Quality of White Goods?

[GuyB]

Hi,

I have just taken on a property and need to install washing machine and fridge freezer (normally provided in this letting area). What quality of product is it best to install? Do you have any preferred brands that you have found last longer? Budget brands such as Bush seem to be available relatively cheaply but are they likely to need replacing more frequently?

I did a forum search on white goods and couldn't find postings on this specific topic, but if you know of previous postings please advise.

Many thanks!

Guy

[mind the gap]

It is better to get a good quality appliance which will last longer, than a cheap one which will need replacing within few years.

I've found Hotpoint, Miele and Bosch last longer than brands like Beko and Tricity/Bendix.

For best of both worlds (quality and saving money) try the Comet or Currys auction sites, where you can get new goods at knock down prices albeit with slight dents, etc. Nothing serious and they come with the normal guarantee.

[YesAdam]

You are a great landlord if you provide white goods, myself I would avoid providing them as if it breaks you are liable to fix it & they will break..

If theirs space though id recommend separate: washer, dryer, fridge and freezer. Combo's seem to break more to me and "all eggs in one basket" springs to mind with fridge/freezer.

Id avoid dishwashers, ive not had a good one! Always breaking but essential in my own home.

Good advice (though not tailored for landlords) at Which:
http://www.which.co.uk/freezers/

[mind the gap]

You are a great landlord if you provide white goods, myself I would avoid providing them as if it breaks you are liable to fix it & they will break..

Not ll tenants are Attila the Hun,you know and if you provide no white goods it may prove difficult to let a property. Market forces will prevail, of course. A dishwasher is a big 'pul' where students are concerned and we've had the same Vosch dishwasher in one student house for six years now - still going strong.

And if they do break down, you're talking £200-300 every five or so years on average. That has to be offset against the slightly higher rent you can command (unless you are operating at the really desperate end of the market).

Id avoid dishwashers, ive not had a good one! Always breaking but essential in my own home.

Disagree totally (see above). And why should tenants be treated as inferior human beings?

Good advice (though not tailored for landlords) at Which:
http://www.which.co.uk/freezers/[/QUOTE]

[YesAdam]

Did not understand your opening sentence, but sure white goods are a bonus to first time tenants. Professional tenants imo tend to have their own white goods because LL generally provide the lower end stuff (of course) that are not suitable (especially for parents!)

I've not had good experiences with white goods, tend to break very often. The most common for me being the LCD displays.

lol, you said inferior not me. Should I expect to see you in EU fighting Human Rights because dishwasher not provided in social housing or private rented sector. Im in it as a business not equality.

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In lower end FTL properties I mostly provide Fridge's a lot of times freezers. Generally not washers and dryers.

[mind the gap]

Did not understand your opening sentence, but sure white goods are a bonus to first time tenants. Professional tenants imo tend to have their own white goods because LL generally provide the lower end stuff (of course) that are not suitable (especially for parents!)

I've not had good experiences with white goods, tend to break very often. The most common for me being the LCD displays.

lol, you said inferior not me. Should I expect to see you in EU fighting Human Rights because dishwasher not provided in social housing or private rented sector. Im in it as a business not equality.

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In lower end FTL properties I mostly provide Fridge's a lot of times freezers. Generally not washers and dryers.

First, apologies for the typos. I was about to go back and correct them when some domestic crisis broke out and I was timed out! The first sentence should read : 'Not all tenants are Attila the Hun, you know,...' And 'pul' shoudl be 'pull' and 'Vosch', Bosch, needless to say. I trust that renders them more meaningful.

As far as reliability goes, I an only re-iterate what I said before : buy higher quality goods. Or make sure the guarantee is worth having. The point-of-sale 5 year warranties are useless, but IKEA's own white goods (which I think are made by Homark), come with a 5 year warranty as standard.

By saying that you need a dishwasher in your own home but you don't think tenants in a rental property need one, you do give the impression that you think they are less important/inferior.

I agree that it is ultimately a business decision, but in some areas of the rental market it can be a very bad business decision not to provide them.

[Bel]

A dishwasher is a big 'pull' where students are concerned and we've had the same Vosch dishwasher in one student house for six years now - still going strong.

How do you get them to fill the salt dispenser? Do you provide free salt?

[Horsepig]

It's not true to say that all tenants will damage or break any white goods you supply but some will. I am dealing with a problem at the moment where the tenant has had three ovens in a 12 month period and now wants another..worn out. They are a standard oven that the LL fits in most of his properties but only this tenant has had so many. And when they are removed they are 2 inches thick in grease from cooking.

[Bel]

It's not true to say that all tenants will damage or break any white goods you supply but some will. I am dealing with a problem at the moment where the tenant has had three ovens in a 12 month period and now wants another..worn out. They are a standard oven that the LL fits in most of his properties but only this tenant has had so many. And when they are removed they are 2 inches thick in grease from cooking.

You haven't suggested that the tenant should pay?

[mind the gap]

How do you get them to fill the salt dispenser? Do you provide free salt?

I tend to take the view that dishwasher salt is a bit like radiator paint. (A gimmick to make you spend more money). I think we filled it for them when we installed it but I doubt anyone has put any in since and it has been fine!