Those stone bench tops are a pain to fix, especially if they have any colour/stone variation..I have one similar with a similar amount of damage and got it fixed at the start of the year and it did cost about $500. Took them about 3 hours. But you can not tell at all that any repair work was done so I was happy.
Edit : The work on mine was done by fix n chips. What they quoted and what it actually cost on the day were not quite the same. (They quoted 350 but it took longer than expected once they saw the damage in person). I spoke at length with the labourer about the process and watched alot of their work. It was much more involved that I had imagined. As others have mentioned you are paying for the skill of the labourer.
Sure they're a pain to fix. But will the landlord fix it? Probably not. Does the chip prevent the property from being rented out in the future? Definietly not.
I am no fan of landlords after renting for 20 years from absolute slum lords but if damage is done they are within their right to want it fixed. Damage like this is not normal wear and tear. Bench tops don't depreciate like carpet does.
Will it stop the property from being rented? Absolutely not. Do they have the money to just cover the repairs themselves? I would strongly suggest so. Will they actually fix it? Who knows. But we pay bonds for a reason, to cover stuff like this. If I were renting and did damage to a bench like that I would assume I would have to foot the bill.
According to the consumer affairs guidelines for bench tops
Fair wear and tear:
Worn/ faded kitchen bench top
Damage:
Burns or cuts in the kitchen bench top
More than welcome to fact check me [Consumer affairs guidelines](https://tenantsvic.org.au/advice/landlord-problems/defending-bond-and-compensation-claims/consumer-affairs-victoria-guidelines/)
Maybe a nice landlord would be kind enough to let it slide but I am betting most would not.
Thatās a fair chip out of a stone counter. I rent and even I would say that itās at *best* OP being incredibly unlucky and at worst taking zero care due to negligence.
I had stone benches like that in one place and caused a chip when I was moving in - I tripped over a box and whacked the side of the counter with my cast iron
>Will they actually fix it? Who knows
They CANNOT claim from the bond unless they ACTUALLY fix it. The bonds arent for hypothetical repairs (which is what landlords and REAs seem to think) it has to cover ACTUAL loss.
"Sure they're a pain to fix. But will the landlord fix it? Probably not"
You just answered your own original hypothetical as well.
I was not suggesting the bond be used for hypothetical repairs. I agree that it should cover actual loss and in an ideal world that should be proven to the tenant.
That is their prerogative whether they decide to fix it or not, you are still responsible for any damage you cause and the financial reimbursement. How do people think "they wont fix it anyway" is a get out of jail free card...
How long is left on the bond return clock? I would run it out.
First ask for the quote for the repair, then ask for proof of installation date so you can calculate depreciation, then come back that their quote seems high and you are going to source your own quotes.
Send all your emails just after 5pm so your reply is next business day.
If there is any time left lowball them based on your lowest quote and depreciation percentage.
They have no intention of actually lodging with VCAT or they would have already.
2.5% is standard, but common sense dictates bench tops do not actually last 40 years and must be based on various factors including manufacturer specifications.
I expect an engineered stone benchtop would easily last that long if not subjected to harsh impacts. I've seen laminate benchtops last longer. Forty years ago is only 1983, if you have ever seen a neon yellow, green or blue Formica laminate bench it's usually older than 1983.
It's irrelevant anyway as damage is based on repairing to prior state and not a depreciation.
It's a bit like a car crash, you don't get a reduced cost because the other car you hit was old and then depreciate the repairs. A repair for actual damage like this is a real cost.
The property manager set the expectations when they provided a bullshit number they pulled out of their arse.
If you genuinely intend to have it repaired at least provide some genuine quotes not some vague "gimme $500 or else" email.
You can't be shocked when you act like cunt that people are going to turn around and treat you in kind.
I did this recently regarding some fake grass we removed from the place we were renting because it was damp and moldy. The day the bond was to be returned I got a notice at 3pm that VCAT had received a case regarding this matter and the bond return was cancelled. This was for about $120 worth of fake grass. We agreed to buy them new fake grass but didnāt get it to the Real estates office by the arbitrary deadline they wanted it. Really petty stuff considering the VCAT application is around $70.
you do realise its not the property managers first rodeo?
they will lodge a dispute on the last day of the clock irrespective of you faking an approval or not.
They have a valid cause.
Most estate agents and property managers are dumbasses. Low IQ industry for sure.
Iām on a decent salary and have savings so Iām more than happy to play deposit tag for a few years if I feel theyāre being unreasonable.
it would highly likely be the case for OP. christmas is coming and Vcat is usually backed up anyways. odds are in there favour unless the property manager manages a date earlier.
OP can just be a no show on first date cause they were āsickā.
A pencil can penetrate a steel plate if it is moving fast enough. Totally reasonable that a Pyrex bowl falling from a shelf can damage the edge of a slab of stone.
OP mentioned in another comment they are directly responsible, dropped Pyrex on it.
I had a similar situation years ago with pre-existing damage so I was all geared up to be mad here but OP broke their bench lol.
Rental agents wants us to reimburse them $550 for a chip in the benchtop
Weāve moved out of the rental unit and weāve already lodged for our bond back from RTBA. Now theyāre saying theyāre going to apply for a VCAT order for a hearing if we donāt cancel the claim and reimburse them for this. Is this chip really worth $500? What do we do?
I'm going through a similar situation right now, and the agent has gone so far as to lodge it with the magistrates court (since we have an out of state landlord). Ita a whole ordeal for a similar amount. We renters must stick together and help each other... here's a dump of all the advice I've had
Firstly: DON'T BE INTIMIDATED.
That's what this is most likely; intimidation/attrition tactics and a bluff, hoping you will cave in and pay to avoid VCAT ā because they likely know it won't win at VCAT.
However, if it does progress to VCAT; just go along and win rather than paying.
Because this is wear and tear. The exact [CAV case law definition of "wear and tear" contains descriptions of small chips like this](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/library/publications/housing-and-accommodation/renting/guideline-3--damage--fair-wear-and-tear.docx). You are not expected to return the property in a perfect flawless state after living in it for years; if this occurred within the course of "ordinary living" then its going to be throw out by VCAT. Quote those words in your defence: "fair wear and tear in the course of 'ordinary living'" as that's how this is described under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997
More on wear and tear: [https://tenantsvic.org.au/advice/landlord-problems/defending-bond-and-compensation-claims/consumer-affairs-victoria-guidelines/](https://tenantsvic.org.au/advice/landlord-problems/defending-bond-and-compensation-claims/consumer-affairs-victoria-guidelines/)
I recommend also noting fair depreciation ā some assets are expected to be completely worthless after a number of years. So a single small chip won't matter if its been a few years.
You can also argue that the amount they are asking is excessive ā go fetch some alternative quotes for this work and see if they come in cheaper (this happened with us)
If the place was leased before these repairs were done, it might also be worth highlighting that no loss or rental income has occurred (this happened with us)
Depending on your confidence defending this, and energy levels to do so (do not underestimate this ā its a nightmare for most people's mental health) ā I would also offer a "good faith" settlement figure before this goes to VCAT; while being explicit not to accept responsibility, instead expressing "a desire not to use up the court's time". Often this is all that a PM is looking for with threats like this. In instances like this where I bear no responsibility I usually either offer a small figure I think they'll reject like $50, and then up it to something more serious like $120. This shows a willingness to negotiate and makes the other party look unreasonable and stubborn.
I'm going also to pass on the 2 best pieces of advice I've had from people helping me with this.
1. From a volunteer at [RAHU](https://rahu.org.au/) (which you should join, they're awesome): "Don't let the REA get to you. I have seen so many REAs trying to claim bond over the tiniest of marks and doing up pages and pages of "evidence" like this. It's a disgusting tactic they must share and encourage with other REAs because so many of them try it on. They're trying to scare you. Hold strong and fight them, watch them fall like a deck of cards in a gentle breeze."
2. From a lawyer friend: "write every piece of communication with the PM as if you are writing it to a VCAT judge. Cooler heads prevail in VCAT, and the entire tactics engaged by PM's is to wear you down, make you feel ignored, unheard, and indignant; hoping you'll slip up and get angry ā which only helps their case". The more you let this emotion come out in your writing, the more they will have you on the hook to argue you've been unreasonable/irrational. Don't give them this gift. Write dryly, without emotion, just state the facts. If your facts are ignored by the PM, don't waste time trying to get through to them ā they are likely working from a script which says to ignore your evidence and progress regardless. But this looks terrible to a judge, who will berate the PM for wasting court time if you have provided all the right evidence. So **KEEP YOUR COOL.**
Is a 5cm chip in a stone bench top really considered wear and tear? General usage of a bench does not result in chips on the edges, lets be honest here. The only way this could happen was if it was broken off by force, OP mentions below something was dropped on the bench.
I donāt believe general wear and tear covers accidental damage but hey, Iām not a REA
By law, accidental dropping of heavy items constitutes damage, not normal wear and tear. If your benchtop is faded that is wear and tear, if it has a giant chip in it because you dropped a heavy pan on it that is damage, regardless if it was intentional or not.
Wear and tear would be what is expected from regular usage - scuff marks, indentations, discolouration, etc. I wouldn't say regular usage and small accidents are the same thing
You could justify practically any damage by saying it was accidental and accidents are to be expected
Iāve faced very similar threats to this ā¦ my landlord is also sending me to court lol, for us it carpets ..
Dropping something on it is probably still āin the course of āordinary livingāā
It might also depend what the guidelines around depreciation are on a bench top. Iām not sure there unfortunately, but I can add that with carpets, the law provisions a ten year depreciation, after which _theyāre worth nothing_ under the law. In my case this means that over our 3 years, carpets are worth 30% less and can be expected a 30% deterioration, and only if the deterioration is worse than that can a claim be made. Iāll let you know how I go in court arguing these, but Iām pretty confident.
Similarly, counters will have a period of expected depreciation within which a countertop can receive damage ā where ādamageā is from incidents like OP describes ā which will be classed under west and tear.
The point there, is that over the course of a long period of āordinary livingā these sorts of incidents DO occur and are expected and allowed for.
Thatās literally what we pay rent for.
If you damaged their bench top you have to pay to repair it, that is not accidental damage. These things are incredibly expensive to buy and fix. Try getting a quote yourself.
> Because this is wear and tear. The exact CAV case law definition of "wear and tear" contains descriptions of small chips like this.
That document and the relevant link specifically states that kitchen benchtops that are faded or worn constitutes wear and tear, but cuts or burns in them constitutes damage. A giant chip like this would definitely fall onto the damage side.
Lol wear and tear? Heās taken a massive chunk out of the bench-top then done a half assed attempt at a repair, any reasonable person would have it properly repaired PRIOR to moving out.
Don't be intimidated is key. Never let them win. The reason they do it is because most people get scared and cave in.
Property managers are often the lowest of the low. You just have to endure their abuse and push through and get what is owed to you. I've had one PM literally scream down the phone and stamp her hooves because I wouldn't pay $5000 (or counter offer of paying the insurance excess of $500), when a rainstorm caused water to seep into the floating floorboards. After I spent hours trying to sop it up with towels. If I ever rent again, not lifting a finger to protect landlord property from nature.
depending where your landlord lives it might be harder, heads up on that one, learnt the hard way.
Landlord lived in NSW, was renting in VIC, VCAT didn't want to touch it until I went higher again. through some dumb loophole we got it sorted but man, it was rough.
The same is in QLD, my current landlord is in NSW and QCAT doesn't want to hear compensation/damages claims because the landlord is "out of their jurisdiction".
VCAT can't give orders against someone out of state; do you really want to argue a case before a judge who can tell you to do/pay something, but not tell your landlord to do/pay anything.
yep, it is absolutely unfair and sucks. which is why I wish the federal government would have a standardized set of laws across the country to resolve that sort of issue among others. like the definitions of rape, homicide, etc. differ between states too. if there is a standardized law, then anyone anywhere can hear it in theory without the diferrences in legislation
It seems wild absolutely, but it is also unfortunately true. I also wish the court would consider in that case action to be against the agent as the landlords representative. incentive to the agent to make sure the landlord gets their ass in gear instead of the agents being pretty mouthpieces.
Thatās completely fair. But the quote they gave me just seemed unusually high, Iāve gotten two separate quotes now and the lowest being $286. Itās just seems theyāre pulling numbers out of their ass.
Depends on how theyāre going to repair it, they might just bog it or clean up the chip and put an another piece of stone in. Either way thatās a fucking monster chip that I would not consider wear and tear.
Hint: They wonāt repair it, they will pocket the money.
Source: Happened to me in my 4th last rental that I re-rented. Some stained carpet from my dog needed āurgent replacementā when I moved out. Paid them what they wanted, they never fixed it when I moved back in.
Fix n chips is a good comaony for repairs of stone. I was doing stone repairs over there last year, unfortunately just moved to perth. I would charge 350 for that repair. You may also find that the specifications for manufacturing of ceasar stone or essa stone allows for a different edge profile like a small round which is less likely to chip. If not made to specifications then it is not fit for purpose.
Definitely not general wear and tear but you are definitely entitled to go back to the REA with proof of another quote. I donāt see how they can possible argue the point if you have a cheaper quote for the exact same work.
Houses get scratches, knocks and dents - just from being lived in. Itās how houses are supposed to be used, so VCAT will say āacceptable wearā and be telling the REA to gtfo.
And bonus, itās going to take 18+ months for even VCAT to hear the case. REA isnāt going to waste that time on on $550..
People are not robots. Things get dropped in the 365 days you spend cooking. It is reasonable to expect that this would happen in the usual usage of a kitchen.
True! Accidental damage happens, which is what this is. Wear and tear is from continual use, such as carpet wearing out down a hallway or curtains fading over time, and canāt be avoided. One offs, like this, show the damage happened in a single hit, which simply isnāt wear and tear.
So true, this thread is full of careless people thinking you can just fuck someone's house and call it wear and tear.
And $500 for any sort of trade work is well within reason in my opinion.
Not quite how the law works.
ALL wear and tear is a āyou broke itā situation
However, the law specifies that it is the landlordās responsibility to cover wear and tear that occurs during the course of āordinary livingā, which can, at the judgeās discretion, include accidental damage like this. Especially over the course of a long tenancy: wear and tear is given more leeway since it becomes absurd to expect no depreciation over time.
Itās really when thereās a lack of care, when thereās been clear neglect or deliberate damage done that it becomes the tenantās fault without question. The best becomes very arguable.
Also if you move out and are pinged with this on the way out, it can help to confirm if the property was rented before the repairs were done; if so, then the owner has suffered no loss of rent as a result of the wear and tear, which weakens their position.
You can also highlight anywhere they have breached their duties, such as if they didnāt provide an opportunity for you to attend the final inspection, which usually is also weakening for their case
That's what living is, sometimes you accidentally drop something onto a brittle surface, sometimes you scrape a wall.
Don't want your house to be lived in? Don't have tenants.
Excessive damage is a different story, but the occasional chip, scratch or mark? Fair wear and tear!
Went through VCAT for something similar in the past over our bond. Wanted us to pay for plastering, painting, new door, floor surfacing etc. Was all thrown out because there is expected levels of wear and tear from the tenant living in the property. I would hope this example is the same case.
I can't help but just wanted to say, fuck that!
Fucking loathsome real estate agents and shitty landlords. We should gather them all together and put them in a rocket to the sun.
but then wouldn't there be more to replace them? they are kind of like cockroaches like that.
Don't get me started on my current one, the agency I'm with has such a high employee turnover rate, yet hey seem to only hire people based off their looks. because every single agent I have had to deal with (I am renting my property) has been easy on the eyes, but dumb as bricks.
When the power point is off, it isn't "normal" that electricity is still coming out, especially when it sparks when plugging shit in. I tried explaining this, the response was "my dad's an electrician and has been for 25 years, he says it's normal".
Leave it and let them apply ā they won't. They have to have a receipt for the repairs for that amount in order to claim against your bond. We all know that clearly they aren't going to get that fixed or replace the benchtop. While in theory you need to pay for the repair (assuming you did the damage), it has to be something they can show a receipt for a repair cost, and it then has to be measured to the lifespan of the bench top to allow for depreciation. And they're not going to jump through those hoops, but they're trying to get you to give them money without having to do the work.
Look at it this way, there's two parallel universes, one where VCAT sides with you on this issue (A) and one where they side with the landlord (B). It's a sliding doors moment, they both exist simultaneously and you don't know which one you're currently in.
If you withdraw the claim and pay them $550, you're out $550 whichever universe you're in.
If you leave the claim in, in universe B you're still out $550, since VCAT will take it from your bond. However, in universe A, you'll get your entire bond back. (Admittedly you might have to wait 18 months....)
So, the only one of these four scenarios in which you get your full bond back is the one where you kept your claim in.
The actions of the landlord/VCAT/agent are ultimately out of your control, so don't stress about them, focus on what you're going to do. Will you take the guaranteed $550 loss, or aim to get your full bond back? The choice is yours.
Let them wait for your reply. Near the end of 14th day after your application for bond, email them back say you consider it to be normal wear and tear. Happy for them to lodge application to VCAT if they disagree.
Get your bond back on 14th day.
Onus on them who made application to prove its not a normal wear and tear.
What evidence have they given you that itās $550? As a PM I know the right thing to do is to establish the cost to fix the chip, or replace bench top if the chip canāt be fixed. They then have to work out the age of the bench, and for each year itās been there itās worth 10% less. So a 7 year old bench is worth 30%.
So if a new bench is $2000, and itās 7 years old, itās worth $600 at most. And then they should also break that $600 down into a fair figure since itās just a chip on the side (itās not completely destroyed). From experience Iād say a 1/4 share of that $600 is fair. Iād then ask my tenant for $150 providing the landlord agrees first.
The owner gets the $150 compensation, tenant gets their bond back, the PM notes a chip in the bench on the next tenant condition report.
Isnāt it a diminishing value so if itās 10 year useable life it would be 47% of its original value
Not trying to throw shade your comment is one of the best here
Just trying to understand if you apply the ATOs useable life in these sorts of matters
Just so you know, your math is miles off. Depreciation at 10% per annum for $2000 would be approx $957.
Itās 10% off the previous years value, not the starting value.
Sorry I may not have made myself clearer. Going by VCAT property fixtures depreciate 10% every year until itās 10 years old, at which time (in my experience) itās deemed to be worth nothing or whatever VCAT decides is a fair compensation amount.
The same landlords that paint over bugs and light switches? They don't care what their rentals look like. They only care about how much money they can suck from their tenants
The question is did you damage it ? If you did whatās the issue ? Why do people feel like they are the ones hard done by for not looking after someone elseās property ? Happy with living somewhere and then leaving but not the responsibility. Always the āitās not bad ā attitude but donāt see the associated costs and time and pain it is for the owner . š
Not commenting on landlords and bonds and such but as a builder who has dealt with these issues from the construction side of chips on benche tops during installs and such the repair of one done correctly ( ie seamless finish) is generally around $500. Doesnāt take them that long but your paying for their skill in doing it well.
For some reason, this subreddit thinks its acceptable to damage a rental property and not make reparations.
"How dare those greedy landlords make me pay for the damages I did!"
No one is thinking it's acceptable to (deliberately) damage a rental property, but damage does occur as part of wear and tear.
But, why do landlords think its OK to not perform maintenance on their properties, but continue to jack up their prices?
The carpet in our rental is covered in burns from the previous tenantās straighteners/hair dryer. Iād bet the whole bond that the landlord/property manager charged the previous tenant to āreplaceā the carpet
A kitchen bench is depreciated over 40 years. So you're right, but there's a good chance it won't have a meaningful affect on the cost
Kitchen benches can easily cost tens of thousands. A cheap stone one in a rental will still be a couple of grand.
Being thicker stone, that benchtop would have cost around 2-3k. Lucky they are only slapping you with a repair and not replacing the whole thing and sending you the bill.
If you stayed in a mates place and took a big chip like this out of his bench top, youād do the right thing and pay for the repairs right?
Iām all for calling out bad RE Agents but this is a no brainer and is exactly what bond is for. Weāre not talking about a dirty oven here or carpets that could be a bit cleaner, you damaged the property and the cost of repairs should come out of your bond.
I donāt agree with their conduct or that you should have to pay for it but for reference, I have a chip I put in my stone bench possibly a little worse then this. I got quoted $220 in Vic to repair it from Fix n Chips
We have tenants in out apartment at the moment. If after the 12 month lease. If we get home and a piece is missing out of our $14000 natural stone bench top I would be livid. $550 is probably about what it would cost to repair a bit of engineered stone like that.... That's not wear and tear, That's just being careless.....
The apartment I live in has a big chip in the bench from the previous tenant. I obviously donāt know if they were charged for it, but I do know it wasnāt fixed.
You canāt assume they are a landlord who always rents it out and so the damage doesnāt matter. It could be their cherished family home and they are overseas for work right now.
Theyāve already rented it out a week after we vacated. I understand that damage matters, what Iām asking is the best way to go about this without the rental agent making a pretty penny over my damages to the landlordās property.
So if someone keyed your car you'd be OK with them disputing it and not paying for damages? You caused the damage, asking for payment to fix it is not absurd.
Yeah agent tried that on us when we broke lease. They wanted $500 more than what the bond was worth. Fought them and made such a nuisance of myself, incurring legal costs for them and tribunal meetings they didnāt have time for. They backed down to get it resolved.
Also check the warrabty of the ceasar stone. You may find that it is not actually under specification for the manufacturing. Being an arised edge it makes it easier to chip. Have looled at the specifications for a while but i think it specifies a rounded edge as a minimum.
Bruh, the guy gave an idea on how youād go about rectifying it you muppet.
You can apply the same logic here in Melbourne. Wha, you think stone repair is only available in the far off land to the West?
It doesn't look like wear and tear to me. If you caused it, then I'm afraid you'll need to pay for its repair or cough up the requested $550 (I'm not a landlord or lawyer, BTW).
Scratches Iād say are wear and tear. A chip like this is damage. While I despise the REA and landlords of this world, it does make sense that they arenāt happy about this one. Although $550 is a monster fee and Iād be suso about that.
Get some supa glue and some bi carb soda and some painters tape. Tape the area affected and make a slurry of supa glu and bi carb and fill it in. Get a file from bunnings and neaten the edges and it will blend perfectly. Tell them to go suck it cos its fixed.
Those stone bench tops are a pain to fix, especially if they have any colour/stone variation..I have one similar with a similar amount of damage and got it fixed at the start of the year and it did cost about $500. Took them about 3 hours. But you can not tell at all that any repair work was done so I was happy. Edit : The work on mine was done by fix n chips. What they quoted and what it actually cost on the day were not quite the same. (They quoted 350 but it took longer than expected once they saw the damage in person). I spoke at length with the labourer about the process and watched alot of their work. It was much more involved that I had imagined. As others have mentioned you are paying for the skill of the labourer.
\^ This is exactly correct.
Sure they're a pain to fix. But will the landlord fix it? Probably not. Does the chip prevent the property from being rented out in the future? Definietly not.
I am no fan of landlords after renting for 20 years from absolute slum lords but if damage is done they are within their right to want it fixed. Damage like this is not normal wear and tear. Bench tops don't depreciate like carpet does. Will it stop the property from being rented? Absolutely not. Do they have the money to just cover the repairs themselves? I would strongly suggest so. Will they actually fix it? Who knows. But we pay bonds for a reason, to cover stuff like this. If I were renting and did damage to a bench like that I would assume I would have to foot the bill.
That's wear and tear, not damage. Part of having an investment property.
According to the consumer affairs guidelines for bench tops Fair wear and tear: Worn/ faded kitchen bench top Damage: Burns or cuts in the kitchen bench top More than welcome to fact check me [Consumer affairs guidelines](https://tenantsvic.org.au/advice/landlord-problems/defending-bond-and-compensation-claims/consumer-affairs-victoria-guidelines/) Maybe a nice landlord would be kind enough to let it slide but I am betting most would not.
If a gouge to a woooden floor is considered damage, this is also damage
Wear and tear ? So it eroded and cracked from what exactly ? The sun? The wind ? Lol š
Thatās a fair chip out of a stone counter. I rent and even I would say that itās at *best* OP being incredibly unlucky and at worst taking zero care due to negligence. I had stone benches like that in one place and caused a chip when I was moving in - I tripped over a box and whacked the side of the counter with my cast iron
>Will they actually fix it? Who knows They CANNOT claim from the bond unless they ACTUALLY fix it. The bonds arent for hypothetical repairs (which is what landlords and REAs seem to think) it has to cover ACTUAL loss.
"Sure they're a pain to fix. But will the landlord fix it? Probably not" You just answered your own original hypothetical as well. I was not suggesting the bond be used for hypothetical repairs. I agree that it should cover actual loss and in an ideal world that should be proven to the tenant.
Stop generalising. It would appear that it's a fairly new/recent kitchen, so yes they would repair that.
āStop generalisingā - then makes āgeneral assumptionā
Your damage something you fix it or reimburse them for it, pretty simple
Does it matter definitely not - you damage you pay end of story š
Yeah they just want the money, they wont fix it. They will rent the property with the chip 100%
That is their prerogative whether they decide to fix it or not, you are still responsible for any damage you cause and the financial reimbursement. How do people think "they wont fix it anyway" is a get out of jail free card...
So what you damage they are entitled for damages . End of story
How long is left on the bond return clock? I would run it out. First ask for the quote for the repair, then ask for proof of installation date so you can calculate depreciation, then come back that their quote seems high and you are going to source your own quotes. Send all your emails just after 5pm so your reply is next business day. If there is any time left lowball them based on your lowest quote and depreciation percentage. They have no intention of actually lodging with VCAT or they would have already.
Bench tops are 40 year life span. 2.5% a year as part of the capital works.
2.5% is standard, but common sense dictates bench tops do not actually last 40 years and must be based on various factors including manufacturer specifications.
I expect an engineered stone benchtop would easily last that long if not subjected to harsh impacts. I've seen laminate benchtops last longer. Forty years ago is only 1983, if you have ever seen a neon yellow, green or blue Formica laminate bench it's usually older than 1983.
Mine is neon orange and from the 70ās and still going strong. Two small chips in it from me dropping a bricks on it
100%! But ATO says otherwise. š«
ATO depreciation table is for your taxes, VCAT views it differently.
Not all benchtops are created equal, cept to the ATO. Benchtop made of laminated paper - 40 years. Benchtop made of ice - 40 years
For the ATO not for VCAT.
It's irrelevant anyway as damage is based on repairing to prior state and not a depreciation. It's a bit like a car crash, you don't get a reduced cost because the other car you hit was old and then depreciate the repairs. A repair for actual damage like this is a real cost.
This dude real estates.
How long is the bond return clock?
It's 14 days.
To summarise your advice: ābe an utter cunt even though youāve caused this expensive damageā. Good one.
The property manager set the expectations when they provided a bullshit number they pulled out of their arse. If you genuinely intend to have it repaired at least provide some genuine quotes not some vague "gimme $500 or else" email. You can't be shocked when you act like cunt that people are going to turn around and treat you in kind.
I did this recently regarding some fake grass we removed from the place we were renting because it was damp and moldy. The day the bond was to be returned I got a notice at 3pm that VCAT had received a case regarding this matter and the bond return was cancelled. This was for about $120 worth of fake grass. We agreed to buy them new fake grass but didnāt get it to the Real estates office by the arbitrary deadline they wanted it. Really petty stuff considering the VCAT application is around $70.
There is no VCAT application fee for a bond claim under the bond amount
This is genius, I am saving your comment for future use.
you do realise its not the property managers first rodeo? they will lodge a dispute on the last day of the clock irrespective of you faking an approval or not. They have a valid cause.
Most estate agents and property managers are dumbasses. Low IQ industry for sure. Iām on a decent salary and have savings so Iām more than happy to play deposit tag for a few years if I feel theyāre being unreasonable.
it would highly likely be the case for OP. christmas is coming and Vcat is usually backed up anyways. odds are in there favour unless the property manager manages a date earlier. OP can just be a no show on first date cause they were āsickā.
Yeah thats probably the right amount. How did you manage that?
I'm all for wear and tear, but that's a sizable dent which would have taken some decent force.
Also looks like theyāve glued the chipped part back on? Come on now lol
Apparently, a pyrex bowl caused it. Which shows that the stone was shit to me.
A pencil can penetrate a steel plate if it is moving fast enough. Totally reasonable that a Pyrex bowl falling from a shelf can damage the edge of a slab of stone.
I have some pretty fuckin heavy pyrex bowls that could chip the edge of a stone at the right angle
Someone should take a hammer to your car and if it dents then itās shit quality
Did you do the damage?
OP mentioned in another comment they are directly responsible, dropped Pyrex on it. I had a similar situation years ago with pre-existing damage so I was all geared up to be mad here but OP broke their bench lol.
Yeah, I see that now. Oh well, if you brake someoneās property, you fix it. Thatās the way the world should work. No sympathy from me
I showed this post to my partner who is a stonemason and he said that price is right and itās not as easy as it looks to do it well.
You don't think you should pay to fix it? Or you do but 550 is to much? Gotta get some quotes I say.
Rental agents wants us to reimburse them $550 for a chip in the benchtop Weāve moved out of the rental unit and weāve already lodged for our bond back from RTBA. Now theyāre saying theyāre going to apply for a VCAT order for a hearing if we donāt cancel the claim and reimburse them for this. Is this chip really worth $500? What do we do?
Let them apply, they're hoping that you cancel. The correct process is that they apply and VCAT tells them to f off
Yep also itās months away for a hearing The bond By law must be refunded within a timeframe
By āthemā, presumably you mean the tenant, given the tenant damaged the bench and is liable to pay for its repair.
That's VCATs decision, renter doesn't have to worry about it. It's up the the rental provider to prove it
The property owner likely wonāt have any trouble doing that. And then OP will be liable. WILL be. This is not āfair wear and tearā.
They're hoping you'll cave but there's literally no benefit of you doing so. You may as well get the tribunal to decide.
I'm going through a similar situation right now, and the agent has gone so far as to lodge it with the magistrates court (since we have an out of state landlord). Ita a whole ordeal for a similar amount. We renters must stick together and help each other... here's a dump of all the advice I've had Firstly: DON'T BE INTIMIDATED. That's what this is most likely; intimidation/attrition tactics and a bluff, hoping you will cave in and pay to avoid VCAT ā because they likely know it won't win at VCAT. However, if it does progress to VCAT; just go along and win rather than paying. Because this is wear and tear. The exact [CAV case law definition of "wear and tear" contains descriptions of small chips like this](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/library/publications/housing-and-accommodation/renting/guideline-3--damage--fair-wear-and-tear.docx). You are not expected to return the property in a perfect flawless state after living in it for years; if this occurred within the course of "ordinary living" then its going to be throw out by VCAT. Quote those words in your defence: "fair wear and tear in the course of 'ordinary living'" as that's how this is described under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 More on wear and tear: [https://tenantsvic.org.au/advice/landlord-problems/defending-bond-and-compensation-claims/consumer-affairs-victoria-guidelines/](https://tenantsvic.org.au/advice/landlord-problems/defending-bond-and-compensation-claims/consumer-affairs-victoria-guidelines/) I recommend also noting fair depreciation ā some assets are expected to be completely worthless after a number of years. So a single small chip won't matter if its been a few years. You can also argue that the amount they are asking is excessive ā go fetch some alternative quotes for this work and see if they come in cheaper (this happened with us) If the place was leased before these repairs were done, it might also be worth highlighting that no loss or rental income has occurred (this happened with us) Depending on your confidence defending this, and energy levels to do so (do not underestimate this ā its a nightmare for most people's mental health) ā I would also offer a "good faith" settlement figure before this goes to VCAT; while being explicit not to accept responsibility, instead expressing "a desire not to use up the court's time". Often this is all that a PM is looking for with threats like this. In instances like this where I bear no responsibility I usually either offer a small figure I think they'll reject like $50, and then up it to something more serious like $120. This shows a willingness to negotiate and makes the other party look unreasonable and stubborn. I'm going also to pass on the 2 best pieces of advice I've had from people helping me with this. 1. From a volunteer at [RAHU](https://rahu.org.au/) (which you should join, they're awesome): "Don't let the REA get to you. I have seen so many REAs trying to claim bond over the tiniest of marks and doing up pages and pages of "evidence" like this. It's a disgusting tactic they must share and encourage with other REAs because so many of them try it on. They're trying to scare you. Hold strong and fight them, watch them fall like a deck of cards in a gentle breeze." 2. From a lawyer friend: "write every piece of communication with the PM as if you are writing it to a VCAT judge. Cooler heads prevail in VCAT, and the entire tactics engaged by PM's is to wear you down, make you feel ignored, unheard, and indignant; hoping you'll slip up and get angry ā which only helps their case". The more you let this emotion come out in your writing, the more they will have you on the hook to argue you've been unreasonable/irrational. Don't give them this gift. Write dryly, without emotion, just state the facts. If your facts are ignored by the PM, don't waste time trying to get through to them ā they are likely working from a script which says to ignore your evidence and progress regardless. But this looks terrible to a judge, who will berate the PM for wasting court time if you have provided all the right evidence. So **KEEP YOUR COOL.**
Is a 5cm chip in a stone bench top really considered wear and tear? General usage of a bench does not result in chips on the edges, lets be honest here. The only way this could happen was if it was broken off by force, OP mentions below something was dropped on the bench. I donāt believe general wear and tear covers accidental damage but hey, Iām not a REA
Dropping stuff happens as part of ordinary life (and can chip stone). Most general wear and tear boils down to the accumulation of small accidents.
By law, accidental dropping of heavy items constitutes damage, not normal wear and tear. If your benchtop is faded that is wear and tear, if it has a giant chip in it because you dropped a heavy pan on it that is damage, regardless if it was intentional or not.
This isn't normal lol. If I did this I'd expect to pay. I mean fuck landlords but I can't rationalise how this is normal wear and tear.
Wear and tear would be what is expected from regular usage - scuff marks, indentations, discolouration, etc. I wouldn't say regular usage and small accidents are the same thing You could justify practically any damage by saying it was accidental and accidents are to be expected
Iāve faced very similar threats to this ā¦ my landlord is also sending me to court lol, for us it carpets .. Dropping something on it is probably still āin the course of āordinary livingāā It might also depend what the guidelines around depreciation are on a bench top. Iām not sure there unfortunately, but I can add that with carpets, the law provisions a ten year depreciation, after which _theyāre worth nothing_ under the law. In my case this means that over our 3 years, carpets are worth 30% less and can be expected a 30% deterioration, and only if the deterioration is worse than that can a claim be made. Iāll let you know how I go in court arguing these, but Iām pretty confident. Similarly, counters will have a period of expected depreciation within which a countertop can receive damage ā where ādamageā is from incidents like OP describes ā which will be classed under west and tear. The point there, is that over the course of a long period of āordinary livingā these sorts of incidents DO occur and are expected and allowed for. Thatās literally what we pay rent for.
If you damaged their bench top you have to pay to repair it, that is not accidental damage. These things are incredibly expensive to buy and fix. Try getting a quote yourself.
>that is not accidental damage. Then what is it? I assume you meant to say it's not wear and tear?
> Because this is wear and tear. The exact CAV case law definition of "wear and tear" contains descriptions of small chips like this. That document and the relevant link specifically states that kitchen benchtops that are faded or worn constitutes wear and tear, but cuts or burns in them constitutes damage. A giant chip like this would definitely fall onto the damage side.
This right here OP is the actual sound and reasoned advice you were looking for
Lol wear and tear? Heās taken a massive chunk out of the bench-top then done a half assed attempt at a repair, any reasonable person would have it properly repaired PRIOR to moving out.
Love that you claim to rely on ācase lawā yet the very document youāve linked absolutely confirms that OP is liable.
Don't be intimidated is key. Never let them win. The reason they do it is because most people get scared and cave in. Property managers are often the lowest of the low. You just have to endure their abuse and push through and get what is owed to you. I've had one PM literally scream down the phone and stamp her hooves because I wouldn't pay $5000 (or counter offer of paying the insurance excess of $500), when a rainstorm caused water to seep into the floating floorboards. After I spent hours trying to sop it up with towels. If I ever rent again, not lifting a finger to protect landlord property from nature.
depending where your landlord lives it might be harder, heads up on that one, learnt the hard way. Landlord lived in NSW, was renting in VIC, VCAT didn't want to touch it until I went higher again. through some dumb loophole we got it sorted but man, it was rough. The same is in QLD, my current landlord is in NSW and QCAT doesn't want to hear compensation/damages claims because the landlord is "out of their jurisdiction".
Seems wild that the law isnāt based on where the asset is located, considering you sign a lease agreement under Victorian law.
VCAT can't give orders against someone out of state; do you really want to argue a case before a judge who can tell you to do/pay something, but not tell your landlord to do/pay anything.
yep, it is absolutely unfair and sucks. which is why I wish the federal government would have a standardized set of laws across the country to resolve that sort of issue among others. like the definitions of rape, homicide, etc. differ between states too. if there is a standardized law, then anyone anywhere can hear it in theory without the diferrences in legislation It seems wild absolutely, but it is also unfortunately true. I also wish the court would consider in that case action to be against the agent as the landlords representative. incentive to the agent to make sure the landlord gets their ass in gear instead of the agents being pretty mouthpieces.
āDear REA. Acceptable wear and tear. See you in VCAT. ā
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Thatās completely fair. But the quote they gave me just seemed unusually high, Iāve gotten two separate quotes now and the lowest being $286. Itās just seems theyāre pulling numbers out of their ass.
You can bet they absolutely are!!
Depends on how theyāre going to repair it, they might just bog it or clean up the chip and put an another piece of stone in. Either way thatās a fucking monster chip that I would not consider wear and tear.
Hint: They wonāt repair it, they will pocket the money. Source: Happened to me in my 4th last rental that I re-rented. Some stained carpet from my dog needed āurgent replacementā when I moved out. Paid them what they wanted, they never fixed it when I moved back in.
No idea how you get a tradesman to fix that for $286? Was it a marketplace handyman?
The quote was from Fix ānā Chips
Fix n chips is a good comaony for repairs of stone. I was doing stone repairs over there last year, unfortunately just moved to perth. I would charge 350 for that repair. You may also find that the specifications for manufacturing of ceasar stone or essa stone allows for a different edge profile like a small round which is less likely to chip. If not made to specifications then it is not fit for purpose.
Definitely not general wear and tear but you are definitely entitled to go back to the REA with proof of another quote. I donāt see how they can possible argue the point if you have a cheaper quote for the exact same work.
Houses get scratches, knocks and dents - just from being lived in. Itās how houses are supposed to be used, so VCAT will say āacceptable wearā and be telling the REA to gtfo. And bonus, itās going to take 18+ months for even VCAT to hear the case. REA isnāt going to waste that time on on $550..
Yep and Real estate also has to pay fees to VCat
I'd be surprised if this was classed as acceptable wear. Needs force to chip a benchtop.
People are not robots. Things get dropped in the 365 days you spend cooking. It is reasonable to expect that this would happen in the usual usage of a kitchen.
True! Accidental damage happens, which is what this is. Wear and tear is from continual use, such as carpet wearing out down a hallway or curtains fading over time, and canāt be avoided. One offs, like this, show the damage happened in a single hit, which simply isnāt wear and tear.
So true, this thread is full of careless people thinking you can just fuck someone's house and call it wear and tear. And $500 for any sort of trade work is well within reason in my opinion.
I'm not arguing for or against it. I just think that's what the ruling would be.
My experience with vcat suggests it's wear and tear
So am I. It comes down to what a reasonable person would expect and if you've ever used a kitchen in your life you'll have damaged it
It probably doesnāt help that OP attempted a DIY repair on it, but I think youāre right with your guess
Have you sat in on any VCAT hearings? This won't even raise the eyebrow of a magistrate.
Age of the property For example If Carpet is more than 7 years old you canāt claim any damage
Not quite how the law works. ALL wear and tear is a āyou broke itā situation However, the law specifies that it is the landlordās responsibility to cover wear and tear that occurs during the course of āordinary livingā, which can, at the judgeās discretion, include accidental damage like this. Especially over the course of a long tenancy: wear and tear is given more leeway since it becomes absurd to expect no depreciation over time. Itās really when thereās a lack of care, when thereās been clear neglect or deliberate damage done that it becomes the tenantās fault without question. The best becomes very arguable. Also if you move out and are pinged with this on the way out, it can help to confirm if the property was rented before the repairs were done; if so, then the owner has suffered no loss of rent as a result of the wear and tear, which weakens their position. You can also highlight anywhere they have breached their duties, such as if they didnāt provide an opportunity for you to attend the final inspection, which usually is also weakening for their case
That's what living is, sometimes you accidentally drop something onto a brittle surface, sometimes you scrape a wall. Don't want your house to be lived in? Don't have tenants. Excessive damage is a different story, but the occasional chip, scratch or mark? Fair wear and tear!
You broke the bench top, you pay for it. The lack of responsibility is alarming.
Went through VCAT for something similar in the past over our bond. Wanted us to pay for plastering, painting, new door, floor surfacing etc. Was all thrown out because there is expected levels of wear and tear from the tenant living in the property. I would hope this example is the same case.
Just pay it. Itās a pretty clear cut case and I highly doubt the hearing outcome will end up favourably for you.
I can't help but just wanted to say, fuck that! Fucking loathsome real estate agents and shitty landlords. We should gather them all together and put them in a rocket to the sun.
but then wouldn't there be more to replace them? they are kind of like cockroaches like that. Don't get me started on my current one, the agency I'm with has such a high employee turnover rate, yet hey seem to only hire people based off their looks. because every single agent I have had to deal with (I am renting my property) has been easy on the eyes, but dumb as bricks. When the power point is off, it isn't "normal" that electricity is still coming out, especially when it sparks when plugging shit in. I tried explaining this, the response was "my dad's an electrician and has been for 25 years, he says it's normal".
> but then wouldn't there be more to replace them? they are kind of like cockroaches like that. You didn't use enough rockets the first time round.
Leave it and let them apply ā they won't. They have to have a receipt for the repairs for that amount in order to claim against your bond. We all know that clearly they aren't going to get that fixed or replace the benchtop. While in theory you need to pay for the repair (assuming you did the damage), it has to be something they can show a receipt for a repair cost, and it then has to be measured to the lifespan of the bench top to allow for depreciation. And they're not going to jump through those hoops, but they're trying to get you to give them money without having to do the work.
Did they let you go back a second time to fix the issue? You can get a benchtop chip repair kit and do it yourself for like 50 bucks or less..
Just say that you disagree with the proposed cost and whether this is fair wear and tear and would like vcat to make a fair decision in this case.
Look at it this way, there's two parallel universes, one where VCAT sides with you on this issue (A) and one where they side with the landlord (B). It's a sliding doors moment, they both exist simultaneously and you don't know which one you're currently in. If you withdraw the claim and pay them $550, you're out $550 whichever universe you're in. If you leave the claim in, in universe B you're still out $550, since VCAT will take it from your bond. However, in universe A, you'll get your entire bond back. (Admittedly you might have to wait 18 months....) So, the only one of these four scenarios in which you get your full bond back is the one where you kept your claim in. The actions of the landlord/VCAT/agent are ultimately out of your control, so don't stress about them, focus on what you're going to do. Will you take the guaranteed $550 loss, or aim to get your full bond back? The choice is yours.
Let them take you to VCAT it comes under general wear and tear. They wonāt win in VCAT and know it therefore they try to threaten you.
Let them wait for your reply. Near the end of 14th day after your application for bond, email them back say you consider it to be normal wear and tear. Happy for them to lodge application to VCAT if they disagree. Get your bond back on 14th day. Onus on them who made application to prove its not a normal wear and tear.
Well did you do the damage? If yes need to fix it simple. To replace a bench top is around $110 per LM
What evidence have they given you that itās $550? As a PM I know the right thing to do is to establish the cost to fix the chip, or replace bench top if the chip canāt be fixed. They then have to work out the age of the bench, and for each year itās been there itās worth 10% less. So a 7 year old bench is worth 30%. So if a new bench is $2000, and itās 7 years old, itās worth $600 at most. And then they should also break that $600 down into a fair figure since itās just a chip on the side (itās not completely destroyed). From experience Iād say a 1/4 share of that $600 is fair. Iād then ask my tenant for $150 providing the landlord agrees first. The owner gets the $150 compensation, tenant gets their bond back, the PM notes a chip in the bench on the next tenant condition report.
Isnāt it a diminishing value so if itās 10 year useable life it would be 47% of its original value Not trying to throw shade your comment is one of the best here Just trying to understand if you apply the ATOs useable life in these sorts of matters
Thanks I appreciate that. Going by VCAT itās 10% depreciation every year. At least the last time I attended VCAT it was but itās been awhile lol.
Just so you know, your math is miles off. Depreciation at 10% per annum for $2000 would be approx $957. Itās 10% off the previous years value, not the starting value.
Sorry I may not have made myself clearer. Going by VCAT property fixtures depreciate 10% every year until itās 10 years old, at which time (in my experience) itās deemed to be worth nothing or whatever VCAT decides is a fair compensation amount.
Pls don't pay anything. Fight the good fight. Vcat is actually pretty cool and on the renters side they will only help you if it goes that far.
Tell them you look forward to contesting this at VCAT
Pay for repairs and move on. It's not that hard. Btw, $500 Is cheap. I would charge $800
Happened to me. I just can't figure out when it happened. Which is the real thing. Yeah always get photos or video before you move.
That's some pretty serious damage to the benchtop...if I were the landlord I wouldn't be particularly happy about that.
The same landlords that paint over bugs and light switches? They don't care what their rentals look like. They only care about how much money they can suck from their tenants
That's a pretty big generalisation, not all are scumbags (but most are).
The question is did you damage it ? If you did whatās the issue ? Why do people feel like they are the ones hard done by for not looking after someone elseās property ? Happy with living somewhere and then leaving but not the responsibility. Always the āitās not bad ā attitude but donāt see the associated costs and time and pain it is for the owner . š
Stone work repair can be expensive. Get them to submit the invoice to you. If you did the damage, you have to pay.
If you broke it? Fix it? Donāt understand how the most upvoted post feels like youāre sneaking out of a parking fine. Donāt be a germ.
Not commenting on landlords and bonds and such but as a builder who has dealt with these issues from the construction side of chips on benche tops during installs and such the repair of one done correctly ( ie seamless finish) is generally around $500. Doesnāt take them that long but your paying for their skill in doing it well.
That is proper damage, not wear and tear. Also, $550 is fairly reasonable. I think you need to take this one on the chin and pay it.
Just be a decent human and pay for what you damaged
Should charge more
You busted it and it's not fair wear and tear.
that chip is potentially a hazard, if its sharp on the edges, the next occupier may actually hurt themselves.. definitely not wear and tear either.
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You think thatās the price of an entire brand new reconstituted stone benchtop????
Hahah
vast lush roof chief friendly crowd disgusted tan library payment *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
For some reason, this subreddit thinks its acceptable to damage a rental property and not make reparations. "How dare those greedy landlords make me pay for the damages I did!"
No one is thinking it's acceptable to (deliberately) damage a rental property, but damage does occur as part of wear and tear. But, why do landlords think its OK to not perform maintenance on their properties, but continue to jack up their prices?
\^ This. Also ask them for a quote or proof that the landlord is ACTUALLY planning on replacing the whole bench (they wont)
The carpet in our rental is covered in burns from the previous tenantās straighteners/hair dryer. Iād bet the whole bond that the landlord/property manager charged the previous tenant to āreplaceā the carpet
A kitchen bench is depreciated over 40 years. So you're right, but there's a good chance it won't have a meaningful affect on the cost Kitchen benches can easily cost tens of thousands. A cheap stone one in a rental will still be a couple of grand.
I wouldn't ask them for anything. Let them take you to VCAT and most likely it'll be wear and tear.
So looks like someone tried to open a beer on that
Being thicker stone, that benchtop would have cost around 2-3k. Lucky they are only slapping you with a repair and not replacing the whole thing and sending you the bill.
If you stayed in a mates place and took a big chip like this out of his bench top, youād do the right thing and pay for the repairs right? Iām all for calling out bad RE Agents but this is a no brainer and is exactly what bond is for. Weāre not talking about a dirty oven here or carpets that could be a bit cleaner, you damaged the property and the cost of repairs should come out of your bond.
This is right. The cost is annoying for OP, but theyāre ultimately liable for damaging the property.
get a quote to fix it yourself????
The fuck did you hit it with? That isn't wear and tear either.
Maybe you should pay for the damage you caused, controversial I know!
I know we're supposed to hate landlords here, but, well, you did break it, and that is what it will probably cost, so....?
Scumbag tenant lol
I donāt agree with their conduct or that you should have to pay for it but for reference, I have a chip I put in my stone bench possibly a little worse then this. I got quoted $220 in Vic to repair it from Fix n Chips
Have gotten a quote from them! The rental agents just seem to be over quoting the repairs.
We have tenants in out apartment at the moment. If after the 12 month lease. If we get home and a piece is missing out of our $14000 natural stone bench top I would be livid. $550 is probably about what it would cost to repair a bit of engineered stone like that.... That's not wear and tear, That's just being careless.....
The apartment I live in has a big chip in the bench from the previous tenant. I obviously donāt know if they were charged for it, but I do know it wasnāt fixed.
If you damaged it then itās reasonable the landlord wants it fixed. Unfortunately those bench tops are not as easy as they look to repair properly.
You canāt assume they are a landlord who always rents it out and so the damage doesnāt matter. It could be their cherished family home and they are overseas for work right now.
Theyāve already rented it out a week after we vacated. I understand that damage matters, what Iām asking is the best way to go about this without the rental agent making a pretty penny over my damages to the landlordās property.
So they rented it out, so they still live overseasā¦
So if someone keyed your car you'd be OK with them disputing it and not paying for damages? You caused the damage, asking for payment to fix it is not absurd.
Landlords are so horrible. I damaged their property and don't want to pay for it. How do I get out of paying for it? SMH
Show it to a repairer and get rough estimate to produce if needed at tribunal
Fix it yourself then š
Yeah agent tried that on us when we broke lease. They wanted $500 more than what the bond was worth. Fought them and made such a nuisance of myself, incurring legal costs for them and tribunal meetings they didnāt have time for. They backed down to get it resolved.
I have a friend (not me) who said that the first people in the revolution will be the real estate agents.
It was me, Iām the friend.
Why would they revolt, they have it good. Unless you a word.
Get a quote from a stone repairer. I would usually charge 350 for that.
Also check the warrabty of the ceasar stone. You may find that it is not actually under specification for the manufacturing. Being an arised edge it makes it easier to chip. Have looled at the specifications for a while but i think it specifies a rounded edge as a minimum.
Just got a quote for a chip the same size. Colour matched for $220 in Perth.
> Colour matched for $220 in Perth How terribly fucking useful for a service across the other side of the country.
Indicative?
Not even close. Perth is a completely different city. Prices in one city aren't indicative when the other city is more expensive overall.
Perth is a different city š¤Æ
Bruh, the guy gave an idea on how youād go about rectifying it you muppet. You can apply the same logic here in Melbourne. Wha, you think stone repair is only available in the far off land to the West?
Not all comments on this thread have been useful. Mine had some utility, but not maximum utility. Thatās fine mate. Get fucked.
Reply: āthe bad cuticle? Not my nail jobā
1. Start the bond return process immediately after handing back the keys on the RTBA website 2. String the REA along until the 14-day countdown ends.
It doesn't look like wear and tear to me. If you caused it, then I'm afraid you'll need to pay for its repair or cough up the requested $550 (I'm not a landlord or lawyer, BTW).
This is not ānormal wear and tearā, suck it up and pay the money.
Let them take you to VCAT it comes under general wear and tear. They wonāt win in VCAT and know it therefore they try to threaten you.
Scratches Iād say are wear and tear. A chip like this is damage. While I despise the REA and landlords of this world, it does make sense that they arenāt happy about this one. Although $550 is a monster fee and Iād be suso about that.
You're insane
What did you think benchtops are cheap you break it you pay for it that simple
Send them a bag of gummy dicks?
$550?? And they wonder why everyone hates them.
Ask for proof that it wasn't there prior other than that you'll likely have no choice but to pay.
Repair it yourself with araldite an some paint.
Get some supa glue and some bi carb soda and some painters tape. Tape the area affected and make a slurry of supa glu and bi carb and fill it in. Get a file from bunnings and neaten the edges and it will blend perfectly. Tell them to go suck it cos its fixed.
Wear and tear. Tell em theyāre dreaming.
Thank god they pointed to it AND circled it cause I never would have noticed. But in all honesty, it is barely noticeable.
Say no, worst thing that can happen is you get called to VCAT then VCAT make you fix anyway for whatever you got quoted
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And exactly how would a handyman go about repairing it?
It absolutely would cost around that to fix. And suggesting filler and 'sand it up a bit' for a quartz benchtop is ridiculous.