Misc apartment troubles

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agroot
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Misc apartment troubles

Post by agroot » Tue Apr 30, 2019 9:00 pm

1. How come all light bases in apartment have easy-to-use plug/sock, but all the fixtures bought from local IKEA don't support that, instead use the two black & blue wires (and I had to remove the existing bases)

2. The pull-out/built-in cutting board!? How do people clean that after every use? I had to remove it, wash then install back, can't imagine doing this every time after cutting pork.

3. I cleaned the stove with Pata-Pata but noticed it left a lot of tiny steel strings. Is okay for those to enter water pipe??

4. Where do the built-in kitchen cabinets usually come from? I checked mine as well those on new rental apartment pics. They all look alike but the design is definitely not IKEA. Where to get new shelves, fittings etc?



Misc apartment troubles

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riku2
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by riku2 » Tue Apr 30, 2019 9:59 pm

1. How come all light bases in apartment have easy-to-use plug/sock, but all the fixtures bought from local IKEA don't support that, instead use the two black & blue wires (and I had to remove the existing bases)
The small socket on newer light bases is only used in Finland and Sweden. Other countries have different kinds of mini plugs or no plug at all (direct connection to the wires) . Ikea is a global corporation and it's not economical to have lights made for a small market of just 15million people .. hence you must do some additional work yourself - although legally I think home owners are not allowed to do electrical wiring, only plug things into sockets.
3. I cleaned the stove with Pata-Pata but noticed it left a lot of tiny steel strings. Is okay for those to enter water pipe??

do you mean the inside of the oven or the hob? what type of hob? if it's a glass surfaced one then don't use steel cleaner on it but a special cream specifically to clean hobs. i'm still wondering how the steel string gets into the water pipe though - are you hosing down the whole kitchen? Having lived in finland 20 years i've never used that kind of steel wool cleaner (if indeed that's what "pata pata" is).

vla
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by vla » Wed May 01, 2019 10:55 am

agroot wrote:
Tue Apr 30, 2019 9:00 pm
1. How come all light bases in apartment have easy-to-use plug/sock, but all the fixtures bought from local IKEA don't support that, instead use the two black & blue wires (and I had to remove the existing bases)

2. The pull-out/built-in cutting board!? How do people clean that after every use? I had to remove it, wash then install back, can't imagine doing this every time after cutting pork.

3. I cleaned the stove with Pata-Pata but noticed it left a lot of tiny steel strings. Is okay for those to enter water pipe??

4. Where do the built-in kitchen cabinets usually come from? I checked mine as well those on new rental apartment pics. They all look alike but the design is definitely not IKEA. Where to get new shelves, fittings etc?
Are you the owner of the apartment? If not, are you authorized by the owner to change the kitchen cabinets? If you are not the owner why spending money in something that you will loose when you move out of the apartment, specially if you already have cabinets in the apartment?

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agroot
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by agroot » Wed May 01, 2019 11:39 am

riku2 wrote:
Tue Apr 30, 2019 9:59 pm
although legally I think home owners are not allowed to do electrical wiring, only plug things into sockets.
OMG! Should I revert it? Does it affect home insurance? But there is no warning on IKEA site (I didn't change the bathroom light bases, which are showed with warnings)
riku2 wrote:
Tue Apr 30, 2019 9:59 pm
do you mean the inside of the oven or the hob? what type of hob? if it's a glass surfaced one then don't use steel cleaner on it but a special cream specifically to clean hobs. i'm still wondering how the steel string gets into the water pipe though - are you hosing down the whole kitchen? Having lived in finland 20 years i've never used that kind of steel wool cleaner (if indeed that's what "pata pata" is)
It's electrical type without glass. There were tons of grease on the surface. But the Pata Pata is basically self-disintegrating and lots of small strings came out as I was using it. Very tiny strings, like ant size.
vla wrote:
Wed May 01, 2019 10:55 am
Are you the owner of the apartment? If not, are you authorized by the owner to change the kitchen cabinets? If you are not the owner why spending money in something that you will loose when you move out of the apartment, specially if you already have cabinets in the apartment?
No but I think I could renew the door, handles etc, if they're compatible? Just need to keep old ones in case the owner doesn't like new ones when I move out?

Why mind a few euros when the rent is more worth than all furniture combined? :|

Upphew
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by Upphew » Thu May 02, 2019 1:24 pm

agroot wrote:
Wed May 01, 2019 11:39 am
riku2 wrote:
Tue Apr 30, 2019 9:59 pm
although legally I think home owners are not allowed to do electrical wiring, only plug things into sockets.
OMG! Should I revert it? Does it affect home insurance? But there is no warning on IKEA site (I didn't change the bathroom light bases, which are showed with warnings)
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Piet
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by Piet » Thu May 02, 2019 9:52 pm

I just helped friend of mine move and they had similar problems.

The cabinets: extra shelves should be either paid for by yourselves (then you keep them when moving out) or by the housing company
Do not forget to change all handles back to original, the rental company will charge you for changing it back. (not cheap).
Same counts for a kitchen cabinet where the dishwasher goes, the original cabinet should be replaced when leaving the apartment (if it was not there, make sure you have proof of that).
All lamp sockets, you can change if you want, but they need to be changed back when leaving.
Technically you are not allowed to change sockets by yourself, but in real life everyone does it or they call me to do it for them to make sure it is done safe :lol:
Just remember when changing any socket for a ceiling lamp, pull the (correct) breaker first. :lightbulb:

Anything you change, you should change back when you did not ask for permission from the landlord to change it. If you don't, they charge you for returning the apartment in its original state.

I would advise to get a bought home (for security reasons).

Remember also that in Finland there is not something like tenants protection against getting kicked out. the Finnish law only gives you protection in the form of a notice term of 6 months when renting already longer than a year (or was it 3 years?) and otherwise 3 months when you have a contract for unspecified time.
Basically a landlord can kick you out whenever they want as long as the notice time is obeyed. No protection there... so do NOT invest in remodelling your apartment in any way. If the landlord finds out and thinks it will help him get more rent, he might kick you out and rent it out for more after you left.

Anyway, have fun!
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agroot
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by agroot » Fri May 03, 2019 5:07 pm

Piet wrote:
Thu May 02, 2019 9:52 pm
Just remember when changing any socket for a ceiling lamp, pull the (correct) breaker first. :lightbulb:
I didn't know there are breakers until your post :roll:

All lamps are done already. I just worry about breaking home insurance rules (all in Finnish)...

riku2
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by riku2 » Fri May 03, 2019 10:54 pm

agroot wrote:
Fri May 03, 2019 5:07 pm
I didn't know there are breakers until your post
I'd recommend you keep one hand in your pocket when doing your electrical work then, since if you touch live things with both hands then the electricity travels through your heart and we will not be seeing any more posts from you.

home insurance rules - they put all kinds of get out clauses, like you are not supposed to run the dishwasher or washing machine unattended and there is a tap that supplies these machines with water and you're supposed to turn it off unless the machine is actually running (quite how people in France, Germany, UK, USA, Australia and almost everywhere else in the world manage without this stupid tap is a mystery to me. I just chuckle at the thought of finns renting airbnb flats abroad and hunting for the tap to turn on the dishwasher and washing machine).

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agroot
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by agroot » Mon May 06, 2019 9:38 pm

riku2 wrote:
Fri May 03, 2019 10:54 pm
I just chuckle at the thought of finns renting airbnb flats abroad and hunting for the tap to turn on the dishwasher and washing machine.
But if it does happen and the insurance claim is needed, wouldn't they refuse to cover?

riku2
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Re: Misc apartment troubles

Post by riku2 » Tue May 07, 2019 11:16 am

But if it does happen and the insurance claim is needed, wouldn't they refuse to cover?
most of the better dishwashers (including mine) have a "lump" next to the tap connection. this is an electrical valve and it only opens the water supply when the dishwasher is running. The water tube is a double walled tube with water in the middle and a gap between the inner tube and the outside tube. if water gets into the middle part it shorts a circuit and the electrical valve turns off the water automatically. So the Finnish manual tap is totally obsolete with this kind of dishwasher. This is not something new and has been around for about 20 years, not that insurance companies have any clue about it.


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