UK Landlord Forum / Life

This is related to my other post on : Washing machine delivery and Install

https://www.landlordforumproject.co.uk/landlord-advice-help/washing-machine-delivery-and-install/

What happened last Monday when Amazon delivered the new washing machine, their installers – when they were removing the old unit they broke a pipe connecting to the machine that cause an excessive amount of water to spray out from the back for around 1-2 minutes. The downstairs neighbour immediately reported that water was leaking into her kitchen.

The tenant also reported the day after, saying: We now don't have any cold water to the kitchen tap following the installation of the new washing machine, so of course, this means no drinking water. We don't have access to drinking water from the kitchen tap. As it is only hot water.

We contacted Amazon support on Thursday and they raised a in-home repair ticket. Said someone in repairs would contact to organise a visit, still not heard from them.

Tenant emails this morning, saying:

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tennant Act 1985 you are legally obliged to 'keep the installations for the supply of water in proper working order.' As the kitchen tap is a critical part of our water supply and you are failing to provide access cold running water you have failed to meet this obligation.

Under the Homes Act 2018 you are required to ensure your property is "fit for human habitation" throughout the tenancy. Having no access to potable water in the kitchen can render the property unfit as this is interfering with basic hygiene, food preparation and overall safety.

As I am sure you are aware the Housing Health and Safety Rating System assesses risks in residential properties, including hazards related to water supply. We have been without a supply to running water in the kitchen for over a week now. This is an urgent issue. If this is not dealt with within 48 hours I will be in contact with the local council.

We have a plumber looking at a separate pump issue in the upstairs bathroom, but this kitchen issue is caused by Amazon and they should rectify it accordingly. The tenant is trying to force us to use our plumber instead of waiting for Amazon to come and fix. There is hot water in the kitchen, just not cold due to Amazon installer incorrectly connecting up to the new washing machine.

His statement that: "We have been without a supply to running water in the kitchen for over a week now. "

– is false as they do have hot running water all this time

Thoughts?

Appreciate any advice and information on where we stand on this

TIA

Quote from: Diversity on January 21, 2025, 09:28:41 AMHis statement that: "We have been without a supply to running water in the kitchen for over a week now. "

– is false as they do have hot running water all this time

The point is they've been without water for drinking and cooking for over a week whilst you're faffing around with Amazon instead of getting the plumber who's already in the building to sort it. Under the circumstances, I'd go to the council too.

To the best of my knowledge Amazon don' t sell washing machines direct or employ plumbers.They are a market place for sellers. I suspect you have tried to do this on the cheap, hence the fact they could not give proper time slots like well- known companies. You get what you pay for. Why on earth are you nit- picking when you are lucky enough to have a plumber there already? 

I think an outcome like this could have easily been imagined. I certainly did in my reply to your previous thread (maybe I didn't imagine hard enough, as this sounds quite bad). I called you out while trying to warn you. Sometimes I am too subtle - or gullible if this is now a piss-take.

Conclusion: You reaped what you sowed.

You don't drink hot water you absolute moron! Calling their statement out as being false means you do not have the correct approach to being a responsible Landlord, your focus is not on the correct aspect of this self-inflicted wound at all - get out of the game. Go and live under a rock. Still get it sorted - not within 48 hours, within the next working day after reading this latest advice from many. What a numptie!

Also the title of this thread - "...due to no hot water in kitchen" and the statement later that - "...they do have hot running water all this time" - leads me to conclude that you haven't got a clue.

N.B. - thread title edited post this comment.

Quote from: Simon Pambin on January 21, 2025, 11:23:38 AM

Quote from: Diversity on January 21, 2025, 09:28:41 AMHis statement that: "We have been without a supply to running water in the kitchen for over a week now. "

– is false as they do have hot running water all this time

The point is they've been without water for drinking and cooking for over a week whilst you're faffing around with Amazon instead of getting the plumber who's already in the building to sort it. Under the circumstances, I'd go to the council too.

There is cold, drinkable running water in the bathroom (sink), right next to the kitchen. Not ideal, but there is access to drinking water.

Have booked for someone to go last night based on the tenant's availability he provided last week. Waiting for the tenant to confirm

Quote from: heavykarma on January 21, 2025, 02:08:17 PMTo the best of my knowledge Amazon don' t sell washing machines direct or employ plumbers.They are a market place for sellers. I suspect you have tried to do this on the cheap, hence the fact they could not give proper time slots like well- known companies. You get what you pay for. Why on earth are you nit- picking when you are lucky enough to have a plumber there already? 

If you call a washer dryer costing £400+ pounds on the cheap...  it certainly wasn't the cheapest washing machine we could have ordered. And we ordered one with a dryer function. Amazon offers several options with delivery of washing machine, see below. And we paid for all these services..

Install and appliance collection with deinstallation: • Scheduled delivery, in the room of your choice. • Deinstallation of the old appliance (only freestanding appliances). • Installation and levelling of the new appliance with connection to the electricity, water and drainage network. Functional test. Door reversal upon request. • Old appliance collection and packaging removal. • Cleaning your space after the service.

Plumber was there to look at a different, unrelated issue. A repair had already been logged with Amazon customer support, and they were coming back to fix it. Guess you can't rely on a large well-known company to follow through

Quote from: Hippogriff on January 21, 2025, 07:06:55 PMI think an outcome like this could have easily been imagined. I certainly did in my reply to your previous thread (maybe I didn't imagine hard enough, as this sounds quite bad). I called you out while trying to warn you. Sometimes I am too subtle - or gullible if this is now a piss-take.

Conclusion: You reaped what you sowed.

You don't drink hot water you absolute moron! Calling their statement out as being false means you do not have the correct approach to being a responsible Landlord, your focus is not on the correct aspect of this self-inflicted wound at all - get out of the game. Go and live under a rock. Still get it sorted - not within 48 hours, within the next working day after reading this latest advice from many. What a numptie!

See reply above to Simon

Conclusion:  Don't rely on one of the biggest brands in the world to make things right, when things go wrong

Quote from: Hippogriff on January 21, 2025, 07:31:38 PMAlso the title of this thread - "...due to no hot water in kitchen" and the statement later that - "...they do have hot running water all this time" - leads me to conclude that you haven't got a clue.

N.B. - thread title edited post this comment.

It's a typo. Crap happens when you type quickly.

Title corrected.

Thank you to everyone who replied

If someone attended last night (availability of the Tenant taken into account of course) then hopefully all is resolved, I think this urgency can be explained to Amazon and I'm almost sure they'll provide a goodwill gesture - that is what they're good for.

I don't think you realise how serious this is, hence the tone of the replies by others.

One phone call to the Council and they will send an officer to issue an emergency improvement order, some Councils charge a call out fee for the officer and a fine of several thousand pounds.

Make sure you do nothing else to break the law because any Judge seeing this history and your cavalier attitude is likely to throw the book at you.

This type of event can seriously damage your reputation as a Landlord with the Council.

Many Landlords would offer to put the Tenant in an AirBnB until it is fixed, do not dismiss the lack of water and suggest the bathroom is adequate, mine goes via the boiler and not without an aftertaste (boiler will be replaced this year).

Do not use emergency plumbers from Google, they are all scammers

Make sure you inform Amazon that you are holding them culpable for all consequential losses for the negligence of their agents and in future make sure you say that "time is of the essence".

In your position I would be approaching the Tenant with a gesture of good will, a meal out in a local restaurant or ask Amazon for a few hundred quid in Amazon vouchers for you to give the Tenant.

Seriously agree with others that Amazon are not a company you can trust for such things, their call centres are mostly offshore and you can't even call them without going via the website and getting a code.

Someone like Currys or John Lewis would be a better choice in future or better still supervise it yourself.

Quote from: Diversity on January 22, 2025, 08:29:00 AMThank you to everyone who replied