Burn holes and cracked ceramic hobs: what the guest pays
Burn holes and cracked ceramic hobs: what the guest pays
Burn holes and a cracked ceramic hob are recoverable from the guest. For a hob, usually only the glass panel is owed, not the whole appliance.
Both are plainly visible and still frequently disputed, because hairline cracks and small burn marks could be older and nobody checked them beforehand.
German law of obligations, §§ 280, 249 BGBIn 60 seconds
A crack in ceramic glass almost always comes from an impact or a dropped pan, so it is attributable to the guest where it is new.
What is owed is replacing the panel, not a new hob, as long as the electronics are intact. A professional quote should separate the two.
Burn holes in textiles, worktops or floors are localised damage. The same principle applies: repair before renewing the whole surface.
Hairline cracks in ceramic glass are hard to date. Without a capture of the hob from before the stay the guest will argue it was already there, and often that cannot be rebutted.
A hob is one of the few spots routinely forgotten in a capture, even though damage there is expensive.
Legal framework
What must be compensated is the expenditure necessary for restoration. That is normally repairing the damaged part rather than renewing the whole item, as long as repair is possible and proportionate. A new-for-old deduction must be taken into account.
What is owed
| Not enforceable | Enforceable |
|---|---|
| new hob where electronics are intact | replacing the ceramic panel |
| new worktop over one burn mark | repair or a section |
| new price with no age deduction | depreciated value, new-for-old applied |
How floor damage is distinguished is in Scratches and stains in flooring; how to build the proof is in Proving damage in a holiday flat.
Common mistakes
The panel is what is owed while the electronics are intact.
That is exactly where expensive, hard-to-attribute damage occurs.
For a localised burn mark, repair is what is owed.
What to do next
Include the hob, worktop and textiles in every turnover capture. Do it with BildProof, about two minutes a room →
Get a quote that prices panel replacement and appliance replacement separately.
For replacement, disclose the appliance's age.
Frequently asked questions
Does the guest have to pay for a whole new hob?
Generally not. What is owed is replacing the damaged ceramic panel, as long as the electronics and frame are intact. Get a quote that prices both separately. Only where a panel swap is not technically provided for, or costs more than a new appliance, is the appliance owed.
The guest says the crack was already there. Now what?
Then you need a capture of the hob from before the stay. Hairline cracks in ceramic glass cannot be dated, and without a comparison image the objection stands. That is precisely why the hob belongs in every capture, even though it is usually forgotten.
What about a burn hole in the worktop?
The same principle: what is owed is remedying the specific damage. If the spot can be repaired or a section swapped, that takes precedence over renewing the whole worktop. Age is deducted from the figure.
This page gives general information as at the date shown. It does not replace legal advice on an individual case.