Crack Appeared on Kitchen Stone Benchtop

ozbargainer86 on 14/02/2018 - 09:57

Hi ozbargainer

I need recommendations for situation I am facing.

There is crack appeared on kitchen stone bench top in rental property which is not caused by me. However, my landlord does't agree with me. Saying its my responsibility and he is taking a quote to repair and gone take out from my bond. There was no crack when I moved in this property.

I spoke to Fair Trading, they said if I refused to pay him, he (landlord) will go to Tribunal. Then I and he have to prove and testify why I didn't cause this damage.

Any help or idea to get me prepare for this is highly appreciated.

Thanks

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Mikinoz on 14/02/2018 - 09:58

    You really think a bargain forum will give you the answers you need?

  • iforgotmysocks on 14/02/2018 - 10:07
    +3

    Thanks for coming to Australia's foremost bargains website for your enquiry.

    I'm sure you can replace it with a Xiaomi benchtop you might have to wait a week until Chinese New year is over.

    • rainbow612 on 14/02/2018 - 10:10

      More like a month till everyone comes back from holidays

  • Roofus on 14/02/2018 - 10:09
    +1

    Pretty much I think you'll have to pay for it. It could be due to anything extra weight on that part or heat. Pay for it and move on.

  • toniyellow on 14/02/2018 - 10:19

    You could try https://www.tuv.org.au/ for advice. I’d probably try and gather as much info as you can – how old is the benchtop? Are there any special care instructions for it? Were these instructions relayed to you?

    But getting the right information to dispute it might cost as much as just fixing it. How are you going to prove you didn’t cause it? You could hire your own repair guy to quote and write something about the cause of the damage. But how much less than just paying to fix it will that cost? What if they can’t prove you didn’t cause it either?

  • Nugs on 14/02/2018 - 10:22
    +1

    I hate stone bench tops….

  • thatonethere on 14/02/2018 - 10:30
    +1

    Might be worth getting your own quote for repair and in the process getting the repairer to ascertain how the crack appeared.

    From my experience with cracks in stone benchtops:

    1. I naively put a hot pot on the benchtop during a dinner party. About 30 minutes later there was a horrible crack sound and there was a huge cavernous crack in the benchtop. However the next day it closed up so barely visible.

    2. a neighbour in an apartment block (who also rented) - they had a crack appear in about a year and they had a great dispute. They got a quote for repair and the repairer said there was a design flaw in that area cut out by the sink meant any expansion/contraction in the sheet of stone was unevenly concentrated on the small narrow strip closest to the front of the sink. In the end they just paid for a repair (the owner wanted them to replace the whole benchtop - so that is something to bear in mind).

    • ozbargainer86 on 14/02/2018 - 10:41

      do you know any reliable tradesman to whom I can show ?

      • thatonethere on 14/02/2018 - 10:45

        They just googled someone I think. If you talk with the tenants association you can find out if you can get away with just doing a repair (rather than replacement.

  • dcep on 14/02/2018 - 10:42

    There is crack appeared … which is not caused by me.
    There was no crack when I moved in this property.

    Who then ?

    • ozbargainer86 on 14/02/2018 - 10:45

      That's whole dispute about. It was not like I have put some heavy items and cracked appeared on the spot. I barely realized crack is start appearing.

  • [Deactivated] on 14/02/2018 - 11:21

    Last time my agent did the inspection after my tenants moved out and she found a chip on the stone bench and she deducted $100 from their bond.

  • Randxyz123 on 14/02/2018 - 11:27

    Did you accidentally put a hot pot or dish from the oven on the stone ? Or did you recently have a party where someone May have?

    • ozbargainer86 on 14/02/2018 - 11:29

      Never had a party in my house.
      No hot pot or dish that I know I have put it.

      • Randxyz123 on 14/02/2018 - 13:27

        Never had guests over at all? Family? Partner could’ve put something on it?

        If it wasn’t you as others have said look for the cause. Water, heat, something pushing the floor up under the house?

        Offer 50/50 payment

  • pantsparty on 14/02/2018 - 11:29

    I would contact somebody like this and get a quote for repair:

    https://www.thestoneguy.com.au/caesarstone-crack-repair/

  • Cheeper on 14/02/2018 - 11:58

    Is there a dishwasher under the cracked area? See here..
    https://www.thestoneguy.com.au/blog/portfolio_page/crack-sto…

    Whilst heat and heavy weights can cause cracks in these bench tops it can also be through faulty installation and product fault. Get on google and get as much info on this as you can.
    The LL is saying it is your fault with no proof, so then you can say it could be thru other causes because you did nothing to cause it. I would offer to go 50/50 on the repair or nothing.
    Let him arrange the repair but get a couple of quotes yourself to be sure he is not ripping you off.
    With him getting the repair done your liability would end there.

    Why people put fragile stuff like this in a kitchen is just nuts.

  • aussieprepper on 14/02/2018 - 12:54
    +1

    Well if you are certain that it was not you. Look for the cause?

    Is the bench level every where? Check it out with a spirit level. Also check the floor.

    Is there separation between the bench and cupboards? See if you can move the bench top up and down give it a wiggle.

    Any running water around that area from leaks? Any heat from pipes or machines? Could even be radiant heat from the oven?

  • ozbargainer86 on 15/02/2018 - 15:05

    How to get a statement from kitchen bench top professional repairer saying "These caesarstone benchtop often crack" so that I can testify this statement in tribunal.

  • Harryxx on 03/04/2018 - 08:43

    Hey buddy, I am in a similar situation. What did you end up doing?

    • ozbargainer86 on 03/04/2018 - 11:19

      I paid him $600 for crack repair.

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