Advice request after a bathroom remodelling

Since I can't reach anyone at my Mietverein before Monday and I really need to gripe about this, I'm going to inflict it upon all of you. Plus, someone might have some decent advice.

When we came back from holidays in February, we came home to find that our sink-commode unit had broken. Basically the ceramic top had broken around one bolt and wooden supports had rotted through (water damage from the humidity I'm guessing). I say sink-commode, because the sink was the basin in a wide countertop, underneath which were attached 3 drawers on either side and 2 in the middle. It was one metre wide and went from waist-high to about 15cm above the floor.

I contacted the Hausverwaltung to ask who the unit belonged to, the landlord or to us. They checked and said that it belonged to them. Finding this out, I then told them it was broken. First they got an electrician to call me to make an appointment to see me. So I had to phone back and tell them I didn't need a bloody electrician, I needed more a carpenter or a plumber or someone, explaining again what the unit looked like.

Finally, the right guy came by, saw the damage and said, "Well, it can't be repaired, it has to be replaced". He took a couple of pictures with a digital camera to show them and said he or the Hausverwaltung would be in contact. 2 weeks later, someone finally called me last Friday to make an appointment for this Friday to replace the unit.

Well, he came this morning and my big, useful, attractive sink-commode unit has been replaced by a sink. Just a sink. Not even a pillar to cover the ugly pipes below it. I am fuming.

As I didn't take a picture of the thing when it was in one piece (well, I might have one, but I think it's on film) I've found a couple of web images to give you an idea of things. Neither of these pics contain my sink/unit/bathroom, but they are a fair representation.

Before:

Rather than doors on the left and right it had 3 drawers on each side.

After

Admittedly slightly bigger than this example, but that's it.

Now, along with hoping for loads of sympathy and offers to "deal with" my Hausverwaltung and landlord, I'm wondering how fair this is? Do you think I have the right to reduce the rent, since the value of the apartment and its furnishings has obviously gone down? Or at least a one time reduction to pay for the bathroom fittings I'm going to have to buy myself?

I will ask my Mietverein on Monday, but TT is the next best thing for now.

Does it work as good as the old one?

Therefore it would appear that the Landlord has complied to his obligations..

Not exactly reduce the rent, but shop around for a similar unit and give them 3 or 4 prices to chose from and ask them to buy it/install it at their own cost. It was rented along with the apartment and is therefor included in the lease. Its lack is an amendment to or at least a change the lease, if you want to be picky about it.

No, it does not work as good as the old one. It does not hold any "stuff".

i am assuming you are renting a furnished flat.
speak with your landlord, say you have to buy a unit "to hold stuff" and if he is willing to pay for it or at least part.
reducing the rent because of this is a bit too much.

It's not a furnished flat. But it was rented along with the apartment. I mean, it was attached to the wall, not free-standing. This is why I checked it out first before bothering to get them to fix it. As for reducing the rent, I wasn't thinking of by €100 a month or anything excessive. Basically I just thought of that because I'm ticked off.

did you ask the landlord or carpenter when the rest was coming? i know you have perfect german, but perhaps he misunderstood and only thought the sink was broken. call him up, ask him when the job will be finished.

You could always go out and buy another Unit..

Save the hassle and stress of bothering everyone else with your problem...

What kind of a stupid comment is that? Sorry Showem, I know you can defend yourself, but really, Satman, her problem and concern is real. It is not right that the Hausverwaltung replaced the broken bathroom fixture with something much smaller and obviously of less value. They should have replaced it with a similar fixture, and she has the right to it as well.

No she isnt..

If its on the rental cotract then yes, the should replace like for like..

Surely

If the Apartment´s "functionality" is reduced, you have the right to send the landlord a letter in which you communicate him the apartment is no more in a proper state and so: 1) you can leave the apartment without any obligations or 2) you can pay less.

We bought a couple of under sink units for our rented place for holding the junk. They dont cost much at all. Maybe not as nice as the purpose built all-in-one but they do the job just fine. So just buy one that fits and chuck the landlord the bill. At worst you will be scrapping over 100 Euros so it's not gonna be a problem.

Failing that you can have mine in 6 weeks time, or they will probably go on the skip.