Changing a lightbulb

Hi,

Does anybody have any views on this...? My property manager e-mailed me this recently.

Just a quick email - we did a maintenance inspection at your property yesterday and the tenants reported that the light in the stairwell isn't working. It is the tenants responsibility to change light bulbs, however, as it is so high they would likely need to employ someone with a step ladder in order to replace the bulb. Do you mind if we organise this? I can send my handyman, otherwise I will advise the tenants that they need to organise it themselves.

Should I pay for a handyman to change that lightbulb everytime it fails? If a tenant has a fall on the stairwell and is injured will I be legally accountable to pay any medical costs if I failed to ensure that the stairwell light was working? Hope someone can help me.

In gratitude, Mike
 
Thanks Will,

I've heard of those but if the bulb is encased inside a diffusion cover of some kind it won't be possible. My thinking is that since the light bulb is difficult to reach the safest option is to have the handyman change the bulb. Should I bear the full cost or can I ask the tenant to share the cost?

So this doesn't happen on a regular basis should I have an electrician rig up a bulb fitting that takes a heavy duty long lasting bulb which can be replaced by the handyman once a year? This way the bulb shouldn't blow unexpectedly. Can anyone recommend a suitable brand?

Regards, Mike
 
Last edited:
Hi Mike

How about moving the fitting to make it a wall mounted fitting. Cost a bit now but cheaper than years of a handy man changing light bulbs.

But if the hall light is that high then wouldn't all the cailing light fittings also be that high??

Cheers
 
Thanks for the wall mounted suggestion HA. I agree that something like that needs to be done so that the tenants are able to safely change the globe themselves. I'll discuss this idea with the PM.

Regards, Mike
 
G'day Mike,

(donning Devil's Advocate's hat)

But what if they were to "electroplate" themselves by changing a wall-mounted bulb ("I didn't know if the power was ON or not, as the bulb had blown...")?

(DA hat off)

Could it all really get this bad?

Personal responsibility is fast becoming as rare as common sense !!!

Regards
 
I thought that lighting in the stairwell was strata responsibility.

I remember one place we were at we tried to do the right thing and save the landlord some money by installing a long life bulb.

Guess what happened? Replaced with a cheapo one.
 
I took it as the light is in a house, no strata. Its above the stairwell so a chair cant be put there.

Try using one of the energy saver long life globes, thay last forever or use handyandys suggestion and relocate the fitting because its not much fun paying for a handyman everytime the light blows.
 
Originally posted by brains
I took it as the light is in a house, no strata. Its above the stairwell so a chair cant be put there.

Try using one of the energy saver long life globes, thay last forever or use handyandys suggestion and relocate the fitting because its not much fun paying for a handyman everytime the light blows.

If it's in a house, then no question. Tenant's responsibility. Otherwise you'll have your hands full changing washers etc for them.
 
Originally posted by Mike
Hi,

Does anybody have any views on this...? My property manager e-mailed me this recently.

Just a quick email - we did a maintenance inspection at your property yesterday and the tenants reported that the light in the stairwell isn't working. It is the tenants responsibility to change light bulbs, however, as it is so high they would likely need to employ someone with a step ladder in order to replace the bulb. Do you mind if we organise this? I can send my handyman, otherwise I will advise the tenants that they need to organise it themselves.

Should I pay for a handyman to change that lightbulb everytime it fails? If a tenant has a fall on the stairwell and is injured will I be legally accountable to pay any medical costs if I failed to ensure that the stairwell light was working? Hope someone can help me.

In gratitude, Mike
Mike,

Just rereading your original post.

The agent didn't actually say that you were to pay. According to the wording, they're only asking you permission to organise the handyman- the wording there seems to actually imply that the tenant is supposed to pay.
 
I just did a double check with my PM and she assures me the light bulb IS the Landlords responsibility. I remembered being at a conference last year with her when this was brought to our attention. Most tenants don't know this but if requested it is the onus of the owner.

If you don't, and an accident does happen, you can be sued.

Kev

www.nundahrealestate.com.au
 
What Kevin said is true.
The agent organised an electrician to replace the lightbulb in a unit that my friend rented out and sent him a bill for $75.00.

Davy
 
Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. It's not a sexy issue so wasn't expecting many replies. That's great. Here is my last exchange with the PM:

Hi Tania,

I understand the problem but I'm uncertain from your e-mail who is financially responsible for getting the lightbulb changed by a handyman. Since you are asking for my permission to use your handyman I assume I'll be paying for it, is that correct? You can appreciate that whoever is responsible for the cost isn't going to be happy that everytime that lightbulb fails a large cost will be incurred to get a handyman with a tall ladder to replace the bulb.

I need some suggestions from you for a long-term solution to keeping the cost down of bulb replacements. Examples: Change the light fitting so that the bulb is accessible by a special bulb changing device on an extension pole, therefore, no ladder required and the tenant can do it safely themselves; or change the bulb to a heavy-duty long-lasting bulb; or add a secondary wall-mounted light that is easily accessible by the tenant.

Some large initial cost may be required to implement some of these suggestions but it will reduce the inconvenience when the high bulb goes as well as reduce the frequency of bulbs blowing. I think it would be unwise to buy a tall ladder for the tenants to change it themselves as they may fall and injure themselves. If that scenario were to happen could I be sued by the tenants? If so, then the tenants should be discouraged from doing it themselves.

Regards, Mike

Tania's reply:

Hi Mike

I have my sparky looking at the extension poles as this is probably the most feasible option.

I'll get back to you re the cost of the extension pole.

Thanks, Tania

Me again: I noticed Tania didn't comment on the safety aspects of the tenants trying to do it themselves using a tall ladder and whether I'd be sued if they fell and injured themselves. So I'll assume that a court would not likely take the Landlord's side. That being the case, I'll take the responsibility to implement a solution like the extension pole which is a safe option.

Regards, Mike

PS To clear up the confusion about the stairwell - it is the internal stairwell in a 2-storey 3br townhouse.

PSS As to the tenants electrocuting themselves, as Les suggested could happen, accidents can happen but a Landlord must ensure there is no negligence on their part.
 
if you use those long life fittings now, (small fluro with BC fitting), they last a squillion years, your worries will be few & far between.
JIM
 
G'day Mike

In daughter's townhouse which has standard 8' ceilings, the stairs turn on the landing after six steps with eight to go, meaning the ceiling above the landing in her unit is about 11'.

Even using an extra long extension pole I had to climb six steps up the heavy duty extension ladder when roller painting the ceiling and the top reaches of the walls. There is no way I could change a light bulb, even with an extension pole, at that height.

For one thing, it would be very difficult to position myself directly under the fitting, and then to push the globe in and twist it (unless it was an Edison screw fitting?). If the globe shattered it would fall directly into my face and eyes. Plus, the decor would suffer, as it would have to be a 'naked' globe! Very Dick Tracey!

Luckily, the light in the well is wall mounted, and the light fitting we chose does not need to be removed when changing the globe. I can easily reach the globe when standing on a normal chair, so would estimate the height of the fitting to be around the 7'6" mark.

Any lower than standard door clearance would present its own head banging problems.

On the subject of long life mini fluoro type lamps, we had one in the bathroom which was left on all night when the children were a bit closer to the ground. We wrote the date of installation on the box and kept it at the back of the linen cupboard. When we changed it we were amazed that it had lasted more than five years. However, in it's dying days it would take three to five seconds to light up and once switched off, would need to wait for some while before being turned on again. But the benefits far outweighed this small disadvantage, and this type of lamp does not actually 'blow', it simply takes longer and longer to come on and the luminescence becomes a sort of grey, shadowy light.

Plenty of time then to call in the handyman, and get him to change all the lightglobes in the house while he's there!

Cheers

Kristine
 
Thanks Jim and Kristine,

I'm not a big fan of the extension pole idea either. As a tenant, it seems too fiddly. If the tenant is not happy to use the extension pole then I'll suggest the long-life fluro with a screw fitting which is what I have in the lounge of the flat I'm currently renting. Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards, Mike
 
Hi All,

In addition to Kevin's comment about the light bulbs being the landlord's responibility, whether you believe him or not (I do) you will look like a scum bag if you don't replace a 70c light bulb when requested to do so.

Personally, each time a tenant moves out, the property gets what I call a "New tenant care pack" that includes a pack of toilet roll, a box of soap, new toilet brush, about 5 or 6 no name light bulbs, jar of vegemite, jar of instant coffee and a loaf of bread. Oil the wheel for the first few days to create some goodwill!

Glenn
 
Very nice touch Glenn,
I do some of those but will adopt your "New tenant care pack" from now on. I have always lived live with a "first impressions count" type attitude and I think your Pack would make a really nice first impression. Also a great surprisewhen they opened all the drawers, as you do, and found this nice little gift awaiting. Good on you mate.
JIM
 
Back
Top