Evidence and documents
How to dispute appliance and white goods charges
White goods deductions must account for appliance age, fair wear, and whether you caused the fault — landlords cannot charge retail replacement for a decade-old fridge without proof. Challenge with check-in inventory, repair quotes and evidence of normal use.
Challenge deposit deductions for fridges, washing machines, ovens and other white goods — when landlords claim tenant damage but charge full replacement for ageing appliances.
Appliance deductions blend repair and replacement disputes — "tenant broke washing machine, £450 replacement." The machine may be near end of life, the fault may be wear or power surge, or the landlord may quote Curry's prices for a basic integrated unit that was already scratched at check-in. Treat white goods as their own category, not generic damage.
Questions every appliance claim should answer
- How old was the appliance at check-in?
- Was it working fully at start — inventory evidence?
- What exactly failed — motor, door seal, cosmetic crack?
- Did the tenant misuse it or did it fail through age?
- Was repair attempted before replacement quoted?
- Is the quote for like-for-like or an upgrade?
When appliance charges are weaker
- No make, model or age recorded at check-in
- Intermittent faults you reported during tenancy
- Cosmetic-only claims on already marked surfaces
- Full replacement quote for a fixable part
- Missing engineer report proving tenant misuse
- Betterment — new premium model vs basic original
Evidence tenants should gather
- 1Check-in inventory lines
Record of oven, fridge, washer model and condition notes.
- 2Fault reports during tenancy
Emails when the freezer stopped or oven tripped — shows pre-existing issues.
- 3Photos of alleged damage
Dents, cracks, burns — with scale and date.
- 4Alternative repair quotes
Shows replacement was not the only reasonable option.
Fridge, freezer and washing machine — typical disputes
Washing machines attract "rubber seal mould" and "drum damage" claims. Fridges get scratched doors or missing shelves. Ovens face burnt enamel accusations. Match your response to the specific part — seals may be maintenance; drum damage needs misuse proof.
How this differs from general damage charges
General damage covers doors, worktops and fittings. Appliance guides focus on depreciating machines, engineer causation, and replacement vs repair economics — arguments adjudicators see often in long tenancies.
Common questions
The landlord bought a new appliance — can they charge me full price?
They need to show you caused the loss and that the cost is fair, often considering age and remaining life. Retail new-for-old is frequently challenged.
I accidentally broke the oven door glass — what then?
Fair repair cost may be owed, but dispute inflated quotes and betterment. Partial acceptance can work if the figure is reasonable.
No inventory mentioned the washing machine
Weak landlord baseline helps you. Combine with our no check-in inventory guide if records are thin.
Is this the same as missing keys or furniture?
No — missing items guide covers keys and inventory chattels. Appliances are fixed equipment with wear and repair economics.
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