Land agents reckon Satellite dish is skys so may not replace the LNB thats faulty

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smileynz

63 posts

Master Geek

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#135124 14-Nov-2013 21:54

Hey Guys,

Have searched the forums but can't seem to find too much on this subject. We have been renting this house for 2 years now and the LNB has gone faulty. I have contacted the landlord and they reckon the dish is owned by SKYTV. The dish looks like its been there for a very long time. They said its our responsibility to replace the LNB as the owner does not own the dish.

In my view the dish was supplied with the house when we arrived and nothing was mentioned that skytv owned it. I have found this clause here http://www.dbh.govt.nz/digital-television-facilities and it states - Where a landlord has installed a property with the equipment necessary to receive digital television, the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 places an obligation on a landlord to repair and maintain that equipment.

I sent them a nice email saying in goodfaith they should replace it and they have which is awesome.

I am wondering wher do we legally stand on thsi subject? and if they didn't replace it could we go to skytv and ask them to replace the LNB even though we don't have sky? I know that they probably wouldn't lol

Any comments would be appreciated.

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743 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#934163 15-Nov-2013 03:46

My understanding is that sky maintain and own the equipment in the property, However they install it and forget about it due to minimal equipment cost and as you have no relationship with sky they would not be expected to complete any work on it.

To the rest I have to ask if sky where to come and remove their rightfully owned equipment from the property would the LL be expected to replace this? Which comes down to if it is an advertised feature of the property for this to be used for digital TV.

If it was listed as "Sky dish" and sky typically repair this themselves then I would not expect that the LL would be expected to pay anything, If it was advertised as Satellite Dish installed for digital TV then perhaps yes, The LL could be expected to repair it.

Apsattv

2388 posts

Uber Geek

#934165 15-Nov-2013 05:47

For the sake of $20?? the value of a lnbf. Is it worth the drama?

dickytim

2514 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#934170 15-Nov-2013 07:04

"Hi Sky, I have one of your dishes but don't pay you any money to use it, can you please pay a technician to come to my place and repair it for free!"

Seems legit.

naggyman

697 posts

Ultimate Geek

#934173 15-Nov-2013 07:18

I wouldn't expect sky to pay for that, as you are not a current sky subscriber. It really isn't that expensive to fix.
Local store Freeview Shop sells LNBs here: http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/digital-satellite/satellite-dishes-lnbs/satellite-lnbs-brackets-c-6.html

Morgan French-Stagg

morgan.french.net.nz

trig42

5810 posts

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#934190 15-Nov-2013 09:10

If you moved into the house, and it had a dish on it, and you were not a Sky subscriber, I would expect the landlord to either fix the LNB, or provide another means of getting digital TV.

The LNB would be the cheapest.

wire

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#943084 29-Nov-2013 18:53

You can always open up the LMB and re pool the main RG6 connections usually sorts them (being Sharp sky LMB)

richms

28172 posts

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#943193 29-Nov-2013 22:35

Its not the landlords problem to provide digital TV reception, it is yours.

Richard rich.ms

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alasta

6703 posts

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#943233 29-Nov-2013 23:07

richms: Its not the landlords problem to provide digital TV reception, it is yours.

Legally the landlord does not have to provide digital television service unless there was already an aerial or dish in place when the tenant moved in, in which case the landlord must maintain existing facilities.

However, practically speaking, the landlord has an ethical obligation to provide an aerial or dish in my view. It is part of the building infrastructure which tenants can't easily take with them when they leave, and it's something that the majority of tenants would require.

Good landlords attract and retain good tenants.

SteveON

1916 posts

Uber Geek

#943265 30-Nov-2013 00:59

The dish is legally owned by sky. They can remove it if they wish.

colinuu

246 posts

Master Geek

#943275 30-Nov-2013 07:56

SteveON: The dish is legally owned by sky. They can remove it if they wish.

I don't know why they would want to remove it. Next time someone at that address wants Sky, they have to come back and put another dish there. And... is the LNB considered part of the dish or a separate item. This one has now been replaced by someone else because the Sky supplied one is faulty. So they can take the dish, but have to leave the LNB behind? It all gets too hard for something of such low value.

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#957914 27-Dec-2013 11:32

The landlord should have said on the tenancy agreement that the sky dish and cable are excluded from the tenancy. This would mean that the landlord won't have to repair or replace it if it breaks.

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#957959 27-Dec-2013 14:13

Aredwood: The landlord should have said on the tenancy agreement that the sky dish and cable are excluded from the tenancy. This would mean that the landlord won't have to repair or replace it if it breaks.

Doesn't really matter. The dish and LNB was installed by Sky at some time in the past when either the Landlord or a previous tenant decided to subscribe to Sky. May even have been there when the Landlord purchased the property. Sky will only replace the LNB at the request of the current account holder. If there is no current account holder then you will have to do it yourself. It's not the Landlord's problem. He can't specify in an agreement something that doesn't belong to him. I suppose theoretically you shouldn't do it yourself as it doesn't belong to you but I don't think Sky would care. You could always ring Sky and ask to get Sky connected (free install usually), they would then have to fix it so it would work, then cancel your subscription at the end of the fixed period. Cheaper though to buy a LNB.

farcus

1554 posts

Uber Geek

#957986 27-Dec-2013 16:06

SteveON: The dish is legally owned by sky. They can remove it if they wish.

If I buy a house that already has a sky dish installed and I don't want that dish attached to my house am I legally entitled to remove and discard it?

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#958022 27-Dec-2013 17:23

farcus:
SteveON: The dish is legally owned by sky. They can remove it if they wish.

If I buy a house that already has a sky dish installed and I don't want that dish attached to my house am I legally entitled to remove and discard it?

Don't think so. You'd need to ask Sky to take it away. Perhaps tell them to remove and collect within a certain period or you will dump it.

SATTV

1648 posts

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#958040 27-Dec-2013 18:04

farcus:
SteveON: The dish is legally owned by sky. They can remove it if they wish.

If I buy a house that already has a sky dish installed and I don't want that dish attached to my house am I legally entitled to remove and discard it?

As far as I am aware - yes, it is a fixture. When the house is sold it becomes yours and you can do with it what you wish.

You might want to discuss with your solicitor when he / she looks over the paperwork.

I know enough to be dangerous

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