UK Landlord Forum / Life

I was hoping for the opinion of other professionals in the field. While doing some work on the property my maintenance man accidentally and unknowingly cut through the underground power line to a apartment. It took some time to realize we had caused the problem. Upon finding that we cut the line we immediately called our electrician and he repaired it immediately. In total there was no power to the unit for approximatley 48 hrs or just less of that. The tenant wants to be compensated for all there food in the fridge and lost wages because the wife suposedly did not work for 2 days while she tried to figure it all out. He also indicated if i didnt give him what he wants he would be forced to call his lawyer. Do they have any legal ground? I was going to compensate them for there lost food but im not sure i should be paying lost wages or money because we inconveinance them? Any input or opinions would be appreciated.

Hello Clifford: Are you American?  "Maintenance man", "apartment", "lawyer" are Americanisims for "odd-job man", "flat" and "solicitor", which get used increasingly interchangably in England.

I am not a legal brain, but it does sound as if this guy is going for anything he thinks he can get.   

It is not an approach I particularly like, but "compensation culture" is also now increasingly common this side of the pond (I have a feeling Jeremy's guess that you may be in America is correct). 

Do you have legal insurance?  Does it cover you for this sort of thing, and does it provide any sort of helpline you could call as part of the package?

Personally, I think you are being very reasonable in putting right the damage as soon as you realised what had happened, and in offering to compensate him for loss of food.  The other demands are this guy taking the piss, and that is what I don't like.

Good luck.  I hope you are able to get him off your back.  Nobody needs this sort of thing.  Life is too short for that.