What falls under Minor Repair

[Zexon]

Hi Expats,

I have some questions to ask and hope the expats will be able to help with good supportive answers.

What are the things that falls under Minor Repairs?

Problem - I'm staying in a unit for almost 1 year plus. Of late, the water tap seems to be leaking and i had informed my landlord of this. He managed to find a contractor to come and replace the tap and when his contractor came, he told us that the leak was cause by wear and tear of the rubber inside the tap.

So checking thru my agreement, thats a clause stating that tenants are suppose to maintain the unit except fair wear and tear.

So do i still pay for it? or the landlord should be taking care of the replacement of the tap.?

[bgd]

Look at your TA, there is usually a clause that says tenant will pay the first $150 or similar. I'd say replacing a washer on a tap is a minor and should be covered by you. Next time you'll know how to do it and save some $.

[martincymru]

You could challenge on basis that a washer should last 4 years. Therefore one year into your Tenancy you pay only 25% of the bill.

[Strong Eagle]

You could challenge on basis that a washer should last 4 years. Therefore one year into your Tenancy you pay only 25% of the bill.

Yes, well... the washer costs about 25 cents. It takes 15 minutes to change. Who failed to turn the faucet off completely anyway? Most assuredly a tenant item.

If it's a ceramic cartridge, no replaceable parts, it ought to last ten years. Maybe expense sharing in that case as the whole faucet needs to be replaced due the the kind of faucets being imported.

[JR8]

You could challenge on basis that a washer should last 4 years. Therefore one year into your Tenancy you pay only 25% of the bill.

Yes, well... the washer costs about 25 cents. It takes 15 minutes to change. Who failed to turn the faucet off completely anyway? Most assuredly a tenant item.

If it's a ceramic cartridge, no replaceable parts, it ought to last ten years. Maybe expense sharing in that case as the whole faucet needs to be replaced due the the kind of faucets being imported.

A couple of issues are possible:
- If the tap washer simply needed replacing, and it was a generic rubber washer, I cannot see the basis for the whole tap being replaced (unless it was a contractor ramping the bill).
- If it was a mixer tap with a ceramic, or similar, washer then yes they are more $, and materially more complex to replace.
- If the tap was a cheapo mixer tap, with parts difficult or impossible to replace then yes replacing the tap outright might have been the best remedy.

@SE above, tap washers wear out the same as other 'fixtures'. IME repeatedly closing a tap too hard does more damage to the washer than vice versa. In that case there's a point where how ever hard you close it it still leaks.
p.s. Replacing a generic tap-washer is a simple task once you've done it the first time Esp. in a country like SG where most taps have isolation valves on the copper feed pipe below. ... simpler say than having to go out and buy a pipe freezer, and learn how to properly use it, in order to isolate the water supply.