Did Wolf or the appliance store have a recommendation for repair? I would try some of our/their suggestions before trying to deal with getting it replaced and filing a claim, but that is just me. My brand new bathtub somehow got some major scratches that I thought were deep and unfixable, but I got them out (with Comet no less lol).
I think you are well within your rights to ask them to file a claim and I possibly would do it too in your situation. It was an accident and that is why people are insured. I guess I am picking up on a tone of "OMG how could someone be such an idiot" when it seems like it was an accident, she was using a cleaner that is said to be ok for stainless steel and presumably has cleaned your stove before with no issues. IDK if you have ever scratched something like this before, but it is very possible it wasn't noticeable until it dried. I can't imagine that happened in one spot, she saw it and continued on without making any changes to what she was doing. I too would not use Comet on stainless steel, but clearly this has never been a problem before for her.
Anyway, I don't blame you for being upset, I like to keep my things nice so I would too. Let us know how it turns out!
That wouldn't bother me. Stoves are not meant to be babied, IMO.
Maybe you choose not to baby your stove, but if I choose to baby my stove, I am within my rights to do so. If I messed up my stove on my own, that would be one thing. But if someone else does it? Why should I not be upset?
I am seriously shocked by how many people think it is totally okay for cleaning people to trash your stuff with no repercussions. And that I should just not make a big deal about it.
Post by tripleshot on Jul 17, 2014 12:06:22 GMT -5
I would be pissed too. You're right, it was perfect before she touches it and damaged after. I'd push and have them remedy it however you feel is appropriate.
I just got off the phone with the appliance store. To the replace the top, the part will cost $335. Plus whatever it costs to install. So cleaning lady can be done with the whole ordeal for probably around $500. I am hardly bankrupting her.
Do some of you feel that I should still eat that $500 and pay for it myself?
I just got off the phone with the appliance store. To the replace the top, the part will cost $335. Plus whatever it costs to install. So cleaning lady can be done with the whole ordeal for probably around $500. I am hardly bankrupting her.
Do some of you feel that I should still eat that $500 and pay for it myself?
no, I do not think you should have to eat the cost. I would give her a chance to see if she can have it buffed back to good condition before asking her to pay the $500.
I just got off the phone with the appliance store. To the replace the top, the part will cost $335. Plus whatever it costs to install. So cleaning lady can be done with the whole ordeal for probably around $500. I am hardly bankrupting her.
Do some of you feel that I should still eat that $500 and pay for it myself?
no, I do not think you should have to eat the cost. I would give her a chance to see if she can have it buffed back to good condition.
I was given the name of a stainless steel restorative guy. However, the appliance lady already talked to him. He said that if the scratches are against the grain, there is a likely chance that they will not buff out. I will call him myself to get a quote and more info. I was laughing to myself and thinking, yeah, sorry, my cleaning lady was not considerate enought to only scratch it going with the grain.
I think I will give the cleaning lady a choice - she can just pay for the new stove top, or she can take the risk of bringing out the buffer guy to see if it works, but if it doesn't work, we'd still need to get the new top. She can decide.
I get it. My cleaning ladies have put surface scratches in things. It's annoying. They're not always super careful. For instance, I have a heavy cut glass bowl on my side table in my dining room. It's a brand new table from last Xmas. There is now a surface scratch on it (only visible in some lights and you have to be looking for it to notice it but still irritating) and it is obvious that one of the cleaning ladies pushed it back into position instead of picking it up and setting it down again. But that's the risk you run when you pay someone else to do something for you, right? They're not always going to do it your way or even the right way. At least That's what I tell myself when I feel myself getting worked up about something pretty minor in the grand scheme of things
Can you post a pic of the whole cook top? I'm just looking at those pictures and really I'm just impressed that you've made it three years cooking regularly on it without any kind of scratches or whatever. Or maybe I'm just rough in my kitchen. But you keep saying its ruined and trashed and I'm just not getting that from the pics.
but bottom line, like someone else said, it doesnt really matter what I think, not my stove. if you want to put it through the housecleaner's insurance company, then you should do that, but I wouldn't be surprised if they walk away from you as a client after that (so it depends how much you like that particular company, I guess.)
Also like Susie said, it sounds like this is the final straw, which I can see making a difference too.
And $500 to someone that has a wolf stove /= $500 to someone who cleans houses for a living. That's like 5 DAYS of work to her.
I get being upset, but I don't think this warrants you getting a practically new stove for something that is only cosmetic.
That is so far from the point. This is the risk of doing business and why businesses have liability insurance. If the owner of the cleaning company doesn't have insurance, well that's the risk they took and lost. The homeowner has nothing to do with how much a company's employees are paid.
My comment was in response to OP stating that $500 was far from bankrupting the cleaner.
And no, it's also the homeowners risk for not hiring someone with insurance. You pay less for a reason.
I would be supportive of the op on principle, but some of the comments make me less so. Like "literally gasping in horror?" C'mon. This is over the top a bit.
I am glad that I clean my own house. These problems sound way too anxiety-provoking.
That is so far from the point. This is the risk of doing business and why businesses have liability insurance. If the owner of the cleaning company doesn't have insurance, well that's the risk they took and lost. The homeowner has nothing to do with how much a company's employees are paid.
My comment was in response to OP stating that $500 was far from bankrupting the cleaner.
And no, it's also the homeowners risk for not hiring someone with insurance. You pay less for a reason.
Her company is bonded and insured. I assume that the owner of the company would be paying and not the actual employee that did the damage. However the owner ends up dealing with her employee is none of my business. I am dealing directly with the owner at this point.
And not that it is at all relevant to the conversation, but since you brought it up, $500 is a lot to me at this point (regardless of the brand of my stove) because we are also in the process of fixing a broken sliding door, fixing leaking windows, and remediating lead throughout our house. So another $500 on household stuff for something that wasn't even on my "fix-it" list to begin with is just the cherry on the cake.
Wait, can't your husband just hire a different cleaner for his shop?
Yes, he definitely can, but if there is any down time in between cleaners (like he fires one and hasn't found a new one yet), it means that he is at the shop on sunday cleaning instead of hanging out with me and the kids. But we are going to start looking for a new company right away.
Since I now know that the damages are not going to be as great as I originally thought, maybe she will think twice about walking away from a commercial contract due to the situation in our home. But I am not going to use them in our home for sure because I don't trust them now. On the other hand, there isn't much they can mess up at his shop.
This is quite the first world problem. While I understand wanting to keep your things nice and ultimately, I believe the owner should, in fact, reimburse you for the damage, the level of drama you have brought to a post about a stovetop is pretty epic.
This is quite the first world problem. While I understand wanting to keep your things nice and ultimately, I believe the owner should, in fact, reimburse you for the damage, the level of drama you have brought to a post about a stovetop is pretty epic.
after reading through most of the replies .. my constant thought was .. FWP !
I like to cook, I'm somewhat rough w/ my range, a few scratches aren't the end of the world regardless of what brand it is. face it, I'm not going to treat a Wolff or Viking range any different than I would a GE or Maytag one.
This is quite the first world problem. While I understand wanting to keep your things nice and ultimately, I believe the owner should, in fact, reimburse you for the damage, the level of drama you have brought to a post about a stovetop is pretty epic.
Well, of course it is a FWP! It is like the ultimate FWP! I've never denied that. It's not like my children will starve because I can't use my scratched Wolf cooktop.
We got scratches out of ours after a friend 'helped' clean it with the green side of a sponge. It doesn't look perfect, but it was a big improvement. There was a kit we got at Home Depot. In involved steel wool and some polish type stuff.
I think you have every right to be upset and expect the cleaning company to pay. I am wondering how people would be reacting if she accidentally stained/bleached a carpet, scratched a window, or damaged something else in the house. Just because a stove top is not important to some people does not change the fact that she damaged something in your home.
Also, I could understand the "accidents happen" thought if there was 1 scratch. She scratched it in several places. Isn't that kind of negligent?
This is quite the first world problem. While I understand wanting to keep your things nice and ultimately, I believe the owner should, in fact, reimburse you for the damage, the level of drama you have brought to a post about a stovetop is pretty epic.
This kept going thru my mind while reading the post, too... Apparently my standards in kitchen equipment is pretty low, too. I also think I'd probably not last even 1 year without putting equally large scratches in a stainless cooktop, too.
Anyways, the other thing that keeps coming to mind here is folks (especially OP) keep saying "how can you not notice the scratches" when pointing out she made more than one. Have any of you actually cleaned a stovetop? Or, maybe a better question - does your cooktop ever get food stuck on it?
I mean, you remove the grates, the little metal gas/heat distributor cap-thingees (yep, real technical name), you then wet the whole top down with water and cleaning solution and wipe/scrub until everything that was stuck on the surface is gone. Then you wash the cleaner off, and dry or airdry it.
A single scratched spot is pretty unlikely, unless you only have food splashed/stuck in one single spot...
Anyways, did you ever give the cleaning company specific instructions on how to clean the stainless? Specific products that you insisted be used? If not, then I think you kinda have to be OK with someone using a product that says it's safe for stainless, and in the manner the product directs it should be used. If you really felt this strongly about the pristine finish on your appliances, you should have already given the cleaning company explicit directions on how to maintain it.
Anyways, did you ever give the cleaning company specific instructions on how to clean the stainless? Specific products that you insisted be used? If not, then I think you kinda have to be OK with someone using a product that says it's safe for stainless, and in the manner the product directs it should be used. If you really felt this strongly about the pristine finish on your appliances, you should have already given the cleaning company explicit directions on how to maintain it.
I've told them before to use glass cleaner because I thought that it cleaned the best, but there is a significant language barrier between me and the employee of the company so I am not sure how much got across. Also, they use my own supplies to clean. I've never kept comet in my kitchen. I keep kitchen cleaning stuff in the kitchen and bathroom cleaning stuff in the bedroom hall. In fact, I don't even own actual brand name comet, so she either brought her own, or she used one of my natural scrubbing cleaners (which are probably full of crushed shells or something, who knows) and is calling it comet. The scrubbing stuff is never kept in the kitchen.
But regardless, the house should be left in the same or better condition as when they found it. Not worse. That's the bottom line. Just because they need to get things clean doesn't give them the right to damage my stuff in the process.
The owner of the company came over to my house yesterday night at 9 pm and brought the girl that cleaned with her. Turns out the girl used Comet. They won't be cleaning for us anymore at our house. I can't trust them obviously if they don't think twice about using an abrasive substance on a scratchable surface. I hope they can be buffed out. One of the scratches is pretty deep. This is why I hired a company with insurance. At first the owner told me to call my insurance lol. Too bad this isn't my fault, and my deductible is $2500, so not going to happen. We'll see what happens today when I call the appliance store.
I'm appalled that this was the owners suggested solution.
That wouldn't bother me. Stoves are not meant to be babied, IMO.
Maybe you choose not to baby your stove, but if I choose to baby my stove, I am within my rights to do so. If I messed up my stove on my own, that would be one thing. But if someone else does it? Why should I not be upset?
I am seriously shocked by how many people think it is totally okay for cleaning people to trash your stuff with no repercussions. And that I should just not make a big deal about it.
I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but honestly, if you care this much, maybe you should clean it yourself? I kind of figure this is one of the risks you take when you hire a house cleaner. No one is going to take as good care of your belongings as you will. I get filing the claim, that's why you picked someone with insurance, so that's your right. But you are way overreacting with your outrage that this happened in the first place. Shit happens.
But regardless, the house should be left in the same or better condition as when they found it. Not worse. That's the bottom line. Just because they need to get things clean doesn't give them the right to damage my stuff in the process.
I completely agree with you here, and am surprised so many people are saying this isn't a big deal. I would absolutely expect the stove to be returned to the condition it was before the cleaning. I mean, I get that things happen but that doesn't mean you should have to live with the damage. However, I think people may be reacting a bit to your outrage - you catch more flies with honey, and all.
I also think that the company should pay to have it replaced. I am shocked that the cleaner didn't stop after stretching one area let alone 4 areas. :/
I also get some of the ladies responses because ya OP you are defiantly being a little over dramatic about it.
I would absolutely request that the cleaning company make it right and I can't believe the owner asked you to file with your insurance. Umm, no. That's why you went with a service that was insured. I don't think you're over reacting.
Maybe you choose not to baby your stove, but if I choose to baby my stove, I am within my rights to do so. If I messed up my stove on my own, that would be one thing. But if someone else does it? Why should I not be upset?
I am seriously shocked by how many people think it is totally okay for cleaning people to trash your stuff with no repercussions. And that I should just not make a big deal about it.
I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but honestly, if you care this much, maybe you should clean it yourself? I kind of figure this is one of the risks you take when you hire a house cleaner. No one is going to take as good care of your belongings as you will. I get filing the claim, that's why you picked someone with insurance, so that's your right. But you are way overreacting with your outrage that this happened in the first place. Shit happens.
Jut because it isn't the way you'd choose to spend your money, doesn't mean she should be content to have her shit ruined.
It IS the risk you run, but the person you PAY should be responsible for fixing or replacing. If the dry cleaner ruins my shirt, I expect them to reimburse me for the shirt.
No one is saying she shouldn't expect the owner to replace it, are they? I didn't and the person I quoted didn't either. But I do think she is majorly overreacting to a scratch on her stove top. If this is the biggest problem in your life, you need to take a step back and reexamine how you are acting. It's like me getting upset about a scratch on my table. That kind of thing actually is the biggest problem in my life which I realize makes me very very fortunate. So I don't go around freaking out about it like a spoiled princess.
Post by catinthehat on Jul 18, 2014 9:58:21 GMT -5
I had a subcontractor scratch our vent hood and it was very obvious because the light showed all the damage. They had someone come and buff it and used something on it and it looks spotless. They did say they would replace it if the Scratches wouldn't come out.
I would see if you can have someone else try to buff it out and do their "magic". I'd at least expect it to be minimized.
Our cleaning lady did the same thing to my gas cooktop but it wasn't as noticeable and we were going to move anyway but every time I saw the scratches I'd get pissed. Mostly at myself for not clarifying how to clean it. Good luck and I'm sorry this happened. It's annoying