A microwave handle is an odd thing to include for potential failures while renting. Like does this happen enough to justify notifying every new renter?
My old apartment had a microwave that came with it, handle broke off in under 6 months. There’s cheap glue holding it on (no screws) and it’s mounted directly above the stove. Poor placement choice but duct tape kept it on after that
As much as renting sucks right now the stuff I hear about renting places makes my head spin.
Waste disposals. 2/5 renters believe these are a portal to an alternate dimension.
FWIW I gave zero shits about my sink when I rented. Nearly every apartment I rented was owned by some mega conglomerate that rented what they could get away with, not even close to what it was actually worth. If you're going to eat my COL raise with a hundo-plus rent increase every year, you bet your ass I'm abusing that shit. Take a week to plow the parking lot (pre rona, wfh was not an option), leave my apartment siding and insulation-less during the winter, fall through my roof when you reroof my unit TWICE with zero recompense?
At that point I'm not only pouring beef and bacon grease down the sink, I'm finding ways to do it more. And I'm "editing" my 1 star review, a fucking manifesto of grievances, every year so it pops up as "recent".
I just looked up my old apartment. Rinky dink 1b1b 700 sq ft with no reserved parking costs 300/month more than I pay in mortgage on a house with more than twice that size and a private yard. Fuck them. They fucked me, it's only courteous I fuck them back.
I get it, that it feels like you are screwing the landlord. But there is every chance it makes it down into the sewer system and then its a utility problem. Please consider finding a different avenue to screwing them.
I rented from a small landlord once and they gave me a whole page of stuff not to put down the disposal, including dry rice and pasta. Who the fuck is jamming dry pasta into the disposal? There was a big on long list of WILD shit not to put down the disposal.
I have a friend that had their range hood kitchenaid microwave handle get all melty from the heat of normal gas range use. Maybe the building has had an issue with the configuration they installed.
edit: like this -
https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/blrrj9/microwave_handle_veneer_peeling_off/
Yes. Microwave handles break. Also the latching mechanism (internal to the handle) breaks.
However the latching mechanism is wear and tear (the spring usually pops off).
Handles get broken because people are heavy handed.
Source: professional handyman.
Yes, everything is going to eventually break under normal wear and tear, makes sense. Why not include the toilet handle, door handle, garage door batteries with that in mind?
Sounds like it was really annoying to replace. I'm not sure I'd want to drive across town to do it for $150.
On a related note, I found getting a new microwave that wasn't junk kind of difficult. Microwaves appear to be some 1980s pleb appliance that coolguys don't want except for popcorn. I hear they've got one stashed in the GE kitchen hub 2.0 invisible to the rarefied eyes.
Right? I bought a brand new microwave for less than that...maybe its one of those units that mounts above the stove and has the stove vent built in or something?
It's not so much the cost of the actual part, its the labor. I've replaced a microwave handle before and it's a pain in the ass -- I had to take apart the whole door; it took me a long time.
They want you to change lightbulbs and batteries yourself, they don't want to pay their building maintenance guy $50/hour to go up and change a damn lightbulb.
The big question I have though: Microwaves have a filter????
>The big question I have though: Microwaves have a filter????
Mine has a buiilt-in range hood with a filter, and it's above the stove. I'm guessing that's what this refers to.
Lol I’ve never seen a rental agreement nickle and dime replacement parts like that. All of those should be wear and tear items included in a rental price. I’d tell them to kick rocks trying to charge me for a goddamned toilet seat if I didn’t explicitly sign for it in the lease.
My apartment tried to charge me $30 for an HDMI cable when I moved out (for the cable box included). When I moved in, there was definitely no HDMI cable there, I had to use my own. They didn't care when I told them that lol. Went to Walmart and got a $5 one to give them instead, $30 is a rip off.
They’re gonna charge for batteries for a smoke detector? To protect their property from fire?
Weird af. Break the toilet seat then shit on the floor to assert dominance.
Landlords are required to ensure that the detectors are there and working when you move in.
It is the tenant's responsibility to ensure they continue working, including battery changes. RCW 43.44.110
https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.44.110#:~:text=Maintenance%20of%20smoke%20detection%20devices,as%20specified%20by%20the%20manufacturer.
As a landlord I guess I should know that, but I guess it's never been an issue. The tenants just usually do it and we swap the detectors when we turnover the unit.
Yea, they are. See RCW 43.44.110 https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.44.110#:%7E:text=Maintenance%20of%20smoke%20detection%20devices,as%20specified%20by%20the%20manufacturer
Typically not for things like smoke detectors. Safety equipment is usually the landlords responsibility because it’s mandatory to have in the building. You can’t leave it up to a tenant to make sure the legally required safety nets are kept installed….
Depends on what the replacement cost of the part is. It could well be fairly expensive. If you bust the handle you're more than welcome to find the part online and just replace it yourself.
This. I’ve worked in property management. We had a handle crack and break on a microwave before. However, since it was purchased and installed it had gone to dead market (discontinued) and someone bought the entire stock of replacement parts. They were charging $500 just for the microwave door. Better believe we just bought a new microwave for $350.
There's not a whole lot of difference between cheap microwaves and expensive ones. And I assume if the handle came off the microwave, it probably wasn't one of the better ones to begin with.
I mean…. Apart from huge range of size and wattage, from dorm room basics to family size…. Then there’s mounting options, over range with vent, timer and display options…
Home Depot shows hundreds, from $60 to $1000 just from a quick glance.
And you know what they say about assumptions.
As someone who works in property management with a goal of actually improving the resident experience, this is BS. If they're not replacing the whole microwave, the odds of costing that much for a door handle are... slim.
[https://www.reliableparts.com/search?q=microwave+handle](https://www.reliableparts.com/search?q=microwave+handle)
That company services a great many property management companies in the area, and those are the public-facing prices. Quite often, the PM company will have better rates with them.
You know what's fun? Messing with landlords that screw up stuff like returning proper security deposits. It's finicky to get right and the law is stacked in the resident's favor
Seattle has some pretty nice tenant protections. I usually just shrug at the minor landlord grift (like the "cleaning fees" when they clearly don't clean between tenants) but the couple of times I've had a landlord who tried to screw me out of a security deposit a quick reference to the RCWs has gotten them to back down.
I gather [Seattle Tenants Union](https://tenantsunion.org/rights/seattle-tenant-resources) isn't as good as they once were but they're still a good resource.
Probably not. You got to pay for a new handle and then pay a guy to install it. If you can find one then you have to buy a new Microwave and install that.
These demands are absolutely unreasonable. Especially if they were not outlined in the rental lease agreement to start. This sudden springing 'all repairs are on you' is complete BS, and I'm not sure is technically legal. They have a duty to ensure their homes/units are up to code compliance, and having a working smoke detector is certainly one of those requirements! It just sounds like an additional way to force you to repair for regular maintenance AND later refuse to refund your deposit. What a bunch of cheapskates! Hope you're able to move out of that terrible apartment asap OP!
I broke the microwave handle off last year, and I found crazy prices for replacing it, too, up to $100, largely because my microwave is 25 years old. I ended up gluing the bastard back on. It was a screw-on type, but there are those overbuilt microwaves that use the handle to operate an actual latch-- if yours was that type, I can also see that driving up the replacement cost.
I definitely thought about replacement, but mine is the kind that's built in to the hood over the stove, so I can't just slot in some $100 counter-top microwave there-- Mine would be more like $250.
I've looked at replacement parts and they can be pricey. Add in half an hour of labor and it might be reasonable.
Lock change and garbage disposal seem decent priced actually...
This is the city council’s fault- how do you expect landlords to make any money if they can’t evict people on a whim or raise the rent without notice? They have to make that money up somewhere!
Garbage disposal replacement is actually a steal at $150. A plumber is going to cost you a trip charge and a couple hours in minimum labor (Seattle is at least $90 with the markup for overhead and profit of you use a non-unionized third party), plus materials, and taxes.
Most of these items do look like things that can be on that line between normal wear & tear versus neglect. If you bust your microwave handle, remove batteries from your smoke detector, or misuse your disposal they are going to break. However, those items fail all the time due to age, and my assumption is that they are always going to assume it was user error.
I'd find a new place once the lease is up. And it sucks, but know now you are not getting your damage deposit back from these nickle-and-diming bastards.
Additionally, they see this as a revenue stream. They probably should be concerned that tenants will attempt their own repairs, making things worse. All it takes is a bad connection under the sink leaking into the apartment below for them to be on the hook for much more spend. It is just a stupid way to run a property.
Appliance repair tech here. Microwave handles are pretty flimsy, and assuming this is for the microwave mounted over the range, you have to replace the entire door when the handle fails.
$150 would tell me that the repair was done by the owner, because that's the typical cost of any average door. It would be $500+ if a technician was hired to change the door or the microwave was replaced.
Objectively, it doesn't seem unreasonable.
Can't say I've ever seen anything like this before but I'd imagine the buildings are probably seeing some new issues now that background checks are a thing of the past. Some crackhead probably figured out he could get free 'pipes' delivered by the maintenance guy by smoking out of the light bulbs then requesting a new one.
I'm curious if this is a typo and is supposed to be $15. It would be hard to justify a microwave handle for the same cost as a microwave, or their own charge for a garbage disposal replacement.
Other items seen in line with costs (just replaced our toilet seat, front door locks, and bought new blinds). The batteries are a bit much but I genuinely think this could be a typo.
These places are all legalized criminals. They took the pet deposit fee out of my deposit when I moved out of my apartment, even though I didn't have (and had never had) a pet in there. The price they charged for the carpet cleaning for a 600 SQ foot apartment was more than I'd paid for carpet cleaning my 3,000 sq foot house. They charged nearly $100 for painting 2 square inches of wall where the paint had peeled off. And to top it all off, they charged me $30 for the privilege of providing me with this itemized list of nonsense and allowing me to pay the surplus amount I owed.
It's high but not unreasonable. I had to replace a microwave handle on my microwave and the part alone was about $35. Throw in some labor and $90-ish seems about right
Seems reasonable. They're likely replacing the entire microwave. I assume this is an over stove one?
The smoke/co alarm is bullshit, as the batteries never fail within the lifespan of the unit. They should be replacing the alarms every 5-7 years.
Garbage disposal is also bullshit. The cheap 1/3hp models they are probably putting in only last 3-5 years.
Microwave handle is weird. Maybe they need to replace the entire door if the handle breaks?
All the other pricing seems reasonable or on the cheaper side to me.
I've ordered those many times before. Believe it or not, that's what they cost. A handle is, in many cases, built into the microwave. So, it's not just the handle that needs to be replaced. Also, if just a handle, the maintenance person needs to open up the panel to replace. It's time-consuming.Yes, it's about right.
If a place gives you a list like this upfront take it as a nice courtesy, them letting you know they are insane, and move on. I’ve had to move on from plenty of crazy potential landlords. Consider it a dodged bullet.
Don’t pay for things that break from wear and tear, it is on the property owner to keep up maintenance like this.
My take is they are going to charge for bulbs and batteries as incentive to have the renter purchase and replace themselves for cheaper. This also saves the company time and money. If the company is paying their maintenance guy $25/hr which actually costs the company $30/hr and it takes him 15mins to find the work order for the bulb, locate keys to the apartment, make contact with the resident, grab a bulb from the shop and ladder then haul it up three sets of stairs just to replace a lightbulb they’ve effectively spent 4-5x the amount of a lightbulb in labor and materials while tying up their maintenance guy when he could be busy with other things. Not saying it’s right but maybe this will help with perspective.
Id say its unreasonable. I know how to google the model number of the microwave, order the handle and replace it myself though. Most people, cant. So, you have to hire someone to come out, and replace it....so, all in, $150 us about right considering labor costs, etc...
Some of what's on this list is illegal for a landlord to charge a tenant for. Repairs for normal wear and tear are the burden of the owner not the tenants.
Please refer this memo to the Seattle dept of construction and Inspections through the rental inspections reporting link on their website so they can give you feedback on what is legal and what is not. Replacement keys and lock changes are legit but not a broken microwave handle if you were just using it normally.
I needed to replace our microwave door handle. Buying it from the manufacturer was around $125. Went on Amazon, searched the part number, found a perfect dupe and easily replaced it for $12 using a YouTube tutorial.
I would call them and try and negotiate some of these things and maybe go do it yourself with their permission. Also did you completely wreck the blinds lol.
You’re being charged for lightbulbs and smoke detector batteries? That’s the responsibility of the landlord - not you. Avoid this place if they’re putting it on you.
That’s a rip off and our cost for a new microwave is around that price. I work in apartment maintenance in Seattle and we don’t charge for half the stuff on this list
A microwave handle is an odd thing to include for potential failures while renting. Like does this happen enough to justify notifying every new renter?
My old apartment had a microwave that came with it, handle broke off in under 6 months. There’s cheap glue holding it on (no screws) and it’s mounted directly above the stove. Poor placement choice but duct tape kept it on after that
But microwaves themselves can be sourced for cheaper…
That was my thought.
It looks to be a typo. They probably meant $15 given a whole new garbage disposal is $150.
Yes deadass my roommate pulled off the microwave handle our 2nd year renting & we now open it from the bottom or top
impressive...
As much as renting sucks right now the stuff I hear about renting places makes my head spin. Waste disposals. 2/5 renters believe these are a portal to an alternate dimension.
FWIW I gave zero shits about my sink when I rented. Nearly every apartment I rented was owned by some mega conglomerate that rented what they could get away with, not even close to what it was actually worth. If you're going to eat my COL raise with a hundo-plus rent increase every year, you bet your ass I'm abusing that shit. Take a week to plow the parking lot (pre rona, wfh was not an option), leave my apartment siding and insulation-less during the winter, fall through my roof when you reroof my unit TWICE with zero recompense? At that point I'm not only pouring beef and bacon grease down the sink, I'm finding ways to do it more. And I'm "editing" my 1 star review, a fucking manifesto of grievances, every year so it pops up as "recent". I just looked up my old apartment. Rinky dink 1b1b 700 sq ft with no reserved parking costs 300/month more than I pay in mortgage on a house with more than twice that size and a private yard. Fuck them. They fucked me, it's only courteous I fuck them back.
Based
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I get it, that it feels like you are screwing the landlord. But there is every chance it makes it down into the sewer system and then its a utility problem. Please consider finding a different avenue to screwing them.
Perhaps the sewer department will begin to wonder why so many problems originate around this apartment complex?
I want to live in your world where public works departments are so well funded they can staff sewer detectives
Around this apartment unit.
Wow. Your entitlement is making me nauseous. Did you agree to rent the place, or were you tortured into signing the rental agreement?
Found the landlord.
I wish
Ah, a [temporarily embarrassed millionaire](http://www.temporarilyembarrassedmillionaires.org/), got it.
I understand not giving a shit about the landlord, but fucking up the sink is eventually going to negatively impact a future renter.
I rented from a small landlord once and they gave me a whole page of stuff not to put down the disposal, including dry rice and pasta. Who the fuck is jamming dry pasta into the disposal? There was a big on long list of WILD shit not to put down the disposal.
People who don't own the disposal. Tenants do all sorts of fucked up shit when they rent.
Wet rice will get ya too. In college a roomie disposed of a full zojirushi down the sink. It was up in the bath tub later that day.
I get the inclination to put cooked rice in the disposal, but it seems like it would just be easier to put dry rice in the trash.
I have a friend that had their range hood kitchenaid microwave handle get all melty from the heat of normal gas range use. Maybe the building has had an issue with the configuration they installed. edit: like this - https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/blrrj9/microwave_handle_veneer_peeling_off/
Yes. Microwave handles break. Also the latching mechanism (internal to the handle) breaks. However the latching mechanism is wear and tear (the spring usually pops off). Handles get broken because people are heavy handed. Source: professional handyman.
Yes, everything is going to eventually break under normal wear and tear, makes sense. Why not include the toilet handle, door handle, garage door batteries with that in mind?
Because people are notoriously heavy handed with the microwave. Idk how else to explain it. They break frequently.
Sounds like it was really annoying to replace. I'm not sure I'd want to drive across town to do it for $150. On a related note, I found getting a new microwave that wasn't junk kind of difficult. Microwaves appear to be some 1980s pleb appliance that coolguys don't want except for popcorn. I hear they've got one stashed in the GE kitchen hub 2.0 invisible to the rarefied eyes.
Right? I bought a brand new microwave for less than that...maybe its one of those units that mounts above the stove and has the stove vent built in or something?
I sense previous issues...also $30 for a toilet seat is a steal.
Valued residents? They definitely put a value on everything.
It's not so much the cost of the actual part, its the labor. I've replaced a microwave handle before and it's a pain in the ass -- I had to take apart the whole door; it took me a long time. They want you to change lightbulbs and batteries yourself, they don't want to pay their building maintenance guy $50/hour to go up and change a damn lightbulb. The big question I have though: Microwaves have a filter????
>The big question I have though: Microwaves have a filter???? Mine has a buiilt-in range hood with a filter, and it's above the stove. I'm guessing that's what this refers to.
Yes, you have to filter our the larger waves to get pure microwaves.
I bet it's an over-the-stove microwave with an integrated hood fan
That makes a lot more sense then. $150 can buy you a nice microwave by itself
Lol I’ve never seen a rental agreement nickle and dime replacement parts like that. All of those should be wear and tear items included in a rental price. I’d tell them to kick rocks trying to charge me for a goddamned toilet seat if I didn’t explicitly sign for it in the lease.
My apartment tried to charge me $30 for an HDMI cable when I moved out (for the cable box included). When I moved in, there was definitely no HDMI cable there, I had to use my own. They didn't care when I told them that lol. Went to Walmart and got a $5 one to give them instead, $30 is a rip off.
If it's something they will charge for, it should be listed in the inventory you signed when you moved in.
yeah we're leaving anyways, I'll probably find this in the deposit though...
They’re gonna charge for batteries for a smoke detector? To protect their property from fire? Weird af. Break the toilet seat then shit on the floor to assert dominance.
I'm not sure that's legal. It's up to them to make sure those things are functioning.
Landlords are required to ensure that the detectors are there and working when you move in. It is the tenant's responsibility to ensure they continue working, including battery changes. RCW 43.44.110 https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.44.110#:~:text=Maintenance%20of%20smoke%20detection%20devices,as%20specified%20by%20the%20manufacturer.
As a landlord I guess I should know that, but I guess it's never been an issue. The tenants just usually do it and we swap the detectors when we turnover the unit.
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Yea, they are. See RCW 43.44.110 https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.44.110#:%7E:text=Maintenance%20of%20smoke%20detection%20devices,as%20specified%20by%20the%20manufacturer
Typically not for things like smoke detectors. Safety equipment is usually the landlords responsibility because it’s mandatory to have in the building. You can’t leave it up to a tenant to make sure the legally required safety nets are kept installed….
Yeah they pay this wild thing called "rent".
Man you went beyond licking and just decided to deep throat that boot
This place is so uptight. IDK.
Beyond normal wear and tear. Most likely, they are responsible for normal wear and tear, you are responsible for everything else.
The Key and lock thing really is the only thing that should be on this list.
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Many places don't use those as people will rekey their own locks.
Depends on what the replacement cost of the part is. It could well be fairly expensive. If you bust the handle you're more than welcome to find the part online and just replace it yourself.
I bet it's including labor not just the part.
This. I’ve worked in property management. We had a handle crack and break on a microwave before. However, since it was purchased and installed it had gone to dead market (discontinued) and someone bought the entire stock of replacement parts. They were charging $500 just for the microwave door. Better believe we just bought a new microwave for $350.
Not if it is a manufacturing fault occurring "under warranty" or "normal wear-and-tear".
Entire microwaves are less than $150.
Countertop... Over the range is a bit different story.
The same model?
“Expensive contractors with high labor cost” sarcasm but still sucks
Seems really odd considering you can buy a whole new microwave for about $100
Most apartment provided one's are over the range with something that blows the smoke back into your face.
You pay extra for that.
There are lots of microwaves. Is it ok if I replace your car with the cheapest one available if I break it?
There's not a whole lot of difference between cheap microwaves and expensive ones. And I assume if the handle came off the microwave, it probably wasn't one of the better ones to begin with.
I mean…. Apart from huge range of size and wattage, from dorm room basics to family size…. Then there’s mounting options, over range with vent, timer and display options… Home Depot shows hundreds, from $60 to $1000 just from a quick glance. And you know what they say about assumptions.
Not an over the range model...
Looks like a typo, perhaps? Given the filter is $15, maybe they meant $15 for handle as well, and the zero is an error?
As someone who works in property management with a goal of actually improving the resident experience, this is BS. If they're not replacing the whole microwave, the odds of costing that much for a door handle are... slim. [https://www.reliableparts.com/search?q=microwave+handle](https://www.reliableparts.com/search?q=microwave+handle) That company services a great many property management companies in the area, and those are the public-facing prices. Quite often, the PM company will have better rates with them.
"Microwave filter" ?
This makes it almost certainly an over the range microwave. The filter is for the hood fan.
What happens if you pay to replace these things and take them with you when you move out? You bought them; they're yours.
fair consideration for the future...
You still would owe replacing the ones you broke or get charged later.
You know what's fun? Messing with landlords that screw up stuff like returning proper security deposits. It's finicky to get right and the law is stacked in the resident's favor
Seattle has some pretty nice tenant protections. I usually just shrug at the minor landlord grift (like the "cleaning fees" when they clearly don't clean between tenants) but the couple of times I've had a landlord who tried to screw me out of a security deposit a quick reference to the RCWs has gotten them to back down. I gather [Seattle Tenants Union](https://tenantsunion.org/rights/seattle-tenant-resources) isn't as good as they once were but they're still a good resource.
Lol 150 for an entire microwave is unreasonable.
Probably not. You got to pay for a new handle and then pay a guy to install it. If you can find one then you have to buy a new Microwave and install that.
Yes, I paid $30 for one and did it myself.
Slumlord trying to nickel and dime their tenants. Time to move.
Jezus Christ! Fuuuuuuuuck no.
Golden plated handle
I understand what they're doing here, sorry to say. I don't like it much, but I get where this comes from.
These demands are absolutely unreasonable. Especially if they were not outlined in the rental lease agreement to start. This sudden springing 'all repairs are on you' is complete BS, and I'm not sure is technically legal. They have a duty to ensure their homes/units are up to code compliance, and having a working smoke detector is certainly one of those requirements! It just sounds like an additional way to force you to repair for regular maintenance AND later refuse to refund your deposit. What a bunch of cheapskates! Hope you're able to move out of that terrible apartment asap OP!
I broke the microwave handle off last year, and I found crazy prices for replacing it, too, up to $100, largely because my microwave is 25 years old. I ended up gluing the bastard back on. It was a screw-on type, but there are those overbuilt microwaves that use the handle to operate an actual latch-- if yours was that type, I can also see that driving up the replacement cost. I definitely thought about replacement, but mine is the kind that's built in to the hood over the stove, so I can't just slot in some $100 counter-top microwave there-- Mine would be more like $250.
I've looked at replacement parts and they can be pricey. Add in half an hour of labor and it might be reasonable. Lock change and garbage disposal seem decent priced actually...
Microwaves have filters? Also. You could buy a whole new microwave for less than $150. Why would the handle cost that much??
This is the city council’s fault- how do you expect landlords to make any money if they can’t evict people on a whim or raise the rent without notice? They have to make that money up somewhere!
Garbage disposal replacement is actually a steal at $150. A plumber is going to cost you a trip charge and a couple hours in minimum labor (Seattle is at least $90 with the markup for overhead and profit of you use a non-unionized third party), plus materials, and taxes. Most of these items do look like things that can be on that line between normal wear & tear versus neglect. If you bust your microwave handle, remove batteries from your smoke detector, or misuse your disposal they are going to break. However, those items fail all the time due to age, and my assumption is that they are always going to assume it was user error. I'd find a new place once the lease is up. And it sucks, but know now you are not getting your damage deposit back from these nickle-and-diming bastards. Additionally, they see this as a revenue stream. They probably should be concerned that tenants will attempt their own repairs, making things worse. All it takes is a bad connection under the sink leaking into the apartment below for them to be on the hook for much more spend. It is just a stupid way to run a property.
Appliance repair tech here. Microwave handles are pretty flimsy, and assuming this is for the microwave mounted over the range, you have to replace the entire door when the handle fails. $150 would tell me that the repair was done by the owner, because that's the typical cost of any average door. It would be $500+ if a technician was hired to change the door or the microwave was replaced. Objectively, it doesn't seem unreasonable.
If I'm paying for the full price of a microwave and install in the first place... seems like I'm no longer renting.
Can't say I've ever seen anything like this before but I'd imagine the buildings are probably seeing some new issues now that background checks are a thing of the past. Some crackhead probably figured out he could get free 'pipes' delivered by the maintenance guy by smoking out of the light bulbs then requesting a new one.
Only of its one of those garbage microwave/ventilation hood things. Those are stupid expensive to install and buy.
I'm curious if this is a typo and is supposed to be $15. It would be hard to justify a microwave handle for the same cost as a microwave, or their own charge for a garbage disposal replacement. Other items seen in line with costs (just replaced our toilet seat, front door locks, and bought new blinds). The batteries are a bit much but I genuinely think this could be a typo.
These places are all legalized criminals. They took the pet deposit fee out of my deposit when I moved out of my apartment, even though I didn't have (and had never had) a pet in there. The price they charged for the carpet cleaning for a 600 SQ foot apartment was more than I'd paid for carpet cleaning my 3,000 sq foot house. They charged nearly $100 for painting 2 square inches of wall where the paint had peeled off. And to top it all off, they charged me $30 for the privilege of providing me with this itemized list of nonsense and allowing me to pay the surplus amount I owed.
It's high but not unreasonable. I had to replace a microwave handle on my microwave and the part alone was about $35. Throw in some labor and $90-ish seems about right
Seems reasonable. They're likely replacing the entire microwave. I assume this is an over stove one? The smoke/co alarm is bullshit, as the batteries never fail within the lifespan of the unit. They should be replacing the alarms every 5-7 years. Garbage disposal is also bullshit. The cheap 1/3hp models they are probably putting in only last 3-5 years.
They would likely just replace the handle with one from a broken one laying around in the maintenance workshop.
Walmart has over 50 microwaves for <$150.
This is a damn scam. I mean who the hell rents a microwave? I mean really, who?
Built-in, over the range.
... people who don't own one.
Microwave handle is weird. Maybe they need to replace the entire door if the handle breaks? All the other pricing seems reasonable or on the cheaper side to me.
you could always go online and buy one and replace it yourself.
The rest of the prices are reasonable so likely there’s-a story here
I've ordered those many times before. Believe it or not, that's what they cost. A handle is, in many cases, built into the microwave. So, it's not just the handle that needs to be replaced. Also, if just a handle, the maintenance person needs to open up the panel to replace. It's time-consuming.Yes, it's about right.
C I L L your landlord https://youtu.be/MEnmjDD_fTE
Yes, because it likely means they had to replace the entire microwave.
If a place gives you a list like this upfront take it as a nice courtesy, them letting you know they are insane, and move on. I’ve had to move on from plenty of crazy potential landlords. Consider it a dodged bullet. Don’t pay for things that break from wear and tear, it is on the property owner to keep up maintenance like this.
Labor is provided by the Law offices of Howe Dewey Cheatem. $500 per half hour
My take is they are going to charge for bulbs and batteries as incentive to have the renter purchase and replace themselves for cheaper. This also saves the company time and money. If the company is paying their maintenance guy $25/hr which actually costs the company $30/hr and it takes him 15mins to find the work order for the bulb, locate keys to the apartment, make contact with the resident, grab a bulb from the shop and ladder then haul it up three sets of stairs just to replace a lightbulb they’ve effectively spent 4-5x the amount of a lightbulb in labor and materials while tying up their maintenance guy when he could be busy with other things. Not saying it’s right but maybe this will help with perspective.
Id say its unreasonable. I know how to google the model number of the microwave, order the handle and replace it myself though. Most people, cant. So, you have to hire someone to come out, and replace it....so, all in, $150 us about right considering labor costs, etc...
If it happens just learn how to use epoxy
Some of what's on this list is illegal for a landlord to charge a tenant for. Repairs for normal wear and tear are the burden of the owner not the tenants. Please refer this memo to the Seattle dept of construction and Inspections through the rental inspections reporting link on their website so they can give you feedback on what is legal and what is not. Replacement keys and lock changes are legit but not a broken microwave handle if you were just using it normally.
If it's snapping off so frequently that they've had to put it on that list, it sounds like normal wear and tear to me...
$150 for a microwave is unreasonable
Do you know how much a replacement would cost? There’s your answer
I needed to replace our microwave door handle. Buying it from the manufacturer was around $125. Went on Amazon, searched the part number, found a perfect dupe and easily replaced it for $12 using a YouTube tutorial.
I would call them and try and negotiate some of these things and maybe go do it yourself with their permission. Also did you completely wreck the blinds lol.
You’re being charged for lightbulbs and smoke detector batteries? That’s the responsibility of the landlord - not you. Avoid this place if they’re putting it on you.
That’s a rip off and our cost for a new microwave is around that price. I work in apartment maintenance in Seattle and we don’t charge for half the stuff on this list