proposition through no fault of their own. Your Agent's mistake is the same as your mistake. Others (your customer) should not suffer or be inconvenience because of that. Suck it up for now I'd say... and maybe get your head around the fact that the property might even let better, for higher rent?, in future with a washing machine (not guaranteed, as many people do like their own, I have found).

Your Agent and you speak with one voice. The Agent has spoken for you in this regard. The fact that you and the Agent do not see eye-to-eye is your problem, not your Tenant's. Remember, the Agent works for you. Remember that in the eyes of the Tenant the Agent and Landlord are effectively the same entity. The Agent has produced an Inventory and you need to stand by that.

Even if the item was in the garage and the previous Tenants weren't supposed to do anything with it that's just wholly dodgy of you anyway... what are you doing, storing your tat in a part of the property Tenants are paying good money for? Do you have other stuff stored there?

If the agents prepared the inventory, then it's their mistake and you should ask them to cover the cost of repairing it.

Well, you can't really blame the agent for looking in the kitchen, seeing a washing machine and writing "washing machine" on the inventory. The mistake would be if they didn't get the OP's sign-off on the version of the completed inventory that was supplied to the new tenants and/or didn't identify it as an issue when the previous tenants left (assuming the agents had responsibility for the check-out).

I particularly like how the OP's seeming stance is that this isn't their fault. It must be someone else's fault - let's find them and blame them.

1) It's the current Tenant's fault for it breaking. No.
2) It's the Agent's fault for putting it on the Inventory. No.
3) It's the previous Tenant's fault for moving it out of the garage. No.
4) It's the OP's fault for leaving a working washing machine in the garage. Yes!

Why does no-one ever seem to willingly shoulder anything these days?

This is simple logic, I think.

If 2, 3 and 4 happened, then 1 can still happen.
If 3 and 4 happened, then 1 and 2 can still happen.
If 4 happened, then 1, 2 and 3 can still happen.
But if 4 had never happened, then 1, 2 and 3 couldn't happen either... c'est impossible!

You've made my brain hurt.