Please note: this guide is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
It is important for landlords to understand what repairs they are accountable for. In this article, we will discuss the types of repairs that landlords are (and aren’t!) responsible for and how they can ensure a great relationship with their tenant.
Definition of landlord and tenant responsibilities
Landlord and tenant responsibilities are a set of legal rights and obligations that exist between a landlord and tenant. Generally, a landlord is responsible for providing a safe and habitable environment for their tenant, and the tenant is responsible for paying rent and abiding by other terms of the lease agreement.
What repairs are landlords accountable for?
The UK government has laid out that landlords are responsible for the following:
A landlord is always responsible for repairs to:
- The property’s structure and exterior: this includes roof, external walls, foundation, windows, doors, drains and exterior pipes, guttering and water collection, fences
- Basins, sinks, baths and other sanitary fittings including pipes and drains
This can include things such as leaky taps, broken toilet seats and broken taps
- Heating and hot water
The landlord is always liable for resolving issues with a tenant’s hot water or heating. Landlords must pay for the repair work unless there’s evidence that the renter caused damage to the heater, which might lead to the tenant losing rent deposit. - Gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation
Under the Right to Repair scheme a loss of heating, hot water or gas supply should be fixed within 1 working day
- Electrical wiring
Landlords must keep wiring and installations in safe working order. Tenants must report electrical faults as soon as they spot a problem - Any damage they cause by attempting repairs
Landlords who attempted to, or fixed an issue but caused subsequent damage as a result, must repair the damage caused.
Landlords are usually responsible for repairing common areas, for example staircases in blocks of flats.
What repairs are tenants accountable for?
Minor repairs
A tenant is responsible for minor repairs, for example changing fuses and light bulbs.
If your home is damp, your landlord might not be responsible. It depends on what type of damp it is – and what caused it.
Damage due to tenant negligence
If the property becomes damaged due to tenant negligence, this is the responsibility of the tenant and they should organise the repair. This includes things such as broken windows, broken doors, damage to the walls etc.
Fair wear and tear doesn’t count as damage. If certain items were worn at the start of the tenancy but are now damaged, this may be fair wear and tear.
For example: if carpets and curtains are threadbare, then normal use during the tenancy could cause them to be ripped. One way of avoiding grey areas is to ensure at the start of the tenancy that all aspects of the property are in a state that could not deteriorate further from normal wear and tear.
Can a tenant carry out repairs?
It depends. Before making any repairs or changes to a property they are responsible for, a tenant is required to obtain permission. Also, all work must adhere to building standards and requirements. A tenant is responsible for paying for any necessary planning permission or building control approval.
A tenant should not carry out any repairs without the necessary approval.
Final Thoughts
It’s extremely important that both landlords and tenants are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to repairs within a rental property.
It is crucial for tenants to review their tenancy agreement since it will specify if they are allowed to handle repairs on their own. No matter what your rental agreement says, tenants cannot be made to do repairs that are the landlord’s legal obligation.
Get in touch
At Belvoir, we know the ins and outs when it comes to repairs. We even sort out repairs and maintenance work on behalf of our landlords so that both tenants and landlords are happy.
Let us take out all of the hassle and get in touch with us today.
