2. We recently had new tenants move into an old queensland with the "original" loo downstairs which was a beautiful design, but was leaking and could no longer be fixed due to seals not being able to be purchased to suit. We decided to install a new dual flush loo. It blocked up and we had our trusty plumber clear it. At the time he suggested the clay pipes from this loo to the new poly pipes we had installed a few years ago were cracked underground and it could have been tree roots causing the blockage. We obviously were up for the cost of clearing, but plumber said if it blocked again, we would be better to replace the old clay pipes.
When it blocked up again, we bit the bullet and he dug up the old pipes, replaced them with poly so no more issues. At the same time, he said the blockage was not tree roots, but sanitary and human waste that this loo (and many of the new dual flush ones) cannot cope with the 3 litres used in the half flush and we made it very clear to the tenants, that this toilet needs the full flush every time it is used, and that if it blocked again due to the half flush being used, we would not meet the cost again.
If this was my cooktop, I would try to find out what the tenant had done. You really have to replace it or claim it on insurance, but make very clear what sort of cooking pots can be used, and if it turns out (ask a retailer, repairman) they have done the wrong thing, then I would ask them to contribute to the cost of replacing, and if they baulk at that, make it clear that if it happens again, they would be paying for the replacement.
In all these cases, it is still a grey area whether we could make the tenant pay, but I believe if we have pointed out the pitfalls and clearly stated the cause and the way to avoid it happening again, and said they will be up for repair, even if we are being optimistic, at least most tenants would be worried about being up for an expensive fix, and most would be a bit more careful.
