Property Maintenance Responsibilities for Landlords and Tenants

There is often some confusion as to what responsibilities landlords and tenants hold in regard to property maintenance.

A well-worded tenancy agreement should clear up any confusion about who is responsible for what but as general rule landlords are responsible for maintenance of anything that is integral to the property.

So the landlord should carry out repairs to electrical wiring, gas pipes, boilers, heating, hot water, chimneys, ventilation, baths, sinks and plumbing, common areas and the overall structure of the property including roof, windows, stairs and bannisters.

The landlord also has to ensure the property is health and safety compliant and needs to deal with mould and damp concerns, pests, fire safety and ensuring the electrical appliances supplied with the property are safe to use.
They should also organise a gas health check every year and ensure that the property is installed with smoke detector alarms and carbon monoxide detectors where necessary.

Tenants, on the other hand, are not free of responsibility. They are first of all expected to live in the property in a respectful manner and not wantonly destroy or damage anything.

They are responsible for keeping the home clean and well-maintained.

And whilst the landlord, supplies the smoke alarms they are not responsible for changing the batteries, and of course, they are not responsible for changing light bulbs.

Naturally, the tenant should maintain their own electrical goods and furniture. Additionally, the tenant is also liable for any damage caused by themselves, their family or their guests.

Sometimes there are other repairs to be carried out by the tenant laid out in the tenancy agreement so it is worth checking this closely. It is also a good idea for tenants to document any damage extent when they move in and let the landlord know to prevent accusations.

If you are a landlord and you are interested in discussing our property maintenance packages please give the team at Swift-Services a call, as we do the hard work so you don’t have to.

By |2019-09-30T22:52:47+00:00September 2nd, 2019|blog|

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